a snapshot of broome (with sarah!)

so broome was amazing.  sarah and i got to really experience some serious luxury while we were there. got in very early on wednesday. sadly 12 mile was closed that day but that meant we got to eat at ra ra's which was spectacular and had a bali theme...how appropriate.  our food was delicious and the atmosphere amazing.  we then did some shopping around town. i got jose two great shirts and nothing for myself.  how unusual!  though i did put in an order for a fab dress (shhhh).  and i found what i want for my birthday...which i am telling jose about of course :)  then we went to our hotel a bit early (bali hai) and were treated to the lap of luxury. we had a free upgrade to a two bedroom deluxe villa.  it was amazing.  we then went to the spa and got two for one deals on massages. i had a 90 min deep tissue massage that i fell asleep during.  sarah had a pearl paradise package.  heaven. when done we cleaned up and went out to see the sunset at gantheume point.  beautiful as always, it was swarming with dragon flies.  freaked sarah out, but i can't say anything since she defended me the spiders as i squealed in fright on the joonjoo trail.  anyway had a lovely time there and then went to azuki for the best asian meal i've had in ages! we got tazmanian salmon sushi, prawn and corn gyozas with citrus dipping sauce and pumpkin and tofu tempura soup.  for dessert it was flourless chocolate cake with black sesame seed ice cream and i was in total heaven.  good thing i do not live here - i would be completely broke.  went back to the hotel and watched my kitchen rules, and passed out early!  next day we ate at kool spot which was awesome. then showed her cable beach where there were lots of tiny jelly fish out and about.  nothing scary or anything. just cute!  then i dropped her at the airport. she was going to melbourne and then back home after that. what an amazing couple of days with her!  so sad to see her go. it was such a treat to see a bit of home out here in the kimberley.  see many many more photos here Derby 2011

neap tide and emmett's send off

 

what a super fun day!  yesterday was great too - sarah and i had a blast shopping in derby and going on walks and going to the hash run too.  definitely off the beaten track up here.  today we lounged around, went to lunch at jila's, hung out and then met everyone at the jetty for drinks. today was a neap tide so the water was very still and blue (unlike the normal muddy brown). it was so beautiful.  tons of mozzies though, which were very irritating.  went back to emmett's for a curry cook up and to watch my kitchen rules. so much fun! we will miss him here though. can't believe he's leaving us!  oh well i guess 6 months in europe might trump sticking around here :)

joonjoo trail

second day in derby for sarah: i woke up late (very unlike me) and we had some coffee and then headed out to find the joonjoo trail. first we stopped at the prison boab tree which is in full bloom right now. it was beautiful. then started on the red trail at joonjoo.  we saw wallabies in the wild, lots of birds and lots of beautiful insects.  there were also tons of spiders across the trail which was incredibly difficult for me to handle so i made sarah go first. what a wimp i am...anyway it was great and miski had a ball.  came back and showered and went to jila for lunch. yum! we rested and blobbed out the rest of today and now are planning to go to the jetty at sunset for drinks and then to emmett's for his going away bash/curry night. i can't believe he's leaving!!!! tomorrow sarah and i are going to broome to stay in a posh resort and shop til we drop. can't wait!

sarah's first day in derby

for sarah's first day in derby we had coffee, breakfast and then went to the art centre here. she got a beautiful painting by a local artist. we even got shown to the back to meet a few artists and see where they come to paint. it was lovely. i wanted one but can't decide which yet.  then we had pb&j sammies and felt very american.  after that we walked into town where we visited the bra shop, the pet store, and sarah got her nails done.  then we went to hash - a local (actually international too) running club. we met up at a friends house, started the marked run around the town and marsh (in the dark with false trails set up - sneaky) and then ended up at the hash halt for some liquor with coke and a lolly thrown in to sweeten the mix. went back and sang silly songs and drank terrible drinks.  we had a wonderful dinner with great company and then scurried home, exhausted and collapsed into bed.  what a day! more photos under the Derby 2011 album.

sunday broome trip to pick up sarah!

yay! sarah's in town! so weird and awesome to have a fellow yank in town :)  went down sunday with claire and ayesha. on the way the water came all the way to the road. places that were once just marsh and dried mud were lakes. it was unbelievable. poor little moos were sitting on tiny patches of dirt on the sides of the road. we did a few errands in town and then got tired sarah from the airport. waited for sam as well (airport pick up) and then had an awesome lunch and locally brewed beer at matzos before heading back to derby.  had to stop to help the undertaker (yes that's right) fix his tire.  the girls stayed in the car. i remarked that it appeared they were turning the lug nut the wrong way. i thought surely three men would have it down though so i didn't go and tell them. later they came in and said that they had been turning it the wrong way!  i laughed until i cried.  had a quick dinner at windmill and then an early night.

jetty walk

 

took another walk to the jetty with the pup this weekend.  we had to go the road way though because of the recent rains. she did great and it was beautiful as always outside.

water water everywhere

after high tide we had some heavy rains as well.  which was nice because it lowered the oppressive heat and humidity we'd had.  it was so beautiful out with the clouds and the water came right up to our street! i've never seen the marsh so wet!

walking on the golf course / race track

took little miskers (as we call her) for a stroll on the golf course here in derby. it's actually the nicest one in the kimberley. that being said there are huge termite mounds and boabs to get around. it's a dogs paradise.  the race track is also wrapped around the golf course.  can't wait to see those going this dry season. miski had an amazing time on the walk with her friend cora, and even went swimming in the pond!  then we had homemade pizza with friends. yum! more photos under Derby 2011 album.

