Monday 18th May to Thursday 21st May

MONDAY 18TH MAY 2009 – DENHAM W.A. - DAY 70 (CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS DAY)

Nick arrives home from his morning fishing expedition and he is elated as he has caught 2 beautiful size fish. One was a snapper and the other a local coral cod. There is one huge problem though!

As we are not fishing people we have no idea (or equipment) to scale and fillet these marine specimens. I guess that is why I am not a very keen fisherman. I hate the thought of me being responsible for ending their life and whilst I love to eat a freshly caught piece of fish I am not in favour of these recreational fisherman who catch loads and loads of fish, take them home to freeze them for 6 months. If you can't eat immediately what you catch then I think you shouldn't be fishing. There are supposed to be rules and regulations and heavy fines for people who do this but as we have been told it is not closely policed.

We will eat the snapper tonight and the coral (whatever it is) tomorrow night. Nevertheless, Nick had a really enjoyable day (but at $145-00 for his excursion) I think it would have been cheaper at the local fish and chip shop!!! But don't tell him...

TUESDAY 19TH MAY 2009 – DENHAM W.A. - DAY 71

Another morning of gorgeous sunshine. We are told there is a cooler wet change on its way. We haven't had rain since we were in Augusta a few weeks ago but apparently they haven't had rain in this area for months.

I am getting to know the locals, the lady in the supermarket, the lady in the newsagent and as I drive down the main street there is a family of emus that have the right of way on the roadways or the pathways, into the shops where they want. It is quite a unique site and I guess what makes this little seaside town, really a lovely place to be stranded.

The local policeman here are also very friendly and as I meet a couple of the young boys in blue at the local post office as I am walking across the road they are driving towards me and actually stop to let me cross. All this with a friendly smile and wave. It wouldn't happen in the city!!!

WEDNESDAY 20TH MAY 2009 – DENHAM W.A. - DAY 72

I get a text message today from Jan and Alan and they tell us they have been snorkelling with the whale sharks at Coral Bay which is on our list 'to do'! They are going to head out to the National Park off Ningaloo Reef, early in the morning which they will love as we spent a few memorable days there when we travelled to this area in 2005. The days were glorious, the ocean was calm and warm and the marine life was abundant. I am very jealous as, even though we weren't going to that area again this time it is paradise nevertheless.

Our day is spent swimming, reading and catching up on emails.

THURSDAY 21ST MAY 2009 – DENHAM W.A. - DAY – 73

Boredom is really setting in and we wake up to wind and the threat of rain so I suggest we go for a drive somewhere. The thought of staying here for too many more days is not very appealing and despite Denham being a lovely little seaside town we are very keen to move on.

There is a Telegraph Station at a place called Hamelin Pool about 130kms from here so we decide to drive there.

The scenery is very boring but at least it is an outing and the Devonshire tea at the Telegraph Station is delicious and worth it and the history very interesting.

While we are out we get a phone call from the man who is going to fix the axle and he says the new one has arrived (we weren't expecting it until early next week) so our spirits are lifted. We have to pack up early and have the van to him by 8:00am where he will take the day to do the repairs.

We decide to drive back to camp and begin to pack up.

While I check my emails we get some bad news from our friends Peter and Jane in New Zealand. We travelled around Australia with them in 2005 and have been very very close and firm friends ever since, continuing our close relationship over the last 5 years.

Jane was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in late 2004. Consequently, they sold their business, cars and home and brought a 4 wheel drive vehicle and pop top caravan. We met them at Kingscliff and as we had much the same plans in our minds we decided it might be fun to travel together. This was one of the most fantastic and memorable experiences we have ever had and despite Jane having interrupted spells during the trip where she had to travel home to NZ for chemotherapy it cemented a loyal and lifelong friendship between us all.

Peter and Nick have the same sense of humour and interests and Jane and I have the same personalities so it made our trip that much more exciting and fun with lots of laughs and a huge pleasure to be travelling for 8 months together.

We then had a wonderful trip to Thailand with them 2 years ago in May 2007. In August last year we spent 8 lovely days with them travelling throughout the north of New Zealand and I'm sure they enjoyed showing us their country as much as we enjoyed seeing it. These are memories that will stay with us forever!

Jane has just been told by her doctors that she now only has weeks until the end, quite a shock as we always thought, with her positive attitude and happy disposition she would beat this retched disease.

We are not sure what our plans will be next so we will phone Peter in the morning and we will then make some decision!