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In the middle bit we did some learning stuff.
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Went to the Japanese cemetery (of all the pearl divers who died as the Anglo-Aussie pearl-masters sat on the boats in their pith helmets and buttoned up long sleeved white jackets). Most of the headstones were made of rocks from the sea, some with barnacles on them. Really poignant. Also caught the museum and did lots of reading about those times. Pretty sobering really, but fascinating too in a kind of 'I've been on a school visit and hope there's not a questionnaire afterwards' kind of way.
The old jetty on the other side of the peninsula to Cable Beach did the whole red white and blue rather nicely. With some seriously scary (think sandflies) mangroves too. Bean got quite distracted by a flock of eagles (yes really . . . I saw them roosting on the mangroves and the taking off later).
Then we picked up some Thai food from a local foodie's recommendation for later tonight and did some people watching as we waiting for the chef to catch the fish for the curry (there were actually more people around than the shot below intimates, and quite a diverse array too . . .)
Later in the day, we did a horror trip (really, really, unintentional . . . I wish this is a memory I didn't have) to Cable Beach West (where all the resorts are) to see the camels on the beach at sunset. You know when you have an idea of what something will be like, then tell yourself to ramp it back because it won't really be quite as idyllic or romantic as the idea. And then the reality kind of puts on a titanium knuckleduster and hits you in the head . . . ??? Or becomes west Glaswegian and headbutts you????
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Cable Beach camels. Poor buggers. Stuck in a traffic jam on the M25. It was really quite disturbing. Really. Note Bean's pace. How quickly can we walk through this and get get away?
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Even on the bluff above the beach, things were bad . . . how quickly really, can Bean walk away? Even the busker caught the mood in his slightly out of tune C and W song, "I've never felt more like singing the blues . . . '.
We didn't stay for the final bit of the sunset, just the yellowy bit and the people getting their surf skis out of the water.
So . . . we decided to do a bit of drive before heading 'home', past where I ran in the morning on the point where the turf club is . . . sandy road for most if it, which was kinda weirdly fab for so close to town and the Cable Beach Resort and redneckson the beach mob (note Bean's still rather stunned expression).
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Now we're home, a wine on the verandah and the Thai curry for later. Phew.
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