highest tides of the year

we had the highest tide of the year here in derby - at 3:45pm.  it overflowed and covered the jetty and the road to the jetty and the marshlands turned to salt water lakes as far as the eye can see.  it was beautiful. the entire town showed up to see the overflow.  i've never seen anything like it before coming here.

miski chillin on the patio and fitzroy floods

i looked outside one morning and there she was, just hangin in the chair. how cute!  fitzroy has been flooded for some time - as is most of east kimberley region.  this is an aerial view of the flooded catchment. noonkenbah looks like an island...but it's not. it's usually surrounded by marsh land and a couple rivers. we're even cut off from broome and halls creek now too. we're stuck! no more food really left in the grocery stores and i am getting cabin fever...i need a broome trip soon :)  more photos here Derby 2011

sunset and a fish at the jetty

a beautiful sunset again. we went for a quick fish - caught nothing - and enjoyed our time there. beautiful sunset on the way home and grabbed some take out pizza from one of the 3 local restaurants. weird right? not much for choice but the pizza was yummy.  lovely evening

the derby puppy parade!

i happily got back from the course in time to bring miski and jose to the puppy parade at the park around the corner from us. no time to enter her and she's a bit too, exuberant, shall we say. anyway many other dogs were there, all dressed up. all our neighbor dogs were there too! there was a horse for poo bingo (wherever the horse poos, the person who selected that square wins a prize). i wanted to win, but alas i did not.  there were hot dogs and drinks and snow cones (my very favorite, how i missed those).  it was still really hot out and i was exhausted from the day so we watched for a bit and then headed home, ordered some pizza and had an early night.  sadly can't get down to broome this weekend b/c the river is about to flood over our bridge between the towns. i might go and check that out!

4 Wheel Drive Course!

i got to take a four wheel drive course for work. was one day of theory and then a practical day! super awesome!  it was a beautiful, hot day and we got to go through mud and sand and over hills and into boggy areas.  the tides were up so we were treated to "beach" like views along the way.  absolutely stunning vistas and i love off roading, always have.  i even got to do it in a manual car and did great so that's exciting!  i also found a beautiful beetle when other people got themselves bogged and we were waiting to snatch them out, etc.  sad thing is on the second leg of the course (another area) the car died so we had to tow it back to town and miss out on black soil avoidance and more mud running. oh well another time.  can't wait to get out there and try it again!  many more photos here Derby 2011

marsh walk with the dogs

went for a walk on the marsh with friends and their dogs.  it was a muddy, soggy mess out there and a blast! miski kept pulling my arm out of the socket which is annoying the crap out of me but i have no idea how to fix it. anyway turns out instead of an amazing sunset we got treated to a cloud show the likes of which i've never seen before. shadows were being cast all over. i have no idea how it made the patterns it did but it was unbelievable. we then were treated to an amazing dinner at our friends place!  check out more photos here Derby 2011

relaxing on the marsh

took some camp chairs out on the marsh to enjoy the sunset. the sunset was pretty good and the rain and lightning was also pretty spectacular. it was a beautiful evening with a lovely breeze and great company. there's more photos here Derby 2011. we got back just in time for the rain to come pelting down. it flooded our entire back yard. there are pics of that and a video of the lightening in the album

welcome to derby day 2011

had such a great weekend so far!  i played with miski most of friday afternoon and then we had a nice dinner together at home and met emmett and brooke for drinks at his place.  went over to the spini (local pub round the corner from us) to hear Abandon play and say goodbye to the iconic pub. it's being demolished and rebuilt (hopefully soon).  should be pretty cool actually. right now it's kind of a hole.  the party was fun though and so many people came out!  so funny to be in a bar with tons of people and recognize more than 75% of them.  tiny towns are funny like that.  and kind of incestuous. anyway today we woke up early and checked for garage sales (none, sniff), bought a freshly baked loaf of bread at the bakery down the street from us, made breakfast, played with the puppy, took a nap, made yummy lunch, watched a silly movie and then went with brooke and emmett to welcome to derby day! how fun! the shire put it on and there were lots of local stalls there with freebies, information, complete with free drinks and raffles! we didn't win anything but it was so fun and nice to see...all of the same people again from the night before...most of them with nasty hangovers :)  all set for a night in tonight and a lazy sunday on the jetty!  more photos in Derby 2011

miski's spay and sunsets

poor little miski.  had to get spayed while i was away in flooded fitzroy. more photos under the Derby 2011 album (see right column).  Jose did a great job of caring for her but i wish i could have been here with her too. he had to carry her home, carry her outside to pee.  i came home early because of flooding on the roads in fitzroy. great to be back and was treated to an unbelievable sunset! 

a sunday evening out

that night we were invited to a shindig in town. a coworker who manages the operating room put on a huge affair. there were about 50+ people there and she cooked for everyone! the food and company was incredible. the best part, besides the food, was the beautiful sunset and the fact that we could walk there and back :)

a lovely lazy sunday

had a long weekend because monday was a holiday weekend (labour day here).  jose worked most of it but miski and i used it to catch up on all the napping we'd missed out on. i also attempted to bake jaime and her mom's famous classic butter cake.  i made a mistake in one of the steps and totally ruined it. it looks ok but, yeah, not so tasty.  so miski and i decided to call it quits for the afternoon. :)