Kalbarri Karratha

Hello there folks, it's Tulley here and finally I am writing to you!!!

We left Perth at the start of March after a few modifications to the car, and SLOWLY we made our way up to Karratha, where my Aunty Aggy and Uncle Stevie live.

Smallest blowfish ever

Our first stop from Perth was a place called Horrocks Beach, a quiet little town about 120km south of Kalbarri, with a population of 150 people. It has a great dog friendly caravan park, nice long beaches for fishing, and not much else!! Dad even caught the worlds smallest blow fish there! My Godfather Wilko, even came to play for a week too! He and Daddy had lots of fun pretending to be doggies digging for crabs on the beach at midnight. We went 4wdriving in the sand dunes too, making our own tracks and getting stuck in big pits.

Wilko wedged in a pit

It was all fun and games until daddy broke the car.
Yes the poor engine went CAPOW and blew up!!
"uh oh"....
"Dont worry, Wilko will save the day"!!
Somehow Wilko always manages to come to our rescue and lend a helping hand. With his trusty truck he towed us to Kalbarri where we spent the next few weeks waiting for a new engine to be installed.

Cuddles with Wilko

Waiting, waiting, waiting..... swim.... eat.... play with daddy...... waiting.... swim.... go for a boat cruise... sleep .....fishing... eating.....waiting.... sneak into neighbours tent..... play... swim.... play with kids from Queensland.... stop eating.... start teething.... break out in school sores.... get no sleep.... waiting... waiting.... no more swimming.... take antibiotics as school sores spread.... waiting...waiting.....

I can fly

 Murchison River

Boat cruising the Murchison

Kalbarri sunset

Kalbarri was a pretty place to be stuck in, but after two weeks, daddy was beginning to get restless, wondering if the car would be done on time before he had to go back to work. Our goal was to get to Karratha by the Thursday before Easter, so that dad could fly out to the rigs on Good Friday and mum and I can spend the Easter weekend (and the next 4 weeks) with family. Fortunately the car was done in the nick of time and we made it to Karratha for the Thursday evening, to celebrate Dziadek (Grandfather) Jurek's 60th birthday and one last night with family before dad goes back to work.

Mum said that Aunty Aggys house in Karratha felt like
"a resort style palace, hidden amongst the bleak red nothingness of a mining town. Luxurious palms soothed the eyes and an inviting swimming pool enticed one in from the heat outside. Inside the house was an immaculate heaven decorated in white and gold"
It was hard to believe my cousins Aliya (5) and Tiana (almost 2) lived here. They must be much cleaner and more disciplined than me. Hmmm I wonder how long it will take me transform this little piece of perfection into a dirty feral hell?

I dont think they quite knew what they were in for by inviting us to stay for a whole month. By the end of it, I had taught Tiana how to bite, spit and throw her food, and I had so much fun watching the girls scream when I would chase them and pinch them!!!

Triple trouble

Easter at Python Pool - Millstream National Park

The 28 days in Karratha flew for me (maybe not for Aliya and Tiana), and before I knew it daddy came home and we packed the camper again for our next trip. We had planned to go to the Kimberley's, but mum's heart was being called to the Ningaloo Reef. Mum says we will see lots of fishies and dolphins and sting rays and sharks and maybe even some turtles too!

After a month with family, I am super grateful for having had a roof over our head and nice air conditioning. I must say a big thankyou to Aliya who gave up her bed for mummy and I to sleep in, and for sharing all her toys with me, and letting me play in her swimming pool and I am sorry I broke her cubby house windows, and her kitchen cupboard, and vomited in her bed......

So as the next adventure begins, we take our craziness with us on the road and leave a relieved family to resettle into their home and get back to their routines again.

Next Destination:  Winderbandi Point, a beautiful piece of coral coastline between Coral Bay and Exmouth.

SUMMARY OF THE LAST TWO MONTHS:

Good: Wilko lends a helping hand. Resort style accomodation at Aunty Aggy's house, and spending quality time with family.

Bad: After spending up big on a new engine, Daddy has no more money left, so no more treats for me or mummy for a while.

Ugly: An unglamourous case of school sores / impetigo in Kalbarri. In Karratha I scored a nasty flu and got a 24 hour vomiting bug. To my horror mum thought dressing me up as a girl would be funny. Then, in an attempt to manage my overgrown blonde locks, mum chopped me a mullet. In an attempt to manage her own locks, she died her hair a nice mousy brown poo colour. Lovely!

School sores / Impetigo

Never ever do this to me again mum 

My mullet - I actually dont mind this look!