Throughout one’s life, you meet people who become fabulous friends and even though they might move away from the vicinity of your day to day life, the friendship remains strong. This is definitely the case with my wonderful friend, Gemma. We met in Mildura, were both involved in numerous committees together for a few years before she relocated back to her home state of WA to take on the running of her family’s wheat and sheep farm. I last saw her nearly two years ago when I flew across the country to attend her wedding and reception in Albany and Denmark, two of the prettiest places I’ve ever been to.

So, of course it made sense to factor in a visit whilst we were over in her neck of the woods. After our fabulous time at Cape le Grand, we stocked up on supplies in Esperance before we took the girls to a playground where a little miniature steam train operated. Wal (whom we’d met in Kalgoorlie), had recommended the train to us and for a few dollars, the girls were able go for a ride around the beautiful parklands.

After our few hours in Esperance, we headed off towards Gemma’s farm about 140km away. We had to negotiate foot high floodwaters as water still hadn’t receded from the heavy rainfall the area had experienced months earlier.

We arrived upon dusk and set up the van, before heading in for a big dinner with Gemma, her husband and baby daughter, her parents who were there helping with seeding as well as her niece, visiting for the school holidays and a farm hand from Argentina.

The next few days we were able to experience their working days, checking on sheep, fences, and farm equipment. The girls absolutely loved it.

In the mornings, I walked along the dusty roads through the paddocks and got to experience some gorgeous sunrises.

On Saturday afternoon, we had a fabulous BBQ down at the fiver that ran through their farm, and Corey got his hands dirty helping unclog a seeder that was covered in mud.  And of course, Gemma and I caught up on all things Mildura, mutual friends and motherhood.

And, in a fortunate stroke of luck, Gemma’s parents extended an invitation to park our van in Albany, where they live, for the few days we were in town, which meant we had a free place from which we could base ourselves for a few days when we got there!

Don’t you just love friends that you can simply pick up from where you left off years later? Do you make an effort to catch up with friends if you’re in their area?