• Arid coastal plains of Cape Range NP

    Exmouth WA

    April 15, 2023 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 25 °C

    We’ve made it to Exmouth, the half way turn-around point of our trip. We’re also officially in the tropics having crossed the Tropic of Capricorn somewhere along the way.

    It’s a bit surreal finally being here. Almost 18 years ago our besties and partners in travel crime, Dan and Helen, came to Exmouth for their honeymoon. They loved what it had to offer, especially the beaches and Ningaloo Reef, but the timing wasn’t right for Whale Sharks so they vowed one day to return when their kids (then not even conceived) were old enough to appreciate the experience. That just so happens to now coincide with Dan and Anthony’s 50th years and what better way to celebrate together! And so this epic trip evolved…

    Today was a long travel day. We stopped briefly in Carnarvon for groceries and fuel before once again hitting the open road. Fellow travellers had warned us that between towns there’s a whole lot of nothing. They weren’t wrong. However nothing can be interesting if you choose to see the beauty in it.

    As we left the main highway and headed out along the Minilya-Exmouth Road the landscape was scattered with giant termite mounds in all directions as far as the eye could see. Some of them were really tall, others really wide, and I read that they can last upwards of 100 years!

    As the road continued on (and on) we were teased by a sign saying ‘Welcome to Exmouth’ - a mere 90 kms away! I guess it’s all relative.

    We also saw the setting up of the ‘live site’ for viewing the solar eclipse out near Learmonth in the direct path of totality. Whilst we didn’t plan our trip to coincide with the eclipse, we’re embracing the experience and learning the lingo as this highly anticipated astronomical event draws near (we’ll be umbraphiles by the end of the week) 🤓

    The Exmouth Ningaloo Caravan and Holiday Resort will now be our home for the next week while we relax and explore this part of the Coral Coast. It’s a lovely park, predictably full with caravans and motorhomes but with a friendly and relaxed vibe.

    After a long day in the car we enjoyed dinner at the on-site Italian restaurant before retiring early in preparation for Whale Sharks in the morning!
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