Day 43 and 44. Today we turned south! We drove only a couple of hundred clicks and stopped at the Stanley Rest Area. It is a free camp well off the highway and well set up. We just felt like a quiet afternoon reading and, in RM's case, minding his own business, as he just told me. A nanna nap was also in order. RM got another chance to use the new toy, the solar panels. Elle met new dogs. Next day we drove to the deGrey River free camp site. The countryside is ...

Day 41. Visited the Port of Broome. It is a big operation and there are many tourists trekking out along the jetty. The members of the MUA at the Port of Broome must be the most photographed unionists in Australia! Elle managed to make it over the metal surface out and back but she was very worried about it all. I was worried she might fall into the Indian Ocean! Then we drove down onto the beach at Minyirr on Gantheaume Bay. You can drive your car to the water ...

Day 40. Spent the day hanging out in Broome and at Cable Beach. It was hard work! We managed to get decent haircuts at Shaggahs, I got my watch battery replaced and bought some clothes, RM bought us a solar battery charger and we still made it to lunch at noon with Hugh and Wendy at Cable Beach. They took off at 2 for a tour up the Gibb River Rd and the Bungles. We pottered down to the beach with Elle for a swim. The weather and water are perfect!

Day 39. An easy drive to Elle's resort, about 30 kms short of Broome. It is a very new van park, catering to folk with pets. This is a good niche as Broome does not have any other pet friendly van parks. There are lots of us here. After lunch, we drove into Broome and looked around Cable Beach. We found a part of the beach open to dogs so we took a long walk there. I reminisced on my last visit there, pointing out the nude bathing beach to RM. Also drove around t...

Day 37 and 38. Another easy drive had us in Derby by lunchtime. Derby is at the other end of the Gibb River Road and a jumping off place for that road trip. Derby is on the massive King Sound and has the greatest tidal range in Oz. Our van park is on the edge of the tidal flats! We are about 2 inches above sea level and in the absence of wind, we should be OK. Lovely park. We walked the 3 ks to the jetty with Elle last night to watch the sunset. It was spectacula...