Each morning has been quite cool even though the sun is shining, but by about 9 am we know we are going to have our usual 28-30 degree day. We visited the Broome Markets this morning and were amazed at the the number of people browsing the many and varied stalls. I would have to say that this market is probably the best we have visited since we have been on the road. Lots of clothing, jewellery, crafts, food, 2 Clairvoyants, a Hairdresser and even a man showcasing his snakes, and as we walked passed he had a very large Python draped around his neck. John went for a closer look and I moved away as far as I could! The Market was in a very lovely setting with the Broome Courthouse one of the buildings on the site with the beautiful Frangipani trees providing plenty of shade for vendors and buyers alike.
We drove a short distance to the Wharf for John to go to the Fisheries Department to purchase a Fishing Licence but unfortunately the office was unattended. He will purchase it online later in the day. We then walked along the very long pier on a purpose built walkway for foot traffic and saw quite a number of people fishing in the beautiful turquoise blue waters of the Indian Ocean. A couple of fishermen had been successful whilst we were there with catches of a "Queenie" and the other fish we saw was an unusual coloured bream shaped fish (really no idea) but the fisherman was very happy that he had caught something! There was a huge ship anchored at the end of the pier and it appeared to be a ship that would transport plant and machinery possibly to the oil fields.
A quiet afternoon and some reading of the books we have accumulated from our expeditions. John is reading one on the early exploration of the Kimberley Region, "The Duracks of Argyle", and was taken by a description of the region by the author and it is repeated here. There is no better way we could sum up what we have seen of the country in this beautiful part of Australia.
"The sweeping valley the Aborigines called "in bulin buri" lay within a vista pleated, folded and corrugated by the ravages of volcanic upheaval and scarred the tenuous courses of rivers and creeks. Ancient mountains, cloaked with a rugged mantle of trees and sun-bleached spinifex rose from the bare, bone structure of eroded rock, the skyline undulant with the varying formations of sugar-loaf hills and razor-backed ranges. Here was water set deeply and secretly in green-smeared gorges and summit pools that spilled down time-stepped rockface streaked with red and yellow ochre."
At about 3.30 we departed for Cable Beach to meet with Sue and Neil so that we could organise the Camel ride that Sue and I were to do. Unfortunately, we were told all the seats had been pre-booked but we could stay around in case there were "no shows". Only one seat became available so we insisted that Sue take the ride as they are leaving on Sunday and would not have another opportunity, and I could take the ride some time next week. Sue had a fantastic ride and we managed to take good photos for her. At the end of the ride we said our goodbyes with a promise to catch up sometime further down the west coast.
A barbecue with Rod and Jude, Heather and Don then bed.
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| Shopping at the Broome market. |
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| A big crowd at a very good market. |
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| The wharf walkway is made for jetty fishing. |
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| This young man was very happy with his catch. |
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| Lisa was extremely happy with her queen fish. |
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| Sue got lucky with the last chair on the sunset camel train. |
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| An hour later and the sun sets over the Indian Ocean.There would have been a lot of laughing along the way. |
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