Lost in the west

So, in Western Australia you are," was the response of the 24-hour emergency mechanic with an unmistakable undertone, which made us understand that our life expectancy had just shrunk by 5 years. So there we stood, 5 backpackers in the light of the hazard warning lights at night somewhere on the West Coast of Australia.
For the record: 2 hours earlier, we were already standing around our car, trying to convince it to stay with us a little longer. Neither pushing in first gear (professionals at work) nor jump-starting from positive to negative (even with a high school diploma, you don't get any further in life) could persuade it, until the brilliant idea of trying it with double positive finally got our piece of shit on wheels (cheers to the chaotic campers) rolling again. Shortly afterwards, it reconsidered and, shaking like a crashing airplane, came to a stop again, accompanied by the flashing airbag and battery lights. After unsuccessful conference calls to Germany, we found ourselves enthusiastically waving on the highway to stop the only car in sight. A group of French people actually stopped and happened to have jumper cables with them to celebrate the occasion. After more minutes of maneuvering and tinkering, our kitten purred again and we were relieved to finally be able to arrive at our campsite. It got dark and the whining of our van was starting to get on our nerves. But no. Not even 10 meters driven, the circus started all over again. Another conference call was made to Germany, but in the end we called our car rental thanks to our only phone that managed to get some reception.
Hello first of all, we are somewhere 20 km before Monkey Mia on the highway next to a car that just gave up. After several minutes of back and forth, an entertaining 'Please hold the line' pause, and Mayk's unqualified comments in the form of "this car is shit!", we sat around the car again and waited for the tow truck. At least we had the Milky Way above us, which literally brought a little light into the darkness. Half an hour later, our tow truck arrived with a mechanic who could have been the 2nd candidate after Leonardo for "Into the wild" with his long hair. He loaded our van and took us to the next campsite, where he dropped us off to examine the car more closely the next morning. So after he took a cursory look at the car for about 3 seconds and confidently blamed the alternator, we started our day with pancakes. In this regard, we could have ended up in worse places. We had a pool, showers, and the sea right in front of us. Thinking about how all of this could have happened in the Outback, we enjoyed our breakfast even more.
Thank god, thanks to our 2 girls, we had a second working car with us, so the 3 of us made ourselves comfortable on their bed and zoomed off to Little Lagoon, a beautiful turquoise lagoon. After the flies had once again defeated us there (yes.. they're back), we spent the afternoon in Denham, a small but nice village in Shark Bay, where we were dropped off. After a long search for wifi, I could finally write to my loved ones at home, who had almost given up on me, thinking I had been eaten by a shark.
After a beautiful but freezing sunset, we needed a warm van and alcohol, and so all kinds of drinking games came up again. How I wish I could see the faces of the passing campers when every minute a passionately shouted "Yeehaaw" came from our van decorated with colorful lights. (The non-negotiable drinking game rule!) We laughed until we cried, and considering that we started drinking at 5 o'clock, we fell into bed around 10.
So early the next morning, we finally packed everything up and ONCE AGAIN the damn PIECE OF SHIT CAR wouldn't start. Dear people, our patience was wearing thin. Once again, our friend, the mechanic, came and gave us a kickstart. Then we just drove off. At Shells Beach, our next destination, we let the car run while we took a few photos before retreating to the car to escape the flies.

We also covered the few hundred kilometers to Geraldton in one go, and after spending another small fortune at the supermarket with a cardboard policeman staring at us, reminding us that stealing is a crime, we crossed over to Geralton, where I had network for the first time in over a week. Hallelujah!
In the evening, we were rewarded with a beautiful free camping spot right by the sea, where we celebrated our pancake breakfast the next morning (it's been a while already).
Unfortunately, the summer temperatures let us down, especially at night as we headed south, with darkness setting in at 6 o'clock and the cold in the way as well.
But since we were only 400 km away from our destination, we could enjoy the sun on the beaches of Western Australia during the day, until we reached the Pinnacles after 2 lazy days. The rock domes rose endlessly like graves over the gentle hills. My expectations were more than exceeded: from the expectation of just looking at a few rocks, it turned into WOW moments again!
We cruised through the Pinnacles on a sand road, past the most bizarre shapes and colors.
In Lancelin, a relaxed afternoon awaited us: coffee, wifi, and one of those super cool Australian playgrounds, what more could you want?
We paid for it the next morning with the most exhausting sport on this planet: sandboarding.
With rented boards, we climbed the white sand dunes of Lancelin, and after 1, 2, or 3 attempts, I actually surfed down the slope for a few seconds. It was a huge fun and exhausting as fuck. Conclusion: Anytime again!!
The later it got, the closer our road trip came to an end.
At the next morning, we were supposed to reach our last destination and already return one of our cars. As a farewell party, we drank in the trunk with style and played one last time. Yeehaw!!
The wider the roads became the next morning, the more frequent the traffic lights, and the louder the noise, the more my feelings of happiness grew!
People! Civilization! Affordable supermarkets! Cell phone reception!
We visited the most beautiful place in Perth: Kings Park. The park was not only extraordinarily beautiful, lined with an alley, but also offered a fantastic view of the city.

What made Perth one of my absolute favorites was the city's harbor, which is a work of architectural art. As far as the city's design, attention to detail, and play with colors and shapes are concerned, Perth is by far the most beautiful city in Australia.
Since our girls had moved into a hostel by now, this gave us the excellent opportunity to take a shower there, grab some wifi, and charge everything. Since we marched in and out daily as if it were a matter of course, the staff seemed to accept us as invisible hostel residents soon enough.
Having once again reached a point where there was one car left for 5 people, we put our girls in the back of the van and headed out to Kings Park in the evening to enjoy the city lights.
As we drove into the roundabout in front of it, the police officers were already waving at us, and accompanied by our panicked "Fuck Fuck Fuck", we managed to turn the wheel in time and take another lap in the roundabout. So 2 of us had to cover the distance on foot, but in the end, we all sat together in the park above Perth's sea of lights.
I don't know when my colleagues got stupid ideas, but 2 days later at 4 o'clock in the morning, I was woken up from my uncomfortable camper van bed and shortly after found myself on the beach photographing the 3 idiots while skydiving. I knew right from the start that I was definitely in the wrong place on the ground, but my bank account showed me the finger in the face of the $450. So there I was, down on the beach, cheering on my loved ones from a distance. My time will come, believe me.

I can't describe how overwhelming the impressions can be at times. From one highlight to the next, one after the other. Sometimes I wish I could beam myself back to cold, rainy Germany in between to truly appreciate it all again.
For 7 months, the sun has been shining for me, for half a year I've had the sea at my doorstep. And yes, it's difficult to appreciate all of this every day as if it were the first day of vacation, no matter how hard I try.

Soon I will be back home and give everything to put my feet in the sand and hear the waves whisper.

I will miss it, the sea, the waves, my epitome of freedom.

But now there is still time, and problems will be solved as they arise. So?
Let's fulfill childhood dreams, let's go find Nemo.