Week 12 – Purposeful Meandering around Oz

Emu Creek Cattle Station – Exmouth – Coral Bay

Kilometres          14954 – 15514 km

Having arrived at the Emu Creek cattle station late on Sunday we were keen to start the new week by having a look around this isolated station. We joined Daryl as he headed out for his weekly check of the watering holes which lie on one half of the property. We rode around in the back of the Ute as we visited many of the windmills and storage drums that litter the property. Along the way we saw some of the various cattle breeds that occupy the station. By mid-afternoon we’d returned to the homestead where we spent the rest of the day looking around the different machinery and buildings that were close to the homestead. As the sun set on our busy farming day we spent a cool evening relaxing by our own campfire which overlooked the billabong.

A nice way to relax

We opted for a lazy start on Tuesday, but the 5am wakeup call by the resident roster ensured that we didn’t get the sleep-in’s we were looking for. We’d heard that a car rally would pass through the property the following day so we decided to stay another night on the property. The kids spent much of the day playing in the nearby river. There were a few canoes available which the kids had a lot of fun with, while Leonie and I spent most the day lazing in the hammock or reading.  As the afternoon rolled on the first of the support teams started to arrive at the station. Their numbers soon swelled to over 30 which seemed to spoil the serenity of the station life but since we’d wanted to stay on we couldn’t complain. By night fall all of the adventure riders in the Australasian Safari had arrived, they quickly set about doing any minor repairs to their bikes while we enjoyed another night by the fire.

Ready for export

Wednesday had promised some fast rally action as the hundred or so rally cars, bikes, buggies and quads were to whiz past us at the homestead, unfortunately some changes to the event timings meant the whole field was delayed, reluctantly we chose to head off as we’d still see the field of vehicles at the nights service point in Exmouth. After a few hours’ drive we arrived in Exmouth and found a suitable van park for the next couple of days, we spent the remainder of the day lazing around the van. By sunset many of the competitors in the rally had arrived in town and the public was welcomed to walk amongst the teams as they did vehicle maintenance or repairs throughout the night.

Australasian Safari - Exmouth

On Thursday we spent the morning at the van, the kids hadn’t done much schoolwork this week so there was a bit of catching up for them while Leonie and I played the nasty teachers. Of course our kids are still kicking n screaming that they get it so hard, having to do the little bit of schoolwork while Mum and Dad don’t do any. Anyway some 4 hrs later I was climbing the walls and in desperate need to get out of the van, which the kids thought was a great idea…. We headed off to the Cape Range Lighthouse and the SS Mildura shipwreck, the former offering great views and our first glimpse of the Ningaloo Reef while the later marked a small milestone for us. It was our furthest point from home at 3855km. Having past this point we are now technically heading home. My day wouldn’t have been complete without another walk around the rally cars as many of the teams busily completed repairs.

Lighthouse north of Exmouth

Friday and we were on the move again but it was only a short trip down the coast to Coral Bay. This seaside village on the Ningaloo Reef swells to overflowing as many Perth people make this their holiday destination and for us it was the first time we'd had to pre-book any accommodation as it was a long weekend in WA. The town has very limited fresh water as most the water comes from a very hot artesian bore, so hot in fact that water can’t be directly supplied to taps in the van park as people may scald themselves, plus it tastes terrible….. By late-morning we’d already setup and were pleased to see some friends we’d met back at Eighty Mile Beach were in the same park. The kids instantly became inseparable for the next few days….. After lunch we headed out to see the sights, which on land isn’t much. All the attractions lie off the coast. The Ningaloo Reef is only 50m offshore and at the right time of year you can swim with the Whale Sharks that visit here, unfortunately for us that’s not this time of year, but we did hand-feed the huge Emperor Snapper fish which swam amongst our feet, we followed this with a quick snorkel amongst the coral which had the kids in awe.

Fish feeding at Coral Bay

By Saturday our eagerness to see more of the reef saw us book a cruise out onto the reef. We headed offshore in a deep V-hulled boat which had large glass windows below deck (similar to a glass-bottom boat) allowing us to sit and watch the underwater magic. After a short while we moored on the reef and spent the next hour snorkelling amongst the coloured coral and fish. By the time we’d returned to shore the kids were well and truly worn out from all their swimming but the grins on their faces spoke volumes….. While much of the town stopped to watch the AFL grandfinal we were more content to spend a relaxing afternoon by the pool and beach.

