Broome
Sh!thouse Tours!
I finally made it to Broome, at the end of my journey across the Kimberley and was I glad it was over. The heat in Broome is not too bad, just about 34 or 35 but the humidity is right up there now. In the interest of being able to sleep I made my way to a hostel and got an air-conditioned dorm. It was the closest one when I got into town, had free breakfast and was the cheapest too.
I planned on a three day stay to relax, do some sightseeing, get some decent sleep. On the notice board at the hostel there was a poster looking for someone for 2 days work in an air conditioned office. So I called up, figured I’d make a few dollars and it was air-conditioned too. Next morning I was working at a printers making calendars for the year 2007. It was mainly just filling one order for the Sisters of St. John of God who wanted 5,000 calendars to celebrate their centenary working in the Kimberley. What was suggested to be 2 days work turned into 6 which was good, I made a little more cash and had more time to explore Broome.
Work was a good laugh. Neil, my boss told some of the worst jokes in the world and anyone who knows me at all will know I would appreciate them greatly. Can’t really be put on here though. I also scored some sweet gadgets, I got a battery pack which expands the life of my iPod by another 20 hours, and a set of external speakers which despite being tiny, sound fantastic. So no I can listen to music on the move and hear roadtrains coming up behind me. Sometimes when there is a strong headwind they kind of appear out of nowhere. Almost forgot that I got a new sleeping mat too. The one I’ve been using – a self inflating variety – has suffered terminal failure from exposure to heat outside its operating range. The glue holding it together melted if you can believe that!
I also go two free pizzas out of my job. On the local radio station, there is a voucher every evening at 5:30 to the first caller. My Boss called in one day and the next told them it was me. I was listening to the radio working away happily when they announced the winner of the pizza as the mad Irishman pedalling his was around Australia 
I met a few more familiar faces from Darwin in Broome. There was Oz, a guy from Sudan who was picking mangoes with me in the N.T. he arrived at the hostel the day after I did and disappeared just a quickly again. A strange little man if there ever was one. I was wandering around a local arts and crafts market another day and met two guys who started at the farm the day I left. When I got back to my hostel that evening they were in the same room with me. We hung out for a bit went to Cable Beach for sunset on Sh!thouse tours. The guys are driving their Ute around the country picking up the occasional solo traveller along the way to join them on Sh!thouse tours. We decided on the design for their promotional brochures and I did some ‘professional’ pictures for it, the one at the top being the cover shot, taken while on the phone to them all at home.
My hostel was beside the cinema, so I went to see Casino Royale too. It was my first movie in ages so I was really excited. I must say despite knowing Craig to be a good actor – Layer Cake anyone – I wasn’t convinced that he’d make a good Bond. The film was pretty good but Craig as Bond just didn’t seem quite right to me, I prefered Brosnan. But what do I know, I’m just a guy on a bike.