Every thing gets done in Broome time

"Everything gets done in Broome time" according to the locals. Life is very laid back and casual here. Knowing we are going to be here for 2 weeks we quickly slipped into this culture too, enjoying the slower pace, not rushing to the next destination or attraction.

We made a deal with the kids that if they put in a few good days of homework done then with the exception of reading, journal, and times tables we would have a break from school work til Darwin. Matt completed his major project on Birds of Western Australia (and got excellent feedback and 100%) while Abbey & Zach completed some unit work and Josh did a project - a Fishing Magazine.

Flicking though the tourism brochures we set about deciding on what to see and do. I think with the exception of not visiting Malcolm Douglas' Wildlife Park we ticked off all of Broomes "must do" list. These included

• Courthouse Markets - where we enjoyed Banana spring rolls.

• Looking for Dinosaur footprints at Gauntham Point - we found 2 sets.

• Walked and swam at Cable Beach - Nick and Josh even rode along it on the bikes.

• Visited a Art Gallery (on a girly morning out with Jo)

• Checked out the Sun Theatre - Broomes open air cinema, which featured in the movie Bran Nue Day. Unfortunately there weren't any family movies showing while we were there - even though Josh tried convincing us that "The Dictator" would be ok.

• Abbey, Zach and Rose did a camel ride along Cable Beach. I think the part the kids like best was riding past the clothing optional part of the beach, seeing old men nude.

• Saw many of the types of shells we have collected for sale in the Shell House.

• Played rugby on the beach with the Backsons boys, Pete Leonard (who scored a ripper of a black eye), and Pete, Chris and Anthony (a new family we've become friends with)

• Chilled out at the pool and enjoyed fun times with friends.

• Watched Staircase to the Moon. We saw it 4 nights in a row. The first with crowds of people on the point at Roebuck Bay, and the following 3 nights either sitting on the grass outside our van or from our bed. An amazing phenomenon to see.

• Heard Senator Bob Brown speak to the community about saving James Price Point from being destroyed with the plans of a gas plant. (Even Josh and Matt thought the meeting was interesting and as a family we want to encourage our friends and family to join this campaign)

• Grandad Bob flew over to visit us. (That's probably not on Broome's must do list but it was a great highlight for us)

• Visited Broome Bird Observatory twice. Enjoying watching goshawks, barred finches and bower birds from the comfort of the shade house. We were shown 3 bowerbird nests. All 3 nests belonged to one pair. The male bower bird made one and then another but neither were satisfactory for the female, finally he built a third which he decorated with shells, and she was finally pleased (Nick thinks this it is not just the female bower bird that's not easily pleased - I think he should be careful with his comments......) We wandered down to the beach and saw pelicans, egrets, osprey, barmety kites and a tawny frogmouth.

• Ate mango ice cream at The Mango Place.

• Toured the Pearl Luggers museum where grandad astonished us all with his knowledge of the side effects of opium, a drug used by pearlers to alleviate the pain of "the bends" and cause constipation (that fact grandad shared). The whole pearl lugging business was quite barbaric and sad, all done to collect mother of pearl shells to make buttons, hair pieces and cutlery. So many people lost their lives and the industry of "blackbirding" so tragic.

• Nick and Grandad sampled beer and ginger beer at Matso's brewery.

• Rose enjoyed a girly night out with Jo, Lauren and Sara - Thai for dinner in town followed by coffee and cake at a bar in Cable Beach. My first girly night out in 5 1/2 months!

• Josh and Nick watched the Queens Birthday footy match at the local TAB - breaking their tradition of attending the match live.

• Sampled some of the towns eateries. a nice change to camp cooking.

• Fished off the Port - no catches here but Matt caught 5 bumped nose travally in Roebuck Bay in the Kayak.

• Abbey lost her first tooth (again not on the must do list but a milestone none the less).

• We went to the crab races, then held our own with the Backsons with hermit crabs we caught on the beach. Abbey's crab was the winner.

Sadly the kids witnessed an unfortunate event at the toilets while they were washing up at the sink one morning. A scream came from the showers and a lady came running out because an Aboriginal man tried to attack her. The cleaner asked the kids for my chefs toolbox knife so he could enter the toilets and hold him up. Unfortunately the attacker escaped over a gate, but was later caught by the police on the beach. This was our first experience of crime, but one which we made sure the kids were together at all times.

With our time in Broome coming to an end and pack up day looming. The Grey Nomads watched with great amusement as we reloaded the van with numerous cries of "I really didn't think you would fit all that in". I'm not sure what they are going to do for amusement now. Between the amazement of all of us and our stuff, and Abbey's continued friendliness I'm sure the next few days will be less entertaining for them...... Maybe they'll need to change the channel on their TV.