Sat 12th June '21 - Day 1
Sydney to Perth to Yanchep
8:30am taxi to
airport. Book reading in Waterstones with both kids sat on the floor. Plane
watching through the windows. On Boeing Dreamliner, Kate on aisle of middle
section. I’m on aisle of window section, next to Sienna, next to Seb at the
window. I watch Nomadland as a precursor to life on the road, Sienna watches
Pocahontas.
Arrive at Perth airport 1:15pm and take a short taxi ride to Maui
office which contains Huxley the 11-year-old golden Labrador. Run through of
our home for the next three and a half weeks before we head off on our
adventure tour.
Our first night will be at Yanchep National Park, just
north of Perth but on the way we stop off at Woolworths to pick up some
supplies after placing a click-and-collect order the night before. Discover
here that we’re much too long for a car park space and also reminded of our
height as branches brush along the roof of the van. From then on any shopping expeditions
see us park at the far end of any car park, away from other cars upset by the
fact we take up 4 spaces and away from any low hanging foliage.
We also pit stop at Bunnings for another collection,
this time for some camp chairs, rug, head torches and swimming noodles.
From these stops
in Jandaloop its only 30 minutes to the National Park and Henry White
campground – a bush lined grassy oval with a campfire at one side and sandstone
buildings at either end; one a shower block, the other an open sided communal
kitchen and BBQ area. As hinted at when making the booking there are kangaroos
lounging on the grass which just helps tip everyone into Australian Holiday
mood.
Cooking dinner on
the BBQ Sienna meets another Sienna and plays with her whilst in the background
a mothers group from Perth let their now 4 years old run free. Sienna and Seb
take their place in the upper bunk above the front seats in the van much to
their excitement, whilst Kate and I convert the horseshoe shaped sofa at the
back of the van into our bed.
After a long day, especially given an extra two hours
due to the time change its bedtime at 7:30pm.