Norseman and Esperance with Kalgoorlie side trip.
We’re 80kms from civilisation but its dark and Ben is done driving for the day, we wikicamps ourselves a safe spot for the night, its nothing flash but there are other campers there so it feels safe. We’ve been free camping awhile now and the van has been perfect for this. Quick dinner and straight to bed then we’re straight to town in the morning to reconnect with the world.
It takes about 20 mins or more to refill the water tanks, standing here, arm up by my head holding the hose. It’s cold here too and my hands freeze and my thin jumper is not enough to keep out the cold.
Tonight we’ll stop in a free camp with all the other border crossers and catch up on some correspondence. It’s just an empty grass lot by the local basketball court. In the morning it’s time to catch up on some schoolwork then Ben wants to head North to Kalgoorlie to check out their super pit.
It takes about 20 mins or more to refill the water tanks, standing here, arm up by my head holding the hose. It’s cold here too and my hands freeze and my thin jumper is not enough to keep out the cold.
Tonight we’ll stop in a free camp with all the other border crossers and catch up on some correspondence. It’s just an empty grass lot by the local basketball court. In the morning it’s time to catch up on some schoolwork then Ben wants to head North to Kalgoorlie to check out their super pit.
Kalgoorlie
The weather packs it in on our way North and we roll through a stretch of roadworks behind a line of road trains - mud spattering a solid red coating up the side of the van, she’s super dirty now, not just dusty. The super pit is super massive but It’s a no drone zone people so not many great photos. We learn about the mine from the huge info boards and stand in the over size digger bucket. It’s hard to conceive the size of the trucks as they’re so far away. The girls try to spot the specially painted trucks, pink, black and blue but the lighting isn’t great and they are just so far away.
There’s a cool freecamp spot in town which has the cleanest playground I’ve ever seen and the girls enjoyed an hour running and climbing before tucking in for the night.
Kalgoorlie was a bit of a side trip so after a morning spent parked outside the laundromat where Alila did her weekly zoom tutorial, we got some serious washing done, it’s back through Norseman to Esperance. We did 4 hours of driving played on 4 playgrounds, saw the worlds longest train and arrived in Esperance to find the sand blowing off the beach. It’s howling wind but we wander around looking at various things outside the museum while we wait for the fish and chip shop to open. We’re thinking tomorrow might be a no driving day. Yippee.
There’s a cool freecamp spot in town which has the cleanest playground I’ve ever seen and the girls enjoyed an hour running and climbing before tucking in for the night.
Kalgoorlie was a bit of a side trip so after a morning spent parked outside the laundromat where Alila did her weekly zoom tutorial, we got some serious washing done, it’s back through Norseman to Esperance. We did 4 hours of driving played on 4 playgrounds, saw the worlds longest train and arrived in Esperance to find the sand blowing off the beach. It’s howling wind but we wander around looking at various things outside the museum while we wait for the fish and chip shop to open. We’re thinking tomorrow might be a no driving day. Yippee.
Esperance
We eat our fish and chips all snuggled in the dinette of the van. The wind angrily rocking us from side to side. Out the window is the dirt car park for overflow camping when the camp grounds are full. It’s $55 per night for just a dirt patch to park on. It’s late and we’re a bit lost as to where to go. We finally get hold of the last campground and they have a spot, the site we get is aways from anything but has an astroturf mat and the campground has a cool bounce pillow which the girls enjoy jumping on for half an hour after the mornings schoolwork. There’s other kids there too which is fun.
We somehow manage to still be in town at 1pm, we’re deciding where to go and we’re a bit lost with no plan. We decide to drive, this seems to be our plan b for all things. If in doubt drive west.
So here we are heading to Albany after finding a surprisingly neat little stop at Jerranumgup. They have the coolest biggest adventure playground and everyone ran around while I whipped up a stir fry. The town is literally a gas station, campground and botanic garden with this whopping big playground.
We are on the road again just after 9 the next morning, we’ve done some work for the day and have a place booked for tonight at Middle
Beach in Albany.
We eat our fish and chips all snuggled in the dinette of the van. The wind angrily rocking us from side to side. Out the window is the dirt car park for overflow camping when the camp grounds are full. It’s $55 per night for just a dirt patch to park on. It’s late and we’re a bit lost as to where to go. We finally get hold of the last campground and they have a spot, the site we get is aways from anything but has an astroturf mat and the campground has a cool bounce pillow which the girls enjoy jumping on for half an hour after the mornings schoolwork. There’s other kids there too which is fun.
We somehow manage to still be in town at 1pm, we’re deciding where to go and we’re a bit lost with no plan. We decide to drive, this seems to be our plan b for all things. If in doubt drive west.
So here we are heading to Albany after finding a surprisingly neat little stop at Jerranumgup. They have the coolest biggest adventure playground and everyone ran around while I whipped up a stir fry. The town is literally a gas station, campground and botanic garden with this whopping big playground.
We are on the road again just after 9 the next morning, we’ve done some work for the day and have a place booked for tonight at Middle
Beach in Albany.
Comments
Post a Comment