Free Lulu Bell and the Sea Turtle by Belinda Murrell Page A

forever.
    Finally it was Saturday morning. Dad woke them all early. Gus yawned and pulled his Bug Boy mask down over his face.
    Lulu was excited but a little sad too. It was hard to say goodbye to all the pets. She cuddled Flopsy the rabbit in the garden. She fed the four ducklings.
    Then she went inside and crawled under her bed. The family cats, Pickles and Pepper, were hiding there.
    The dogs were most unhappy. Asha was sulking on her bed. Lulu hugged her. Asha wiggled her tail the tiniest bit.
    â€˜It’s okay, girl,’ said Lulu. ‘We’ll be back soon.’
    Jessie sat by the door and drooped. She was usually the smiliest dog in the world. But not today.

    â€˜Don’t worry, sweetheart,’ said Dad to Lulu. ‘Kylie will take good care of them all.’
    Nanna and Gumpa came to drive them to the airport. Gumpa helped Dad pack the bags in the car. Lulu could only take what she could fit in her backpack.

    Then they were off. Nanna and Gumpa dropped them out the front of the airport. Everyone kissed and waved. Nanna gave Lulu a super-big hug.
    â€˜Have fun, my darling Lulu,’ whispered Nanna. ‘I’ll miss you.’
    â€˜I’ll miss you too, Nanna.’ Lulu could feel a lump in her throat.
    â€˜Goodbye. Love you. See you soon,’ Mum called to her parents.
    Mum held Gus tightly by the hand in the airport. Soon they were on the plane. Lulu clicked on her seatbelt. Rosie wriggled beside her.
    The flight took hours. The cabin crew brought around breakfast on trays. There were lots of little packages to open. Lulu ate fruit salad and yoghurt and a warm omelette. Dad, Lulu and Rosie watched movies on a small screenon the back of the seat. Gus slept. Then they ate lunch. At last the plane began to descend. Lulu could see a vast blue ocean shining below.
    As they walked off the plane in Broome, the heat hit Lulu like a wave. It was humid and sticky.

    Their first stop was to pick up the car. Mum had organised to rent a big four-wheel drive. It towed a low camper trailer. This was to be their home for the next week.
    Their second stop was the shopping centre. Everyone helped do the grocery shopping. Then it all had to be packed away in the trailer. Finally the family and their gear were loaded in the car.
    â€˜Only another three hours to go,’ said Mum. ‘Ardyaloon, here we come.’
    The road north was rough, rutted red dirt. On either side grew thick green scrub. Overhead arched a sky of deepest blue. Lulu had never felt so far from home.
    It was a long, bumpy drive. Rosie and Gus fell asleep. Lulu read her book. It was early evening when they finally arrived.

    Mum turned the car onto a sidetrack. A sign beside the gate read ‘Goorlil’.
    â€˜Here it is,’ cried Mum. ‘Goorlil. It means “turtle” in the local Bardi language.’
    Lulu shivered with excitement. What adventures would they find at Goorlil?

Chapter 3
The Goorlil Family
    The car rounded a bend in the track.
    The first thing Lulu saw was the sea. Deep turquoise-blue stretched all the way to the horizon. Dozens of red rock islands jutted from the water. Rich green mangroves hugged the coast. A pod of dolphins swam by, diving and splashing.
    â€˜Oooh,’ cried Lulu. ‘Look at that!’
    The next thing Lulu saw was the house. It was a small building with a verandah across the front. To the side was a camp fire. A crowd of people were gathered around. Adults chatted. Kids laughed and played chasings. An older woman was cooking over the fire.

    Mum stopped the car under a tree. ‘At last,’ she said.
    Lulu stretched as she climbed out of the car. It had been a long journey.
    A throng of people gathered around. ‘Hello,’ called a few voices.
    â€˜Hi, I’m Chrissie,’ said Mum.
    â€˜And I’m Harry,’ said an older man. He had a kind face and greying hair. ‘Welcome to Goorlil.’

    Mum introduced everyone in the Bell family.