24-26th Feb

Trip over from Walpole was good, stopped in at a roadside stall, got some veggies and more fruit.. Thank god for Pemberton, at least the place has nice fruit and veg.

Have been lazing about, reading, relaxing and today 26th a little bit of touring. Drove up to the Boranrup and Conti camp sites to check them out as possible camping areas. Beautiful drive through the karri trees.



Have a perfect view out over the Blackwood River see...



And the waters still as today, coin bouncing time..



Well its the long weekend tomorrow and i'll be catching up with the Spencers. Yippie.

20th Feb

Walked into town only took about 20 mins, headed down to the jetty and onto the WOW river cruise. It was excellent went out to the river mouth, got a history lesson and learnt a few things on the way.
Ever down here its a must.

Brought lunch and set out on the way home, stopped at creepy creek for lunch, got attacked by march flies.
Then headed out to the Tingle tree and Circular Pool, finishing back in Walpole for afternoon tea.

Had a shower relaxed and decided to have chicken and corn soup for tea. Upon opening the food store I realised that the 2L vinegar bottle had leaked through all my tinned and dry goods.... Ohhh crap.....
So after taking all of them out, throwing away the spoiled ones, removing the labels and washing the corrosion off the tins I relabeled the tins and sorted it out so I think that now takes the trip from Esperance to Walpole up to Hiccup 4, lets hope there is no more.

19th Feb

I love how the days blur when you're on holiday your not sure if its Thursday or Friday. Well that’s how today began, up early with travel makers discussing heading to the Nullarbor and others off to Augusta.

Today I'm heading over to Denmark and wind my way back home.
Being a total science geek, the fact that Denmark visitors centre has the world's biggest barometer was a total surprise to me… its not as big as you might think, but it has a impressive display... mmm that sounds way too dodgy.

Wondered the streets of Denmark looking for a bargain and an Atm. An Atm was found but no bargains, especially in the newsagents, where a father and I will quote him picked up a Dolly magazine and said, "I want her to look up to these women, want to be like them…" I kid you not, my head shakes in disgusted. Where is New Scientist or The Times when you need them a nice picture of Fiona Wood or anyone with a brain…..

Headed back out of Denmark before I grew another head. Out to the Puzzle Park…. Closed on the front gate… would have been nice to know 18kms ago….. stupidheads… nice drive though…..stupidheads..




Green Pool will be lovely I said through grit teeth and it was…



Then Mead glorious Mead, now talking about misconceptions, I always thought mead was beer and was so looking forward to drinking… Yippie, but as the day would have it NO, it’s a wine, a wine made with honey. Tried a lot, liked a few, have them stashed in the van…. Oh and Honey vanilla Icecream.. mmmmm... work bees...work.

The Toffee Factory next and Wade and Bec are lucky, this toffee factory makes chilli stuff….
Got some chilli chocolate toffee, some Chilli Peanut brittle and some Chilli and Passionfruit jam I think it was, and some mint toffee for me.
My Bounty

Boat Harbour was closed….
Moombaki Winery was closed….

Found something open some pottery studio,

Peaceful Bay a bit windy but beautiful.

Then home for an arvo of relaxing and soaking in the sun.
Home Sweet Home



Going on the Wilderness of Walpole EcoCruise tomorrow, might if I'm feeling up to it even cycle into town. The guy at the front desk reckons it's not far.

17th Feb

Departure: Esperance

Stops: Ravensthorpe, Pallinup rest point (worth a stop), Denmark, Kent River

Arrival: Walpole

Adventures:
Going to break my blog into two tonight, the trip and the hiccups.

One:
After a rocky start and having fixed my trailer coup link... NO lights as I pull out of Esperance... WTF... it's ok, I just have to plug it in properly... lucky.... (Hiccup 1)

Set out dead on 8.00am good work Tam. Said goodbye to a nice little caravan park, awesome views ($140/wk, $2/washing, hot showers, windy, short ride to town, a rubbish truck that comes through twice every week too early and cleaning staff that also start too early, I'm not up every day by 8.15am come on...)

