Dance of Happiness: Sunset Cruising at Monkey Mia

Dan, Charlie, Jamie, Shaun, XXXX Summer and myself sailing off Monkey Mia

THE day at Monkey Mia had been really warm so I thought it would be an amazing orange sunset on the cruise.
However the wind came out to play and the clouds fought with the sun.
To be honest I don't remember much of the cruise from all the talking and introductions to new people so it went really quick and before I knew it we were back at Applejack and being told to follow Jamie's 4wd into town.
Dinner sounded great to us!
Charlie and Shaun saw the kombi and asked for a lift.
"Oh OK I guess we can take you."
We had Tracey Chapman blaring out of the speakers and the farmers in the back. Very funny scenario.
We had been introduced to Irish backpackers and motorbike riders from the bottom of WA and if you mix these people together you get quite and interesting time.
They were all individually great people to be around.
Jamie let us park Applejack on his land away from the rising tides of the Bay and the party continued.
All night they told us about this motorbike race they were all going north to for the weekend.
"You should come girls" he said.
"Nah I can't.
"We have to be in Perth for a wedding next weekend," I'd say.
"You have plenty of time to get there, what's the rush?"
I really wish they had of stopped asking because I had to tell them my ridiculous truth.
"I have a hair appointment!"
I'm sure there are women reading this saying "Alyce what the hell were you thinking? Why would you even have to think about this situation? You have been asked to join these guys, just go!"
Well you see my friends....I was in need of foils!
Many drinks later and a night spent in a chocolate brown (some may say disgusting) hot tub, we hit the hay. Settle down readers it wasn't a romantic, candle lit hot tub, well Jamie may like to think it is. Ha
We woke in the morning and I think the first question was "So you girls ready because I'm taking you to the Pearl Farm and then we are hitting the road straight away."
We sat in the back of Applejack staring blankly at each other.
I kept asking Kristy what she wanted to do and she kept replying with "I don't know, I don't mind what we do."
It was soo hard to decide and I have failed to mention a vital part of the dilemma...the race was back up in Carnarvon!
We ended up making a plus and minus list out loud and what we hadn't realised, was while we sat confused we had been packing a bag each.
Ah stuff it, let's go!
How often do you get to be part of a pit crew at the Gasgoyne Dash?
Not often I say.
We parked Applejack quickly in the shed and jumped in Jamie's ute.
For him to take us to work at the Pearl Farm was such an amazing experience and again we are very grateful.

I'm also very thankful of the beers he gave us which resulted in the lovely hangover I had.
I felt like tiny River Dancers were performing in my forehead.
Then to make it all even more beautiful was the fishy aromas I knew I'd smell going on a boat.

We parked the ute on the sand and walked through the shallow water to where his dad picked us up in a small boat and took us over to the pontoon where backpackers were hard at work, pulling oysters apart.
The smell and look of this was perfect for my hangover.
Then to top it off, Jamie tried to make me eat one.
My stomach was really put to the test and I feel deep breathing was the only thing that got me through that morning.
The experience of seeing how a Pearl Farm operates is one I recommend (but not while nursing a hangover).
It is very intricate, delicate, intriguing and end result beautiful.
I personally am not a woman that drools over pearls but I appreciate the beauty of them.

When the tourists left the pontoon on their sailing boat Jamie said "common girls" and we were on our mission again to leave for Carnarvon.
Oh what were we getting ourselves into?