Mon 14th June '21 - Day 3

Cervantes

 

Wind and rain through the night, feel sorry for those campers in the “prime” tent spots next to the sand dune and beach where the wind whips in off the Indian Ocean.

As we do each morning, we pack away the bed Kate and I sleep on at the back of the van, whilst the kids bed up above the driver seats remains untouched. The pair of 2 seat sofa seats facing each other in the middle of the van, which can become the third bed, we only use for fold out table as a dining space, or the table is folded away whilst travelling and the kids sit by side in their hired child seats.

After breakfast we walk, with an unwilling Seb to the town centre – which is in fact a general store, bottle shop, post office and tavern. Thankfully a playground cheers Seb up and he runs through a field to test it out. Wander back to the campsite for morning tea; jam on toast. Brief rain showers but the ongoing wind ensures the rain clouds pass quickly.

Ready ourselves for the Pinnacles, or the Pimpicles as Sienna calls them – take 2. More rain on the drive there but the sun is pushing through after the 20 minutes drive South and inland. The spectacle is completely hidden from sight even after passing through the National Park ticket booth, where we’re told we’re too long a vehicle to drive the loop so we’ll have to walk an inner loop.

Even after to popping to the gift shop for a souvenir coin, only when countering the connected walkway do you see this lunar landscape. Ranging from two to twelve feet high, mostly no wider than two feet, natural rock formations. Thankfully the 1.2km loop has green poles with an emu foot to mark the trail, which appears not to be well trodden, making it seem more like an adventure.

The kids are allowed use of an old digital camera which was once cutting edge, now it is bettered by a 5-year-old iPhone. But it keeps the kid’s hands of our camera. They seem content viewing this landscape with only a smattering of complaints on the walk. Very memorable and unique.

Lunch is taken in the van as the wind has picked up again and we then drive back to the campsite, via Lake Thalis, home to stromatolites – small circular crusty stone formations 3 inches high just under the surface of a shallow lake. Am sure they’re significant to the history of the earth but they’re not a patch visually on the Pinnacles plus Seb suddenly needs the toilet so we hot foot it back to the van.

Back at the campsite I take the kids to a playground just outside, by the beach, while Kate naps. We three walk to Lobster Shack – next to the processing plant where all the lobsters are brought ashore. 8-10 boats are moored up out to sea, pulling on their moorings in the wind, pointing into the blustery breeze and white topped waves. Kids find a mini playground in the café area including a dump truck which keeps Seb entertained for a good while.

After Snakes & Ladders last night we now tackle Uno and the card game Go Fish when Seb gets bored and goes off to play with his cars on the driver’s seat. A quick excursion for Seb and I to the bottle shop – Albury beers and we make dinner in the communal kitchen; lemon and garlic chicken with pasta. Following showers it’s a few games of Bus Lotto (card matching memory game game) before kids bed and adults not long after at 8:30pm.