Boomerang

My first venture from the nest, apart from a fleeting flutter for a month or so , was to the Kimberley region of Western Australia to a pearling town by the name of Broome. This was also my first time I would leave my chickens( expression used for my collection of close friends) who I had been inseparable from for years. This was definitely not a push from the nest but more an independent nestling wanting to spread her wings. So I flew north, a long way north with my friend since we were five. We embarked on the adventures of the frizzy haired whale and the lame-duck shrimp friend. So Em and I shared a room, it was a decent size. Well a decent size for a walk in wardrobe. I had the bed, Em made her nest on top of our suitcases, with a home made barricade for protection against the gigantic tropical bugs that also shared our room. We soon discovered that our cramped living conditions were nothing on our neighbours.

We had landed our home right in the midst of an aboriginal community, where, on an average day 40 plus people would share a tiny house. From our balcony at any time of the day we could sit and observe the original inhabitants of my country and their way of life. Snotty nosed children would run naked down the street, the furniture would would be set on fire in the front yard, and those who couldn't fit in to the house would sleep under a tree in the mangroves surrounding our house.

Broome proved to be an interesting place to live. An oasis paradise in the middle of the desert where the common phrase amongst locals is Broome Time. If you've lived here you will get it. There is a blossoming frangapani tree on ever corner, the lizards wave at you, the geckos bark at you, and the moon had a shimmering staircase leading up to it.

Past the rocks, otherwise know as the nude beach, was a great place to spend countless hours, clothed or otherwise. The sand was hard enough to drive along and the white sand beach ran in either direction as far as the eye could see. Often we had it to ourselves. Other times you would share it folks who had driven down in their 4wd's with a bbq set in the sand, always happy to give you a wave, stubby in one hand, tongs in the other, and more than just a sausage hanging from the bbq. Countless hours were spent here, with our superb set up, a canopy pulled down from the car, a bbq, deck chairs and the finest tunes cranking from our sound system. The hard white sand gave the perfect dance floor, cricket pitch, footy field or frisbee paddock.

Sure enough as the day progressed, the clement ocean provided the idyllic backdrop for another sinking searing sun. When nightfall hit, the fiery sun was swapped for a blazing bon fire, not needed for warmth as the evenings were always balmy, but helpful in providing light so you can find where you left your can. The sky would blacken and then explode into a canopy of dazzling stars in every direction you turned. The only worry on these night was keeping an eye on the impending tide. Broome is well known for its extreme fluctuating tides and possibly even more well known for the galahs that get their cars stuck past the rocks with nothing more they can do than watch their vehicle go down like the titanic in the salty sea.

Then there was Cable Beach and the most beautiful end to daylight you will see anywhere. The ritual at dusk to watch the sun set into a vibrant spectrum of shapes and colours over a tranquil deep blue sea was so magical it made my spine tingle. ..every time.

And lets not forget the camel trains of tourists walking the beach each sunset watching the locals 'hang out'.

What a unique place.