We had spent almost three weeks at Quandong Point and were getting itchy feet and wanted to get moving further south to Exmouth and the Ningaloo Reef area where I could get into some serious
light game fishing. Unfortunately we needed to hang around Broome to conclude our business with the law firm we had employed. The problem with doing business from a place as remote as Broome
and they don't come much more remote is the time it takes for mail to be sent east and returned, five days each way would be considered fast.
With six out of six parks in Broome being dog un-friendly
we had a problem. We could go to one of several "Overflows" but we needed up to three weeks and the shire has limited stays in these places to 7 days. Most likely due to the fact that
some people without dogs go to these "Overflows" because they are cheaper than the parks and if they could would stay for weeks. Maybe they should let those with dogs stay longer and those with no
dogs limit to seven days. The idea is that you stay in and overflow until a site becomes available in a commercial park.
The other thing that happens is that at the end of August they consider that the
season is over and the "Overflows" are ordered to close. No further bookings are taken and those in residence must vacate at the end of their week. To bad if you have a dog and unfinished business with
the local law firm at $300.00 per hour.
Anyway we ended up getting 2 and a bit weeks at PCYC with a bit of help from Paul (Paul and Jane we met in Darwin) who had picked up a job there for 2 months. It's not
what you know but who you know.
So what can we say about Broome? Not much, we couldn't see what all the Who Ha was about other than the marketing guys have done a good job on the glossy brochure. You know, "You must go to Broome!".
We did lunch at the Roey (Roebuck Hotel) a couple of times, dinner at the Beer and Saty Hut (best value) a couple of times. Got ripped off at the Wings Chinese Restaurant
in town for 2 soups, 1 sweet 'n' sour pork, 1 satay beef and a bowl of steamed rice, $86.00.
Checked out Cable Beach from the esplanade and decided that we have been spoilt growing up on the Gold Coast and didn't bother to step
onto it. Watched a total eclipse of the moon that eclipsed the staircase to the moon so well promoted by the glossy brochure guys. Did the info tour at Pearl Luggers - "The Sea, The Men, The Legend" (recommended), and watched the parade of floats in
the annual Shinju Matsuri Festival of the Pearl. Which we and many others in the overflow parks nearly missed as they were ordered to close the week before the festival. What were they thinking?
Renee indulged her passion
for pearls and gave the credit card a flogging. We walked out on Gantheaume Point and took in the early history. Walked out on the famous Broome jetty, pumped about five thousand dollars into the local economy and then got kicked
out of town because we had a dog.
Will we go back, not bloody likely, other than for supplies and we will get most of then from Derby. My money is on Exmouth as the big developer in the north of WA.
Finally business was concluded and we were free to resume, six weeks behind schedule. Goodbye to Broome, goodbye to winter 2007.
