We did a walk around the massive trees and through the thick forest.This is inside mammoth cave - you've got your Stalagmites but mainly your Stalactites (remember - tites come down!).
The Australian pelican. When I see this I wonder - 'How many mince pies could that down in one' - it would put my brother and I to shame. These were hanging around waiting for a fisherman to 'clean' the fish
Ben - eat your heart out and pay homage to the master of the Kangaroo look alike.
A lovely little morning scene in the forest right by our camp for the night
Not only do I have to cook the meal but I have to do the 'washing up' too. Well, I do the 'pre-wash' part, then Elvis insists on using a detergent of some sort!
This is the Gloucester Tree and that's me on the way down (having just been to the top). At 61 metres high, it is the highest working lookout tree in the world (a rather tenuous claim to fame I hear you say). As you can see the 'spiral staircase' isn't exactly fool proof - but being the fool I am, I couldn't resist. Great views from the top though, right over the top of the forest canopy. It is still used as a fire lookout post today.
This is Big Brook Dam where we stopped for a little sun and swim. This is a new one for us because the beach is artificial - brought in to create a beach in the forest!
After we left the dam we drove straight into a bush fire - thankfully it was a controlled fire, which they do to burn off all the dead stuff before it builds up too much and causes real damage. I'm not sure if they were totally in control of this one though as it got too near the road (just as we got there) and we had to wait until they deemed it safe enough to go through.
It looked so weired because although it was midday the sun changed colour completely to an orange brown. All the trees were glowing like it was a sunset scene.
Credit to Elvis for this picture (which I really like - the full size picture looks fantastic) the foreground trees are all lit up with the orange/brown light and behind the fire is raging.
Credit to Elvis for this picture (which I really like - the full size picture looks fantastic) the foreground trees are all lit up with the orange/brown light and behind the fire is raging.
This is me concentrating on the 'burning road' ahead - Elvis thought it was great fun and had the volume control on 11 singing full blast 'On the Road Again'. We were just having the most fantastic time doing this - in fact at about this point there was talk of extending the van hire - but we would have missed 'Australia Day' in Perth and even though we're Poms - we didn't want to miss that. Which brings us nicely to the free cup of tea competition: Why do Australians call the British 'Poms'? .... And for a bonus of a scone with jam and clotted cream - exactly what time was it when we were driving through the forest fire?
Back to the coast after this - so that's the next blog!
5 comments:
Geez, this blog is so confusing! Here I am logging on to read about how you've left Oz and onto Maylasia, and at the end of the blog, you're heading back to Perth!!
Love all the photos, but I have to ask if you are the only people around. Never see anyone else.
And this leads to the next comment...you, in a forest, no one else around and the place sets on fire. Say no more about why your face is so tense as you flee the scene. I grew up witnessing that face many times as you came home after a night of incendiary fun with only the whites of your eyes showing!
I was thinking the same thing Jen!
Whilst Keith has labelled himself the master of the Kangaroo look-a-likes, I'm afraid Ben still wins the master of the manly kangaroo look-a-likes. I've never seen a more camp looking Roo.
And for the tea question - due to the fires, is it about half-mast tree?
Paul.
In answer to the cup of tea question, there are many theories, the main one being 'Prisoners Of his Majesty - the prisoners that went to Australia.
But for a refill of rosie lea, I think its more likely linked to 'Pomegranate' - when a British person's white skin turns red in the hot sun - as red as pomegranates.
And for the hat trick, I used my wealth of knowledge, I took into account the height of the sun, the direction of the smoke and angle under the shadow under your nose (paul said to say this, i protest), I'd say, at a guess, it was around....noon?
Mrs S xxx
I'm not as good with the scientific calculations as Shirley is, so I'm going to strain my eyes to look at the watch on your hand and guess that it's something like 10 to 4. Half mast tree is much better though! :)
And yes Paul, it's a good job he was posing next to a sign for a roo...otherwise it could look like he was posing for something else. If that's your way of hitchin lad, you'll get yourself picked up all right!
Very eager to hear about the POM thing...the Prisoners of His Majesty...very clever.
By my reckoning you should be in Malaysia by now...so the next blog should be from say...6 weeks prior???
It think it looks like 11.05am. Must say though Von Hodge, am suprised you have such a serious look on your face driving through the fire. Would've expected you to be right in there with the firestarters pleading for a go with the matches!!!
The juniors
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