Just like a good Star Wars trilogy I have written my stories about my trip to Broome all backwards. Leaving the best to last hopefully… well kind of! It could be hard to trump the experience of the Horizontal Falls and Windjanna Gorge, but the beginning of a trip is always exciting, and here I will do my best to express my complete joy of being in sunny warm Broome.

I left super early in the morning, dropped to the airport kindly by a friend, always a nicer way to depart for a trip. I was excited. I love taking trips and it had been ages since I had been on a plane. I had been to the airport numerous times to drop friends off or collect them, but this time, it was my turn to take to the skies and have an adventure.

I was so excited I was photographing the  airport art. These days airports are getting so much better at reflecting their artistic habitants, they could be better though. More art would be heaps better, now there is a good idea.

The last time I went to Broome, I was about 10, and my Mum and I travelled by bus all the way! It was a very special and memorable trip that fills me with warm fuzzies, but wow, that bus trip… WAY TOO LONG. 52 hours sitting on a bus was a nightmare. So when the plane touched down in 2 hours and 2 minutes, I was ecstatic, flying is the best way to travel!

As the cabin doors were thrust open, a gush of warm delicious air greeted us. Were we in Hawaii? In the Caribbean? No! We were in the north of Western Australia. A consistent balmy daily temperature of 33 degrees, and night time temperature of 22. I swear I did not even need a jumper the whole week, and I love that about a holiday.

I was staying with a good friend of mine from Perth, who has decided to live up there for one year. And just by chance, another friend was in town for the weekend. By lunchtime,  we were hanging out sun bathing and swimming in the plunge pool and having a great time. My friend A and I went to school together, and it had been years since we were able to afford the time to have a mini holiday together. We all get so busy in life. People are too busy. We need to holiday more. Like way more. Like every 10 weeks more. Like me, teaching is so good like that. I have had 3 months every year my whole life. And I am very proud of that fact.

On the first afternoon, after our mini chill by the pool, we went out to town for a walk around and see where everything is. Then we went over to Cable beach for a walk and to see the classic camel walk on the beach. It was beautiful. We even came across some nudies on the beach! And they were fit! An older couple, but brown and beautiful, good on them! We took a long walk, and watched the mini crabs on the beach, and admired the beauty of the long stretch of white sand. Cable beach is a really beautiful and iconic place to visit.

The next day we jammed in lots of activities, we went out for breakfast, took a quick swim at Cable Beach, and ended up having a late boozy lunch at Matso’s brewery. Perfect!! We may have squeezed in a swim in the pool and a glass of champagne to celebrate too… or was that the next day? The days all rolled into one glorious day after another.

That’s right! We went to the Broome markets on the Saturday morning. The Broome markets are on every Saturday and Sunday morning from 8am to 1pm. Well worth a visit when you are in Broome, the markets are full of art, plants, food stalls, local goods, clothing, jewellery and all sorts of other curious things to look at. A local busker creates a good atmosphere with some tunes, and there are lots of dogs around to pat.

One evening we went out to Gantheum point, a picturesque place to watch the sunset. From here you can also see the dinosaur imprinted rock fossils; and if you can’t find them then you can at least see the fake ones! The sunset was lovely from here, with the bright red rocks, and crashing sea, and very warm moist air.

Broome is a fascinating little cosmos of a place. A small time with a big heart and a good community spirit. I was really impressed with the number of places to go out to eat and drink and I am already planning when I could possibly return!

Many Aussies rush off overseas for a holiday, but I was so pleased to enjoy a holiday here in WA. Broome is well worth adding to your bucket list of places to see and explore.

Anita xx

Be sure to read my two other posts about Broome if you missed them…