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It was raining! The whole of Australia is in the middle of a heatwave and horrendous bushfires and we actually had rain. It was heavy enough to wake us up and jump out of bed to rescue the washing on the clothes airer outside the caravan door. Ray grabbed the broom and started washing down the caravan. There are not many places that you can actually wash vans and ours hadn’t had a good wetting since the tropical downpour in Darwin. It hasn’t actually had a proper wash since leaving Melbourne and the Northern Territory dust and road kill insects were still clinging to it. He managed to clean one side before the rain ceased.
Ray suggested we have a relax day today. Aaron and I thought we actually had one yesterday but who were we to argue?
We waved off Noelene and Russell, sad to see them go but happy with anticipation for them to be re-starting on the next leg of their travelling adventure. Life on the road is like that. The thought and anticipation of what is just down the road, what is just around the corner, the people you are yet to meet, the sights you are yet to see, makes you want to experience it all in a flash and flurry.

We thought we had better put some more washing on. The clouds had moved away and it was hot and steamy, on our way to a top of 42 degrees.
I decided to thoroughly clean the van in preparation for Judy and Emma’s (fellow teachers from Melbourne) arrival. They are making their way to Bunbury, on a road trip, and they will finally arrive in a couple of days. I just can’t wait to see them both. Judy will be able to fill me in on her adventurous 4th term as she filled my position in my Year 6 class when I left.
We left Melbourne with everything we thought we required for the trip, but as travellers frequently find out, we brought so many things that we haven’t yet used or worn. It was time to shed some useless items. We worked all morning sorting, repacking and organising and filled a bin or two. I unloaded 9 books that I had read, putting them in the community library in the laundry. Out went some flippers that didn’t fit any of us, 2 pairs of sandals that hadn’t been worn, an assortment of toys (Caleb won’t even notice) and a few items of clothing.
I came across a bag of golf balls (I know I didn’t bring them) so Ray took Caleb outside and they had a hit. He’s not too bad at hitting the ball. I can see a game of golf coming up! All in all, a productive morning.
After lunch Ray suggested a drive. We came across Whitehill Beach. We lowered the tyre pressure and drove onto the beach. Now, since we got very badly bogged in Denham, I am quite nervous when 4WDing on the sand. It’s much too hot to sit around waiting to be rescued…again! The boys seem to take advantage of my nervousness, making comments about white knuckles and crossed legs. They think they are funny.
We ventured on (off the beach which was hardly worth deflating the tyres) to a pretty little haven called Dawesville. Ray was really taken with it and the boat launch area. There were a few jet skiers out and I think he could really see himself there. We stopped by the Real Estate Agents and checked out the prices. Pretty reasonable for almost beachfront properties with ocean views. He was impressed.
Further exploration revealed some lovely estates, many very similar to Mandurah’s marine layout where houses can park their boats in their backyard. It seems that the Mandurah lifestyle is slowly creeping down the coast.
After dinner Caleb beat me at Fish and Snap and he suggested I might need a cuddle to help me feel better (sweet boy). We had an early night in readiness for our early start tomorrow.