Ningaloo Reef from our boat

Our day started early as some rowdy neighbours were given their marching orders from the park, needless to say they didn’t go quietly, but as one door closes another open s and the first new arrivals to the park were some people we’d met in Broome so it was nice to catch up with them. Throughout the day we had many comings and goings from the van, we checked out a few of the other sights around town before spending the last few daylight hours watching the baby Reef Sharks wallowing in the shallows of the nearby sanctuary.

Coral Bay

As another week draws to an end we’ve all commented on how relaxing the week has been. The weather whilst being blustery has been very hot and we’ve all had a bit too much sun this week.

Until next week

Ciao

Week 11 - Purposeful Meandering Around Oz

Eighty Mile Beach – Port Hedland – Dampier – Emu Creek Station

Kilometres          13592 – 14954 km

We began our week at a relaxingly pace, Eighty Mile Beach had such a laid back feel to it that it was contagious. We had an early morning leisurely stroll along the beach where the kids collected a mountain of various shells, sea sponge and coral. As the tide was heading out we returned to the van and grabbed the 4x4 and headed for a drive along the beach. Heading south we found a nice secluded spot on the beach where we spent a lovely few hours lazing on the sand, the kids did some schoolwork with the best classroom views ever…. By late afternoon and with the tide coming in we headed back to the van with all of us getting a bit too much sun.

80 Mile Beach - Classroom views

Tuesday had us heading to Port Hedland and into the heart of Pilbara country. This area of WA is renowned for its mining with Port Hedland being one of Australia’s busiest shipping ports. We were amazed by the size of everything. The best way to describe Port Hedland is “a big boys meccano set”.  There are as many 4-trailer road-trains as there are cars on the road. The trains are the longest I’ve ever seen, with most of them having 2 engines up front, 2 in the middle and sometimes some at the rear. We counted one train having 200 carriages, all fully laden. There are the countless conveyor systems, crusher plants and port loading facilities. The harbour, while seeming to run like clock-work is a constant stream of bulk carriers coming and going. The tug boats play chess with the huge ships in the harbour while a helicopter constantly buzz’s the air ferrying the marine pilots out to the some 30 ships that sat offshore….. There was always something to look at.

Salt pans @ Port Hedland

We ended up staying 2 nights in Port Hedland, the accommodation wasn’t flash but since most of the town’s accommodation is taken up with fly-in fly-out people or demountable style accommodation we were happy to put the van in the golf course carpark for 2 nights. On Wednesday we checked out a few of the other sites around town. Salt mining is another industry which thrives in town and over a large area of land you can see saltwater lakes at various stages of evaporation, all waiting to be farmer and shipped offshore. The other notable thing in Port Hedland is the orangey-brown iron ore stain that covers everything. Some companies paint their equipment orangey-brown in attempt to reduce the stained appearance.

The kids are loving their fishing

By Thursday we’d had enough of the big meccano set and were on the road heading south. Once again mining sites littered the landscape and every couple of kilometres they’d be another turn-off to yet another mine. We’re not greenies but we both commented on what the Pilbara landscape will look like in X amount of years when there’s no more minerals left in the ground….. By mid-afternoon we were in Karratha which is a hub for much of the heavy industry which occupies this area of the coast. We opted to stay at the nearby coastal town of Dampier as the kids were keen to see n stay in the town made famous by the Red-Dog movie. Our niaveness to the area was evident when we seen how big a shipping port Dampier is, there are numerous ships docked at the large offshore jetties. Once we were setup the kids had been bugging us to go fishing and as we’d bought them some cheap rods we headed down to the local jetty to pacify their enthusiasm. Not being much of a fisherman myself it was the blind leading the blind, the kids thought the fish simply jumped on the hook while Leonie and I knew how slow and boring it can be. Well within 10min Sam had hooked a bream using the plastic bait we’d bought, her rod almost pulling out of hand and as we got the fish to the surface we’re surprised to see a 25cm yellowfin bream but as with any good fishing story, the fish and fishing line was wrapped around the jetty pylon with no chance of us reeling it in. In the end we had to cut the line and Sam’s first fish swam to freedom. The taste of how easy fishing can be has only gone on to encourage our kids who now want to go fishing at any opportunity.

