When we came to Australia we wanted to show Henry all the things he didn't get to enjoy when he was here last time. He was only 2 and didn't travel well. He really wanted to go to Uluru, deep in the central outback of Australia. As I started looking into planning the trip, I realized it was going to be massively expensive because travel out of Perth is not at all as affordable as it is from Melbourne. Flights were going to be very expensive and all of them required flying all the way east to Melbourne or Sydney first, and then backwards in to Uluru. I just didn't want to do it. And then I recognized that Henry likes thrilling experiences more than scenic natural wonders.
He also wanted to see crocodiles like Allen and I saw in Cairns in 2016. Another expensive flight to the other side of Australia.
So we made a deal. I found a crocodile park in Broome, Western Australia. Camel rides looked like another fun thing offered there. It also had the element of novelty, since Allen and I had never been to that quadrant of Australia before. I love seeing something new for the first time.
Uluru will still happen someday, but we'll wait until he's older and more equipped to handle the long walk in the heat. And maybe when he's a bit older he'll be more ready to absorb the awe of its size and the significance to the aboriginal people there.
I intentionally planned it as late in the year as I could so it would be cooler temperatures there. In the summer months Broome can get over 100F/40C. We planned our trip for May, and the temps were still about 90-92F/32-33C. (I talked to someone at the Broome visitors center and mentioned it was too late and hot in the day to take Henry to the playground and she said, "It's really not hot." To her, I totally grant that. But we hadn't adapted yet.)
I also had learned about Staircase to the Moon, which happens when the full moon rises over the very low tide, reflecting its light on the long stretches of exposed mud.
So let’s step into “Broometime,” the term locals use for the unhurried pace of life there.
Broome Day 1
To maximize our time, I chose an early morning flight, and a late night return. We left the house at 5:45am! Henry was thrilled to fly Qantas. They serve good snacks.
We arrived in Broome at 10am with plenty of time to explore before the sunset camel ride that evening.
Henry needed a solid breakfast so we went to Maccas for pancakes, then checked out Cable Beach while we waited for the hotel room to be ready. Cable Beach was named the third best beach in the world last year by TripAdvisor! And since the other two are not in Australia, that means this is Australia's BEST BEACH!
I've been to 10 of the first 30 Best beaches in Australia! Most of them are in Western Australia. (Have I mentioned how much I love it here?)
What set it apart for me was not just the beautiful color, but the steady water. The slope of the ocean floor is so slight that the waves just roll, they don't cap and smack you. It looks so still, even a long way out, like it's just been painted the same shade of light blue. It doesn't really get darker in the distance.
It was hot. Henry needed a nap. He slept in the hotel while Allen and I went across the street to Black Stump Art Gallery. It had some beautiful pieces by local artists!
I want to learn this traditional art technique.
This Piece used the alcohol ink technique Nancy Cadjan taught me to look like the local beach.
We met Georgie Dunn who painted this gorgeous piece of art.
It was a watercolor swath of oranges and reds and with little ovaled rectangles drawn over in a spectrum of colors. Some were gold paint. The base was done when she lived in Uluru. The top layer was done when she came to Broome. Absolutely stunning. But out of my price range.
Then Henry swam in the pool. That perked him right up. Only one jet of the spa was on so all force went through it, sending him floating in a circle.
Then it was time to ride the camels into the sunset. The "address" for where to go said “north end of Cable Beach past the rocks.” The rocks are beautiful. And it’s so covered with shells that I forget to look up.
The camel ride was so peaceful and the rhythm of the camel was calming. My hips were stiff when I got on and totally limbered up by the time I got off. Henry and I rode on Ariel. The camel behind us kept trying to move forward. Her name was Mara. Apparently she’s used to walking second in line so she was wanting to move up. Our camel was best buddies with Isaiah further back, but they had been cutting up lately so they had to be separated. Allen rode the first camel. The moon rose over the bay on our left while the sun set over the water to our right.
We all loved it.
One of the camel workers noticed Henry’s BYU shirt and revealed she was from Utah. She’s backpacking for a year while taking classes on line at the UofU.
For dinner, Allen went in to a chip shop that looked not busy based on the parking lot, but it was. The person at the counter was new. And was messing things up for the cook, who was not new. Allen noticed the cook was being very patient and kind to her while she learned.
As Henry finished off the chips, he said, “thank you for planning this trip.”
No offspring has ever said that.
It was a long and great day. And we had three more coming!
Now for Day TWO.
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