Filled up at Ravensthorpe, Yabbie, needed to stretch her legs and wanted to come sit with me, then filled up again at Denmark, thought we might get a snack from Kent river NOPE zip, only wine and live marron, Yabbie was scared... and finally reached Coalmine Beach about 4.15pm, hungry and tired and probably a little grumpy.... (not really)


Now part TWO
My name should be breaker brother number one... Three things went wrong today... but I shouldn't say anything one, fixed, and two things I still have to get fixed but I can live without them for the moment,
Hiccup 1 the lights tick fixed
Hiccup 2 again before leaving the caravan park, my new reversing link is busted... god damn it, must of knocked it when I was reversing into the bay when I arrived bloody hell... Well reversing hitch is useless til i get it fixed....
Hiccup 3 and lucky I went to Uni for 4 years so i could temp. fix this for the moment. The jockey wheel that lowers and rises the caravan on and off the hitch is spinning and not locking into place, Shit, shit, shit, so lifted it up with the stays, fuck I'm strong and will sort it out later...... much later......


Trivia for the Day Phantoms b'day today created in 1936, 73... - yes I was listening to Radio National.

Feb 12th-16th

Feb 12th - 16th
Last Days here in sleepy yet beautiful Esperance.

Been relaxing and not doing a great deal over the past few days. By not doing a lot I mean swimming, reading, sleeping, going to the markets, a little bit of shopping and lots of checking out eye candy…. Mmmm something about country lads … mmmm… those sexy legs and broad shoulders mmmmm….

Cycled down to Tanker Jetty and took a relaxing walk out to the end, I took my hat off, to be sure not to lose another one…


Sammy the seal was at the jetty and was disappointed I didn’t have fish for him today.


Sat back up on the shoreline and had a coffee and watched the day slipping by, hard life I tell ya..


Decided I better tidy up and get ready for my early departure tomorrow. Filled the car, checked water and oil..(yes mum), oh this has been my little oasis for the last couple of weeks.


Then I had to do some repairs, apart from breaking my broom handle…. I had to fix the caravan coup link. After taking the whole thing apart the wire holes where a fraction of a mill to small… shit, shit, shit, I love pliers.. had to squash each one a fraction but rewired the lot. I done good, hey Wayne. (touch wood - it doesn’t burn out like the last one)


Leaving tomorrow morning hopefully b4 9.00am, heading back around to Walpole for a week, should be a long drive about 650kms I think. Staying at Coalmine's Beach Caravan Park. Hope, cross your fingers it has internet capabilities. If not I need some more books.

This travelling is a hard life….

Feb 11th

A few different things today


Out to Kepwari Trails, The Lake Warden Wetland System, not really what I expected but a casual walk. Oh yer stepped on a snake, we both scared the shit out of each other and both bolted the opposite direction, actually think it might of been a little leggless lizard, brown with strips going all the way down his body.

Headed out to the wind farm next, not a soul around, great view from the lookout.

Then to Blue Haven beach, where I walked down the beach to a little spot and had a swim and a relax. Those bloody stairs... 10 zillion of them to get back up at Blue Haven beach, lucky its so beautiful and isolated.

Feb 10th

Mermaid Leather
I was amazed and surprised by this. I had no idea you could turn fish skin into leather.
Well you can and it is an expensive product to own.

The fish skin just like all hides under goes the tanning process and at the end is a beautiful soft leather.

Gorgeous bracelets, shoes and handbags.

Feb 9th

Home sweet Home,

Figured I should show you my huge, spacious home, given that I have spent all day tidying it. There's not pegs out or clothes hanging or towels drying... speck and span.... cough, well almost none.

Two pics the kitchen, lounge, meals and family room AND the master bedroom, the guest room and my walk in robes.

Well spacious isnt it... oh I almost forgot the patio and deck are outstanding as well but i'll save those images for later.

Feb 8th

Woody Island - Mackenzie's Island Cruises
The day started off a little on the cool side, overcast skies and a sea that looked like it could get rough.

We headed out of the harbour with the skipper of Seabreeze IV filling us in with all the stats on the port and local info.
Over to Charlie Island, Cull Island, where we saw, sealions, fur seals, cape barren geese, White-breasted sea eagles, a gull i cant remember. Over to Thomas island and the Sea eagle put on a bit of a show for us, then Gunton Island. A short trip to Seal Rocks where three New Zealand fur seals were playing (little buggers wld keep still long enough for me to get a good pic).

Upon arrival to Woody Island we had morning tea and ventured off to complete the summit trek, 76 steps later.... and 6 rest stops we finally made it to the top stopping along the way to be informed of local events and history of the island. The little skinks had a feast on carrots and we began the decent back to base camp.
The smell of a bbq and fresh salads awaited us on our return. Brilliant food and even better scenery to eat it infront of.
On to the glass bottom boat and out for a quick look at the local marine life. Nice big Blue Groper and a few herring too. Warm enough to go for a swim, just, some of the mob took to the water for a rapid 15min snorkel.
Then boarded the Seabreeze IV and headed home.