Red Dog memorial

On Friday we headed out to Burrup Peninsula and to the NW Gas Shelf Project. This multi-million dollar facility is the onshore processing and storage plant which supports the 5 offshore platforms which are located some 137km out to sea. We spent a few hours here learning how gas is piped along the sea bed, back to the processing plant before being shipped all around the land. The peninsula is also steeped in Aboriginal history and a couple of times we viewed some rock art…. As the sun set on another beautiful day we were pleased to be able to sit and watch some rugby league on the tv.

North West Shelf Gas Project

After a slow start to Saturday we headed out to the nearby coastal towns of Point Samson and Wickham for a bit more sightseeing of the area. Point Samson has reverted to a peaceful fishing town after many years of being a shipping port while Wickham is home to many of the mining families that work in the area. We made the most of the nice weather with a swim and a picnic on the beach…. Once we were back in Karratha we restocked our food supplies for the coming days ahead.

And we still aren't as tall as the wheel

Sunday was moving day and Mother Nature had turned on a howling south-westerly wind for us, we spent all day driving head long into it. The car seemed to be working overtime as we were buffeted all over the road and not able to make any more than 90km/hr all day. One of our stops along the way was at the Rio Tinto viewing area where we watched a number of the huge tipper trucks thunder past us. By mid-afternoon we’d arrived at Emu Creek Station, this 330,000 acre working cattle station offers people the opportunity to stay and work on the farm. We were warmly welcomed and set up camp beside another beautiful billabong. Even with the wind howling and a few clouds rolling in the serenity of our camp spot wasn’t lost. We setup the hammock, enjoyed happy-hour while the kids played in the water and we spent the rest of week 11 relaxing by the billabong.

Week 10 - Purposeful Meandering around Oz

Broome – Eighty Mile Beach

Kilometres          12338 – 13592 km

We started the week with an early morning cruise through Geikie Gorge just outside Fitzroy Crossing. The normally fast flowing Fitzroy River slows to a trickle in the dry season except for an 18km section of pondage where we saw some towering cliff walls and amazing wildlife which included a few freshwater crocodiles….. After the cruise our plans were to head west towards Tunnel Creek and onto Windjana Gorge where we’d spend a night camping. However, after 20km of worsening corrugated dirt road we err’d on the side of caution and turned the van around and headed back to the black-top where we cooked up option B…. Broome here we come. It meant a few hours longer in the car but by late afternoon we arrived in Broome. The first thing we noticed was the change in the weather. The dry heat we’d been experiencing had gone, replaced by lower temps but higher humidity and it wasn’t enjoyable.

Cable Beach

Tuesday was a day to catch up on things, we needed to wash, we needed food and fuel and we needed to relax. I don’t think they happened in that order but having picked a caravan park by the beach, the first thing we did was check out the beautiful Cable Beach. The turquoise water and white sands dotted with beach umbrellas and beach chairs is so postcard material. Before too long the day had gotten away from us but did get most things done. Just on sunset and with our arrival in Broome perfectly fluked to coincide with the phenomenon known as “Staircase to the Moon”  we headed to Roebuck Bay to watch the moon rise over the sand flats. We were amongst thousands of tourists and locals who watch this amazing spectacle, which literally only lasted for 15min each night.

Staircase to the Moon

Wednesday started with 80% humidity, warm temperatures and not a cloud in the sky. Sitting in the shade we quickly began to perspire so we soon found ourselves at the pool where we spent much of the morning. After an early lunch we headed out to do a bit of sightseeing of Broome. We soon found that Broome has a bit of everything and a lot of nothing to the point it has a jail in the main street of town where the inmates can be heard yelling over the fence as people walk by…. After lunch as the tide went out we headed out to check out the dinosaur footprints which can be found at Gantheaume Point. Returning to Cable Beach we had a sunset camel ride along the beach. With the sun setting on one side of us and the nudists on the other we rode our camels for an hour along the beach. It was a beautiful way to watch the sunset.

Sunset Camel Ride

On Thursday we had a lazy morning around the van. Leonie headed out for coffee and a catch-up call with her girlfriends while the kids &  I lazed by the pool. Later in the day we headed to the Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Park where we got up close n personal with crocodiles of all sizes. The kids each held a small salty while our tour guide showed us just how aggressive crocs can be at feeding time. It’s a bit freaky to be standing less than a metre from these animals as they attack their food and one-another….. To complete our day/night we headed out to watch the “staircase to the moon” phenomenon again while the moon and tides aligned. Viewing it from a different location and with complete darkness was equally as impressive as our first experience.

