Farewell Katie

Another beautiful day here in Broome.  Not too hot, not too cold.

Today we went to the Victory Life Church in Broome.  None of us were really keen, but Grant insisted, and it turned out to be a really good service.  The worship was led by a young guy, Jimmy, who sang really well and led us in some really good songs, and the pastor, Mark Oooman, from India/Figi spoke a really god message about renewing your mind, reading the bible each day, and not being chained up by the past but letting God transform your future.  Something like that, anyway.  Afterwards they made us a lovely hot chocolate each.  It was a good time.  

We came back for lunch and a swim (Oskar is always asking to swim) and then took Katie off to the airport, which is right in the very centre of Broome.

After we'd all been through security, we walked through into a verandah area which was enclosed but had tropical plants and a fountain in the middle.  It was the nicest airport I'd ever been to!  We waited for Katie to board her plane, watching through the lattice as they put her suitcase on board, and waving as she crossed the Tarmac and climbed the stairs to the Boeing 737-800.  it was very noisy being so close while they did all the pre flight checks, but we stayed and saw the plane take off.  

The airport is so close to the town centre, that Dominic noticed as we drove out, all the street lights on one roundabout are very low to the ground compared to others in Broome.  that is because it is positioned right at the end of the runway, and high ones might interfere with planes landing safely.

Afternoon nap over, I headed down to the Beach with the kids to watch the sunset.  I was  bit late, and the sun had gone, but we were able to watch the sky changing colour from orange to red etc.  We were also in time to see the long lines of camels walking from the beach after doing their sunset tourist thing.

 There was a group of people gathered on the beach around a car, and all these colored lanterns standing in the sand around them.  In the dusk the lanterns on the beach looked very pretty.  I wondered if it was a party or a wedding.  It actually turned out to be a Leukemia Foundation fundraiser.  The lady who organized it was a leukemia survivor, and she read a story about a little boy who is currently battling leukemia in Derby, the town we passed through north of Broome.  Jack was three when he was diagnosed with leukemia, and his treatments finish in October 2012, if they are successful.  In the story, his mother mentioned that he says he is the next to die, because all his friends from the hospital have died.  The hardest thing he finds is not being allowed to swim in the local pool.  It is so hot up here, that must be very frustrating for him.  They visit the hospital at least once a week - I don't know where the hospital is, but I don't remember seeing one in Derby.

Grant's doing a very good job on the dinners, and tonight we had burritoes.  Everyone loves burritoes, and Oskar had two and an half!  Then he told me he felt a little bit full...

A few clouds have come over, but there is a lovely breeze, so maybe they will all blow away and give us another fine day tomorrow.  

Tonight we have an empty bed where Katie was last night.  She rang and told us she landed safely, so it is only seven weeks and she'll be back again.  School tomorrow for everyone, this will be interesting.