Day 54 Thursday 31 August

JD- As nice as it was at Pardoo Station we couldn't stick around. Today's mission was to check out Port Hedland (130kms away), pick up some fresh bread and then make a bee line to Tom Price (420kms away) to catch up with the Agnew's.
One of Nicole's close mates, Georgie Eastoe, was once a Port Hedland local. Her husband Craig still flys in and out of the port to steer the massive ships into the inlet. Instead of a stop at the Visitor Information Centre we decided a quick phone call to Georgie for some local knowledge would be the go. 2 hours maximum, was Georgie's advice, it's an industrial town, checkout the port, have a look at the largest front end loaders in the world and then get out of the place, she said! .........I've never understood women, probably never will, but what Georgie just described sounded right up my alley.
The operation in Port Hedland to export Iron Ore out of Australia is colossal. Nicole and I stood, for quite a while watching the massive Iron Ore carriers get loaded by huge loaders and elaborate conveyer belt systems. On the horizon there were over 10 of these massive ships waiting to dock and be loaded. To my delight one of these boats was about to be brought into the harbour by 4 tug boats. The tug boats alone are awesome. Forget the slow and steady wooden boats often seen in the Tamar or the Derwent, these tugs are incredibly agile and powerful with culvert pipe sized stainless exhaust pipes either side of their 360 deg cabin, they push and pull the carriers into position. If the carrier got the slightest bit out of line it was quickly corrected by one of the tugs. Even though they were dwarfed by the carrier in size the tugs took no lip they bullied the bigger ship by pulling on the tow rope or shunting into the carriers side until it did what it was told!
Remembering that we had 420kms to get to Tom Price and the by now it was rapidly approaching 1pm we had to get going. One more sight to see before we left.....where Georgie and Craig used to live....not sure why but it seemed important. We found their old abode on the opposite end of the headland to the port easily enough. Nicole got out to take a few pics while I turned the van around. While this was happening the next door neighbour obviously didn't appreciate the strange vehicle in his street because he let his very vocal pit bull out on to the street to ensure Nicole got back in to the cab in double time which she did without argument and we were off. To be fair to Georgie's ex neighbor, we had been warned by Georgie that crime is rife in the area in fact South Hedland has the highest crime rate in all of WA, so one could probably imagine his suspicions and urge to move us along.
Fresh bread(well as fresh as it gets
in regional WA), diesel, few groceries and an all important bag of ice and we headed south on the Great Northern Hwy bound for 6 Lilac Street Tom Price. Late as usual, we were keen for a clean run to Tom Price, the multiple road works and bridge repairs had other ideas not to mention the continuous line of triple road train tippers carting ore to Port Hedland. Anyhow by 6.45pm we arrived at "Hotel de Agnew" to see old friends Tim, Fiona and Archie and Lottie (tomorrow when she gets back from school camp). The beauty about good friends no matter how long since the last see them you can just pick up where you left off and that's what we did. Well until 10pm as we were knackered and the Agnew's had work and school in the morning.

Day 54 - Double up!
ND-
While Matilda and Olivia went to see the Pardoo Station calves being fed, Grace wrote a contract explaining why we shouldn't put her on the 6.15pm flight out of Port Hedland via Perth red eye back to the boarding house!
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The only reason there was any room for negotiations was because when I rang flight centre the girl explained to me that an unaccompanied minor wasn't allowed to travel on connecting flights and she would need to check into her new flights in Perth and Melbourne and go back through security. We also discussed that the flights would most definitely be full of flyin/flyout miners.
But this is seriously the very last warning and any more poor behaviour and we would work out with Tim to arrange her to travel home with one of his friends on leave.
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Pardoo Station to Tom Price via Port Headland- 650kms
On the road again!
JD in Road Train and big machinery heaven!
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On George Easteau advice we didn't overnight in Port Hedland. That a couple of hours would pull us up. She was right. I asked George if she taught here. She replied "No I drank!" Understandably! There doesn't seem to be a lot going on in town other than exports and a couple of fantastic kids playgrounds, which kept the girls amused while we watched the shipping/loading......
The salt farm was quite interesting as was the extremely long trains!
JD was in awe of the big machines and our couple of hours passed very quickly before we really needed to hit the road.
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At 37.5 degrees and with the aircon on full throttle, with literally 100's of road trains, it certainly gets the adrenaline flowing when JD goes to overtake 54meters/4 trailers/650 horse power Volvo! He obviously has faith in the old girl!
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Major expletive!!!
While writing that I look up to see what's got JD so rattled to see two on-coming road trains side by side in front of us, one of which was in our Lane!!! Leaving us no road!
Oh the excitement! I'm so pleased I'm not driving today! JD seems to be in his element and he's getting a lot more visual feed back from the passing road trains.
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200km from port hedland and we pass 4 cyclists! In the middle of nowhere, no packs, nothing....Seriously! Where have they come from?
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Not entirely expecting the road / bridge works which held us up and made out long trip even longer but everyone is on their best behaviour so it's relatively painless. Stopping does allow JD to get out and admire the road trains even take the occasional photo and talk to the lollipop men.
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Bit of hair raising when the road train carrying ammonium nitrate we were following hit the shoulder and seriously got the wobbles up! We thought it was going over!!!
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Stopped again this time by a Train. Olivia counted 139 carriages and she didn't even start at the beginning!
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Our first look at the Pilbara driving through the Gorges is impressive. It's beautiful we are going to enjoy our time here.
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So excited about seeing the Agnew's! Bit late on our arrival but at least we are consistent!!
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Big hugs and Great excitement all round, football received with much enthusiasm and a beautiful home cooked meal, feels like coming home.