Oh My God!!!!!!!!

Yes, well his name has been called into use several times over the last few days LOL. This is $5 for 15 mins useage so there will be no corrections so apologies at the beginning.
First day out, we left Tardun at 6.30ish in the end - all good. Managed to fall asleep before we got to Yalgoo, got out to have photo taken at the Yalgoo sign - this is the beginning of the Outback, and again when we stopped for photos to be taken of a wedged tail eagle eating a dead thing on the road - very impressive, then woke up at the next stop Mt Magnet - a much prettier town than I expected. One humerous note, there was a road sign along the way with the outline of a kangaroo, a fox and a kiwi, the sign saying - watch out for strays LOL. Next stop was Meekatharra, a fairly dingy looking place where we got the cars filled with fuel. We passed through Cue before that and that had some lovely old stone buildings, looked very much a town in the wild west (and the difference is?). Over here there are road houses along the way - sometimes they also have petrol but not always a franchaise BP or Shell type set up. One such place was a mere flyspot on the map called Kuramina (from memory). I was standing in front of the drinks cabinet thinking which one will I have when I had a surreal moment and realised I was staring at a shelf of L&P cans. A small shriek ensued - OMG its L&P - blank stares from the Aussies LOL and I swooped on two cans ($3.70 each!!!!!). In a believe it or not moment, it seems that the owners are Kiwis hence the reason these cans are stocked. I would bet it is the only place in WA that you could find them. I can't remember the first names of the owners but their surname is Currie.

We reached Newman around 5.15pm and headed to Dearloves Motor Camp - where you never have to book because there will always be spare spots..... to find they were booked out!!!!!!! Fortunately, there are two motor camps in Newman and we were able to get a tent space in the next one. I was very impressed with the camp site because over here you get POWERED tent sites. This came in handy when we sat around the table later in the evening playing cards with the blow heater going underneath the table for warmth - buggar global warming LOL. Even more impressive was my ability to lie in 'bed' later on and play solitare on my laptop while listening to music on it through my MP3 earplugs. I did appreciate the luxury and was lulled into a false sense of security thinking we were in like accommadations for the rest of the tour.... but more about that later.

Note to self: If/when camping again, I need a tent I can stand in. My tent is a two/three person curved type for pygmies. Initially the work mate was only going to take three tents for 7 people and I am glad I asked for an extra one. I could not fit another person in unless I was EXTREMELY fond of them or willing to share a kidney with (could possibly stretch that to a Bulte or two LOL). First challenge was blowing up the double sized mattress I had bought with the pump we got at the same time. Words are going to be said to the BF.whoever store when we got back because the pump was not the right one!!!! The WM's friends had a pump that kind of worked as it did not have the right fitting either and in a Princess and the Pea moment, it gone blown up enough for the night after much fiddle, faddling with the stopper etc.

Next, it was already cold by sundown so dressed with the thermals, bush shirt, track pants, woolen socks and a sweater. Next challenged - B.....d zips - two on the tent, one that got stuck every time I tried to use it on the sleeping bag - someone out there, anywhere - invent a sleeping bag that opens in one fell swoop! Once I was finally ready for sleep again after suffering RSI from playing cards on the laptop I snuggled into my SB only to wake later in the night having claustrophobic dreams and feeling I was strangling - that was me in the hood of said SB. Fortunately dawn came not long after, though I did sleep through the 4.30am departure of the mining crew.

Newman is not a pretty town, very utilitarian but the visitors bureau was colourful, with lots of items for sale and friendly staff. We headed there once we had packed up as a tour of the mine was on the agenda. We got there to find there was only 4 more seats available so everyone decided I should do the tour and I got to take 3 of the kids with me. Looking at a mine site has never been up there on my list of things to do and I was unsure whether I should indeed accept the gift of going, however, I thought - at least this will give me something to blog about I guess - spot the enthusiasm LOL. Well, the first good thing was, the tour was by bus (I thought it would be 1 1/2hr walk LOL)so it immediately started to look good. I am now very glad the WM encouraged me to go - it was a very interesting tour indeed. We had to don a blue hard hat, safety glasses, and a high vis vest (nuclear orange) and then on the bus we had to have our safety belts on - all good BHP safety practice! The itinery did not have a typo - it is the biggest open cut mine in the world. - I will have to write more later, I am being picked up for a trek in some gorge this morning. Catch u later.