10 Jun 10 – Carnarvon

By Lou: We intended to stay one night in Carnarvon at a caravan park as we were keen to get to a more low-key spot further north and enjoy the weather and Ningaloo reef. However, before we knew it 4 nights had flown by. Carnarvon is full of fruit and vegetable plantations, a $50m industry, which supplies a majority of WA’s fruit and veg market and it was very exciting to buy inexpensive and good quality fruit and veg.

Craig had been quietly concerned for a few weeks about the angle one of the trailer tyres had taken on and wanted to check out the axle. Between crawling under the trailer and heading out to mechanics/wreckers for parts and advice that took up most of 2 days. One morning whilst I dutifully stood by passing tools in and out to Craig, Sam took himself off to ‘craft morning’, complete with mug of Milo and plate of biscuits to share with the old dears doing their knitting and crocheting.
In that same social spirit we joined in on a Mystery Dinner night in the park. We rocked up with our BYO chairs, crockery and cutlery and joined a table of 5 gents. In between courses of pea and ham soup and vanilla slice we had three rounds of trivia quiz and out of 8 teams we emerged the winners. It was a good laugh and great way to socialise and win bags of chocolate.

Craig got an offer to go fishing in one fella’s boat, and found some drinking partners to boot! The only downside to this socialising is that it takes a good hour to actually leave after you do the rounds of goodbyes.

Carnarvon was the place where I decided to take stock of the toll the ever regular drinks and nibbles routine was taking on my waistline and energy levels. I am on Day 2 of a new resolve to get up and walk each morning. I had let my old habit lapse since I didn’t have a dog to walk and was not keen to wander off for an hour on my own in a strange town. Nothing to do with the luxury of sleeping in of course. I had envisaged we’d be out and about each day doing things to incorporate informal exercise but there’s a lot more sitting around chatting going on than that. So new rules: Don’t drive to the shops to buy the drinks and nibbles…walk!

By Sam: It was a friendly caravan park and had kids. Dad got my box of toys down so I played with them.

By Craig: Driving through Carnarvon WA I really didn’t have a feel for one caravan park or another but as it turns out the one we picked was great.
A trivia night put on by the caravan park managers was a great way to meet and socialise. Our trivia team won the night and Red, one of the team players, invited me out for an afternoon fishing in his boat. Not a bad effort either as I caught my first Mackerel off a lure, what a fight & it tasted just that little bit better for the effort.
I was also able to get out for a fish off the beach, even Louise was willing to take up a rod & Sam just loved playing in the sand. Although we were unlucky the first afternoon the next day I was invited to join Darren the park manager for another attempt and luck was with us as we pulled in a couple of Tailor. Well in general having an opportunity to fish and chat with others over a few drinks made the trailer maintenance bearable (bloody axle).