Karijini to Port Hedland

Karijini to Hedland

 

Had a very early start. Claire got up before 6.30 to watch the sunrise.

 

John outside our cabin at first light

 

 

 

 

 

We quickly packed the car and went for breakfast in the restaurant., and were on the road by 8.30. It was a gravel road of 33 kms to the Visitors Centre. This had not been upgraded since John and Margaret last visited 6 years ago, said John. When we emerged, disaster struck in the form of a flat tyre.

 

Luckily a nice young man came to our rescue. He jacked up the car and changed the tyre in no time! He was filthy with red dust from underneath the vehicle. It was fortunate that JL had blown up the spare before setting off. Geoffrey's boys had put in a substandard jack, so our Good Samaritan had to fetch his own.

 

Back on our way to Auski with spectacular scenery. The final leg to Port Hedland was a battle with road trains, although most drivers were helpful indicating when it was safe to overtake. Shady lunch stops were hard to find.

 

Arriving in PH, our first priority was to get our spare tyre repaired. Then we checked into Cooke Point Caravan Park where we had booked a 2-bedroom chalet. It was very close to the seashore, so Ellie and Margaret a went for a walk on the beach whilst John and Claire went to get the tyre fixed. We met our neighbours from Karijini in another chalet. Near the beach were some bird flowers - the first of this trip.

 

 

 

 

We went out to dinner at the Esplanade Hotel. Excellent food and a nice ambience outside on the courtyard. JL had seafood pilaf, Claire had vegetarian eggplant w haloumi, M had barramundi and E had Nemo's crumbled snapper. We had a bottle of sparkling and felt all was right with the world after our traumatic day.