Feeding time - Malcolm Douglas Wilderness Park

On Friday the car was booked in for an early morning service so I combined this with a super early morning walk out to the Dutch Seaplane wrecks which are only visible on the mudflats of Roebuck Bay at dead low tides. These planes which are rusting relics of WWII are another reminder of when the war impacted on Broome. The ocean has all-but covered and broken up these planes and the story that accompanies these planes is amazing…. Riding back to the van, we spent much of our day lazing by the pool as the temperatures soared into the high 30’s. By late afternoon we’d got the car back and were soon heading down onto Cable Beach to enjoy dinner and a few drinks as the sun set over the ocean.

Rusting seaplanes off Broome

Saturday was another hot day and one that would have been better spent by the pool but we had too much to do. We checked out the local weekend markets which weren’t too bad, but sounded terrible as 10 badly out-of-tune buskers all sang their own unique tones. We re-stocked the cupboards in preparation of moving south tomorrow. We finished our sightseeing of Broome with a tour of the Pearl Luggers museum where we learned the history of pearl diving in Broome….. As a bonus Ethan and Dave got to sit and watch their first taste of rugby league in 7 weeks.

Now that's heavy

We ended the week by spending Sunday on the road. Packing up early from Broome we started what will be a long trek down the coast of WA. For us the first stage was a 350km drive to Eighty Mile Beach. It wasn’t an ideal driving day as the temperature soared. The car said the outside temp was 41deg, our hottest for the trip. Thankfully by the time we reached the seaside Caravan Park a cool breeze had dropped the temp by a few degrees…. After setting up we did our best to stay out of the heat and replenish any lost fluids using the philosophy “it must be 5 o’clock somewhere” approach. We finished another week on the road by taking a leisurely stroll along the beach and a BBQ under the stars.  

Week 9 - Purposeful Meandering around Oz

Kununurra – Home Valley Station – Bungle Bungles – Fitzroy Crossing

Kilometres          11006 - 12338 km

Our last day in Kununurra was fairly relaxed, the temperatures had slowly been climbing each day and the new sunrise n sunset times were still having an impact on our sleep pattern, coupled with a few van park residents who left for work at ridiculous times of the morning and we’d been having some pretty crap night’s sleep….

Diversion Dam - Kununurra

We headed out mid-morning to see a few more sights of Kununurra, one thing we seen was Diversion Dam, built pre the Ord River Dam it now supplies irrigation water to properties downstream of Kununurra and the locals with a much loved fishing and water ski haven. We also had to re-stock the cupboards as we were planning to be off the radar for a few days. Groceries, fuel, water and gas were all stocked up to maximum levels. We also stopped at the nearby Mirira National Park which literally borders the town. Our day wasn’t complete without a few swims in the pool and watching a majestic sunset of Lake Kununurra.

Emma Gorge

Tuesday was moving day and we were heading to El Questro Station, but the late mail courtesy of the locals was “don’t” stay at El Questro. This up market station has featured numerous times on holiday TV shows and whist we couldn’t afford the $3000/night resort rooms which overlook Chamberlin Gorge we thought the more affordable campground would be fun, but our hot tip was to stay just down the road at the less known “Home Valley Station” and upon our arrival we were instantly impressed. We didn’t even setup before jumping straight in the pool, where we ended up spending much of our day as temperatures soared to 36deg. This working cattle station caters for the tourist as a money spinner on the side. It has horse riding, fishing trips, helicopter rides, a pool, and a restaurant with live music each night and its set on some amazing ‘East Kimberley’ countryside.

Home Valley Station - Gibb River Rd

Having chosen to stay 3 nights at our newfound paradise we decided to go out exploring on Wednesday, we headed back along the Gibb River Rd to El Questro where we stopped at Emma Gorge. A rugged walk led to a breathtaking waterfall (complete with water this time). The kids didn’t hesitate and jumped straight in, then straight out LOL. The 65m high waterfall doesn’t get much sunlight but it looked amazing. We raced from there across to the local Zebedee Hot Springs where we had a more relaxing dip in the water. We continued further into the park where we checked out the view from a few of the spectacular lookouts. We finally laid eyes on the El Questro Homestead and we both were a little disappointed. Television had obviously over-inflated our expectations of what something should look like…. Needless to say we left El Questro even happier with our choice of accommodation. Back at the van we had a quick swim before watching a beautiful sunset over the Cockburn Ranges.

