Heavenly Beverley : Our Carnarvon Special

In our original itinerary for this year's Northern Jaunt, we were scheduled to come to Carnarvon. This was the be the end of a trek from Emu Creek Station, to the Kennedy Ranges, Gascoyne Junction and then out to the coast. However, as this trip has progressed, all stopovers became negotiable. Millstream, a disappointment only held us for one brief night, along with Emu Creek. Chilla Plains, Marble Bar, Nullagine, Port Hedland all had their stays extended. Onslow was in, out and spontaneously in again. Although we stayed at Point Samson, we spent the majority of our time in that corner of the Pilbara in Roebourne.

After Onslow, Old Onslow and Three Mile Pool, the plan was to take the Wool Wagon Way down to Gascoyne Junction. Except we took a wrong turn at Lyndon Station and headed for the North West Coastal Highway. Interestingly, the Lyndon Road was in far better condition than the Wool Wagon Way. Perhaps Lily and Digger had grown tired of the incessant corrugations and steered themselves onto a less bone-jarring road. The upshot of my blunder found us just south of Minilya Roadhouse, Carnarvon was once more back on the agenda.

We pulled into the Coral Coast Tourist Park, a small family-run business on the main drag (Robinson Street) quite close to town and behind the airport. The aircraft noise was negligible, the sites pleasant, the ablutions divine, so we stayed four nights. We began our stay with dinner at the Carnarvon Hotel. My risotto was quite acceptable, the house wine excellent but Michael was disappointed by his Chicken Parmi (which is why I don't eat Chicken Parmi). Thursday night was Mystery Dinner at the caravan park - beer and Guinness stew and dessert - with live music to entertain us. Fabulous evening and well done to the Coral Coast Tourist Park. The Friday Yacht Club dinner, prepared by volunteers Karl and Carmie was a triumph. We enjoyed a generous and delicious plate of Chilli Con Carne each, which had just enough chilli to tingle our lips. Throw in two glasses of wine, all for forty dollars and this was an absolute bargain. In the midst of dinner, a wake was being conducted for a much-loved chap named Toby, orchestrated by his other half, Susie. After a slight awkwardness, we listened to Susie's eulogy and raised our glasses to farewell Toby on his next journey.

Four nights in Carnarvon and I only cooked for one...Bliss!

Apart from a visit to the Historic Precinct on a cool and windy day, we did no touristy activities. I washed mountains of clothes and lesser piles of dishes. We stripped and cleaned Lily. We stripped and remade the bed and pampered ourselves with fresh towels.

Plus, we adopted a puppy now named Stella.

I had resigned myself to waiting (rather impatiently) until we returned home to procure a new canine fur-kid - for us - a playmate for Pip and an annoyance to Ruby. Having opened my laptop in Carnarvon to attend to a deluge of e-mails and other messages, I innocently logged onto the SAFE Carnarvon page, scrolled through their available dogs and promptly fell in love with a fifteen-week-old puppy named Melu.

Four days later, she is now our Stella. She is known as a Carnarvon Special or a Heinz Variety. A pinch of this, a dollop of that and a slosh of something else. We have had her for just on twenty-four hours now. Her behaviour has been, up until now, exemplary. She sat on our alternate laps for seven hours in the car yesterday. We were strange, the car was strange and she had left all she knew behind. She didn't wee in the car and she only cried if we were not both in her line of sight. She has successfully piddled (twice) outside the caravan here in Belair Gardens Caravan Park in Geraldton. She stayed in her plastic crate/bed until morning. She is currently snoozing by the caravan door waiting for Michael to return from his morning ablutions.

Today, we are staying still in Geraldton for the footy. And a chance to get to know her better. We already adore Stella. That has been so easy. Monday and Tuesday will be the last days in the car with us.

Come Wednesday, she will have a whole new world, home and playmates.

Live long and prosper, Stella Bella.