Day 6, Perth domestic departure for Monkey Mia

Our friends drove us home, out of the city, to their beautiful bush retreat for  refreshments on the patio under the southern sky with the sounds of the native night-wildlife. We slept soundly with the night air coming refreshingly through the insect screen.

Mid-day it was off to catch a Skipper’s flight together, approximately 2 and  half hours up the deserted and beautify coast with golden breaches of western Australia. The roads below were empty and straight enough for landing light aircraft, for the flying doctors etc. The airport is the smallest one we’ve ever been to, and has only three walls! A short lift to Denham, shire of Shark Bay, population 984. Our apartment overlooking Shark Bay was beautiful and the new owners Joanne and Doug were welcoming and funny (Doug could have made a very successful pub landlord).

There was an incredibly well stocked IGA (Independent Grocers of Australia) immediately over the road who were not exploiting tourists with their prices.

The wind was awesome as we strolled along an empty sea-side high-road in search of a meal (never going to happen before 6pm).

A leisurely evening together after we’d visited both the Shark Bay hotel (which had uncovered a stash of forgotten hits from the early ’80s we’d forgotten) and the the Old Pub, Australia’s most western pub! My girlfriend and I felt a little stared at as we wondered through the public bar with its all male clientele and two sports channels (football and horses) and online betting terminal.

All the locals were very friendly with accommodating chefs variably rustling up one gluten free meal and one veggie one!

No sharks seen.