El Questro Wilderness Park

Thursday saw us having a relaxing day by the van, the kids had plenty of schoolwork to catch up on while Leonie and I caught up on some letter writing and journals. Once again the temperature hovered in the high 30’s and we were thankful that the homestead had a pool that we could cool off in. As the sun set on another beautiful day we headed to the nearby Pentecost River where we watched the changing colours of the cliffs on the Cockburn Ranges.

Sunset over the Pentacost River and Cockburn Ranges

It was with regret that we packed up and left Home Valley Station on Friday, the kids had made some friends and we’d enjoyed the relaxed remote atmosphere of the station, but there was more to see…. The trek back across the 50km of corrugated dirt and the river crossing were event free and we were soon back on the black-top. As we were close to Wyndham we drove north to check out the town where 5 rivers meet….. Whoop-de-doo!  After Wyndham, we headed south where we joined the longest highway in Australia, the Great Northern Hwy for our trip down to the Bungle Bungles. Along the way we encountered the countless road-trains that use this road hauling Nickel, Cobalt and Iron Ore from the Kimberley region. After a long day on the road we pulled into the Bungle’s van-park for a spot of bush camping. This remote place has no fresh water, only generator power, but 100% full phone signal because of all the nearby mines.

The Domes - Bungle Bungles NP

Once again the early sunrise had us awake before 6am so we headed off into the Purnululu NP (Bungle Bungles) nice n early. The 75km 1.5hr trip each way was some of the windiest and most corrugated dirt road I’ve been on. Sam felt queasy from all the twisty-turns, but the end result was amazing. The domes and gorges were amazing and whilst a better view can be had from the air, we were happy with our walk amongst the beehive domes. Returning to the van having spent much of the day in the park we were all happy to sit in our camp chairs and not be shaken to pieces…. Needless to say we were all in bed early that night.

Cathedral Gorge

Father’s Day has always been a special time for me, unfortunately I couldn’t have my eldest daughter with me but Samantha and Ethan have provided me plenty of laughter throughout the day. For us it was moving day but not before the kids showered me with gifts wrapped in tourist brochures…. it was a funny twist to our travels. Our journey today was one of those necessary evils, nothing to see but barren land for 400km but something that needed to be done. We stopped off at Halls Creek for a quick look around before arriving in Fitzroy Crossing late in the day. A refreshing swim in the pool and a BBQ with bourbon in hand has been the perfect way to end Father’s Day and this week.

Until next week

Ciao!

Week 8 - Purposeful Meandering around Oz

Kakadu – Katherine – Timber Creek - Kununurra

Kilometres          9560 - 11006 km

We started our week with another couple of days in Kakadu. One of the many draw-cards in Kakadu is Jim-Jim Falls, so on Monday we headed out to this remote waterfall. We were only 5km or so down the dirt track when we came round a corner to see a Water Buffalo smack in the middle of the track. As we came to a screaming halt my first thought was of a Crocodile Dundee showdown but luckily it didn’t come to that as the beast soon took off into the bush. After 50kms of corrugation we got to the carpark and were happy to see a few other cars as we also spotted the crocodile warning signs which instinctively have the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. We had a 1km walk of rock/boulder hopping which turned out not to be too bad, but the croc traps which were in the big swimming holes had us cautious. The falls were a huge disappointment as they’d dried up because of the seasonal weather, but the serenity of the whole place was amazing and the trip was still worth it….. Returning to the van by mid-afternoon we sat for a few hours before heading out again to check the setting sun on the nearby Nourangie Rocks. Once again we were blessed with another beautiful sunset to finish our day.

Jim-Jim Falls (no waterfall but still very nice)

Tuesday was moving day but not before we spent another full day in Kakadu NP. We headed to the small town of Cooinda and the nearby Yellow Water wetlands. We’d opted not to do the cruise here but with plenty of boardwalks around we took a few hours soaking up the vista of this area. This included us spotting another saltwater crocodile only 20m from our vantage point. Moving further south through the park we drove very close to one of the many fires that seem to burn freely in the NT. We’d previously witnessed the many Whistling Kites (bird) that swoop around the fire front getting an easy feed, on this occasion one of them got a little too close to our passing car and we instantly had a new roof cage ornament which dangled down over Leonie’s window. In the blink of an eye Leonie was nearly in my lap driving the car. A sight that had the kids and I laughing uncontrollably…. By late afternoon we were in Katherine and had set up camp just as the Army rolled into town for an exercise.