Feb 7th

What a busy day and so so much driving...

Cape Le Grande, Hellfire Bay, Frenchmen's Peak, Thistle Cove, Lucky Bay, Rossitier Bay, Duke of Orleans Bay, Wharton beach and last but not least little Wharton beach.

Off to Woody Island tomorrow.. for the whole day... should be awesome.

Feb 5th

Yabbies....

Mmm the great white hunter that I am, I decided that I should see is if I could catch a feed of Australia's freshwater crustacean "the yabby"

And man I am a great hunter a bounty, a bucket fall, two giants that have massive claws and 22 morsels for dinner (we ate them all no wastage or abuse of nature resources...) and of course my new pet "________" she hasn't got a name yet.. and no it's not snack or entree.

Checked out the museum, the tourist history village and got a new 7 pin trailer plug, damn stuff going wrong..

Went down fishing from the jetty after throwing back 4 i finally got a decent size herring... caught three more, threw another two back. Two is brekky for me tomorrow.

OMG!!!!! When I got back to the cleaning tables the blokes there had 40 each but same of them still had the egg cases attached.... I hate that, take what your going to eat, throw back the little ones...

Feb 4th

Great Ocean Drive

Lazy day today, cycled down to the cafe on the waterfront about 5kms, had a coffee read, cycled back stopping along the way to read some more.. might have to find out where the second hand book shop is..

Set off and did the Great Ocean drive Western Australian style. Not bad at all, still want to do it with much bluer skies, but today was good, better than good. Went to Observation Point... Mum helped roll the rock up to the top of this hill, an achievement I assure you.
It was an achievement for me to get up there I HATE heights the steps where fine just the height...YUK...

The lovely twilight beach

Then out past the wind farm and onto Pink Lake which in this overcast day wasn't very pink, not to worry.

Feb 3rd

I'm alive, after imaging every possible bad thing that could happen to me on the road, I'm alive and safe and in Esperance.

Departure: 20kms west of Esperance

Arrival: Esperance

Rocked into town about 8.30am. Parked the van outside the tourist office and set off to find a coffee shop open b4 9.00am... am I forgetting I'm in a small country town.... Yer but it's the best town... where amazing, talented people are born....

After looking through the office, and enquiring about the woody island tour, I set off for a quiet sit and read. About 11.00am I decided I no longer wanted to shoo the ants but I would check in slightly early to the caravan park.

Bay 54, noticed a problem with the caravan connection plug, which I must get to tomorrow or the next day. Went and had a shower, relaxed, did my washing then set off for the shops for a cold drink and some new stocks.

Weather changed mid-afternoon, cloudy and I decided to check out the coast,

Breathtakingly astonishing... and the sky was overcast, I could easily fall in love with Esperance..

Decided at twilight beach I wanted to see this on a sunny day, in full splendor, and my washing was still on the line.
Mmmmm can easy see myself staying here a bit longer....

Feb 2nd

Happy Birthday Bryn,

Departure: Albany

Stops: Jerramungup, Hopetoun, Ravensthorpe (fuel), Munglinup

Arrival: 20kms west of Esperance

Adventures:
Went into Hopetoun, sat on the beach under a shade and read for about 4hrs, went for a swim but the water was icy. Stupid fuel pumps...

Camped out on the road... Mental note Kill Vicky for making me read Twilight when I'm travelling alone.....

Feb 1st

WOW... The Middleton Beach Big 4... Sets a standard.. Threate, pool, wow...

Departure: Pemberton

Stops:Walpole, Denmark, Ocean Beach, Dinosaur World

Arrival: Albany

Adventures: Dinosaur World.....

Hmm.... Dino Park... $12 (a little dear for what it had)some good displays of 5 dinos bones reconstructed, then your walked through to the outside and there was about 20 cages of beautiful parrots and 10 or so "kid friendly" ones you can touch and they will climb on u for a photo extra.....
Yes the extra is the bit they should warn u about not pooing on you attacking you. The little bird in the shot... He wanted my necklace end of story, but when I put my hand up to get him off me, he bit me not once but twice.... bloody little bird....

Parked the van then headed off, exploring, checked out the Princess Royal Fort, really interesting place, canons and battlment, very interesting.