With Pippa being so well the past few cycles I decided it was a good opportunity to travel west and visit my sister and her family in WA. Pippa’s oncologist agreed and gave us medical clearance to leave shortly after her last chemo cycle. Things don’t always run smoothly though and for the 2 days prior to us flying out Pippa started some random vomits. Not uncommon for oncology patients but most certainly uncommon for Pippa. Advice from her oncologist was that the vomit cycle needed to be quickly broken before it set in and became a habit. Not good. His advice and preventative actions worked and we headed off vomit free (always a good option!)
It was so ridiculously cold and wet in Mandura that we had packed everything from beanies to bikinis! Beanies were needed when we camped out one night to watch bilbies in the cold and the rain. Pippa also spent a day helping Linda look after the tiniest little 2 week old greyhound puppies. A long day but she loved every minute of being with all the dogs and helping out.
Unusual for me, I didn’t mind about the cold because we were there to spend fun times with family. The other reason I didn’t mind about the cold weather in Mandurah was because we had decided to take an opportunity and create some memories – we were heading to Broome for a week! 7 days of red dirt and beach in 34 degrees! We were lucky to have a beautiful house complete with a pool to base ourselves from, a 4wd to keep James happy and lots of things to do:
We visited a pearl farm and learnt how pearls are crafted;
We watched a movie at the historic 90 year old outdoor cinema (complete with jet taking off directly overhead halfway through);
We rode in a hovercraft to a rocky point where the red dirt meets the sea to see fossilised footprints of a Bracheosauraus;
We drove our 4wd into the Kimberley’s to walk through Windjana Gorge and wade through the dark caves of Tunnel Creek. We saw freshwater crocodiles and beautiful cliff faces and Pippa and I shared a sand bar with a black headed python in the dark (absolutely, positively, no way was I stopping to take a photo of him with a flash in the dark!). Thanks for shining the torch so we could see him though (and not step on him) James! The wade out in the dark just wasn’t the same as the wade in – what else was in the water??? – it could have only made it to the sandbar by swimming! It took a long time for my heart reinstate itself back into my chest after that little experience! It was a 14 hour day which included driving through a lot of bumps and corrugations, sand, a water crossing and being on high alert for cattle on the road all the way back in the dusk and dark.
And of course, what trip to Broome would not be complete without hours spent on magnificent Cable Beach? We rode camels swum, explored rockpools and watched sunsets………
What lovely memories of a beautiful week in Broome and how special to have fun with family as well.
Pippa Rea 