Yellow Water wetland

Wednesday was very much a relaxing day for us, the Army continued to roll into town making the showground their new temporary home. For us we visited the nearby Katherine Hot Springs a couple of times throughout the day. Floating down the warm natural springs is so soothing. We took in a few of the other sights of Katherine before retiring to the van so the kids could catch up on some schoolwork while we partook in happy hour festivities.

Katherine Hot Springs

Too many grey-nomads leaving early meant that we were awake way too early on Thursday. I’m not sure what it is but the retirees all want to be driving to the next destination before 7am and of course none of them do that quietly. Anyway at a more respectable time of the day we headed out to Katherine Gorge where we did a cruise of the spectacular gorge. With it being late in the dry-season and river levels very low our guide carefully navigated us through the often tricky and shallow sections of the river, he did tease some of us telling us how in the wet-season they swap the current boats for jet boats turning the ride into a high-speed ride…. Once back in Katherine we headed straight for the hot springs again for another relaxing swim.

Katherine Gorge

 Friday was moving day for us and not quite as bad as the retirees we made an early start to the day. As we left the van park a newspaper headline caught our attention “Croc attack Wangi Falls”. Leonie and I looked at each other with shocked faces. Sure enough, reading the local rag a tourist was bitten by a freshwater croc at Wangi Falls, the same place where we’d swam only 3 weeks earlier…. Heading west the car was abuzz with the excitement that we’d be in a new state by Saturday night, but in the same breathe I know I was feeling a little cautious as you head towards one of the more remote sections of Australia. Our day ultimately went very smoothly, although we did stop for an extended break. This was to decorate our own termite mound. Much of northern Australia is littered with termite mounds which grow in various sizes and shapes and lots of people decorate them. We’d bought a t-shirt and with a bit of imagination we created “Tori Termite from Timber Creek”, complete with arms, hat, hair and sunglasses the kids made sure it (she) looked a million dollars….. Just after lunch we drove into Timber Creek which was overnight stop, we chose to camp just out of town. It was here we met another family doing a similar travel adventure as us, but they’d already been at it for 14 months. We shared many stories with them around the fire and the kids played so well together…. Enjoy your travels Matt and Leigh.

The kids with Tori Termite

Our stopover in Timber Creek was simply to break the journey so there was no need to rush off on Saturday as we only had 200km until Kununurra and with us winding our clocks back at the WA border, the time difference would mean we’d literally arrive in Kununurra not much later than when we left Timber Creek. Anyway we soon chewed up the 200km and arrived at the NT/WA border feeling a bit wary. We were subjected to a quarantine search as no fresh food can enter the upper Western Australia region. Who would have thought that in the 21^st century we still had these crazy restrictions within our own country? Anyway with that behind us and the obligatory border photos done we soon arrived in Kununurra where we quickly picked a van park and made ourselves at home, the kids had a swim while Leonie and I caught up on our social networking.

The WA/NT border

Our first full day in Kununurra started very early. The change in time zones has thrown our body clocks out and with sunrise being before 5.30am we were all awake and having breakfast by the pool at 7am. The kids even had an early morning dip before we headed out to Lake Argyle and the Ord River Dam. This body of water is the largest artificial lake in Australia and many tourists flock to it but for us we couldn’t see what all the fuss was about so we didn’t stay too long…. Once back in town we checked out a few other sites such as Ivanhoe Crossing, a couple of lookouts and an interesting Sandalwood factory, where they grow and export the rare Indian Sandalwood timber for its rich cosmetic oil. At $100,000/tonne it’s a good business to be in.  

Lake Argyle

As I write this to complete week 8 we’re all sitting in the van feeling like zombies, in fact I’d say we all probably have a bit of time/jet lag. Too many late nights, hot days and now a change in time zones which for us has greatly affected the sunrise and sunset times we’ve previously been use too, I think we need to take a few days R&R at the famous El Questro Station.