On the road - more beaches

If you're not fond of 'Charles Drakes' proceed with caution, there's a picture of a nasty looking critter in this blog. But lets get down to the proper business first - beer tasting, this is at Bush Shack Brewery, they even do a strawberry beer for the Shelia's.

Is anyone counting how many lighthouses I've took pictures of now. This maybe the last one though at Cape Naturaliste.

Another beautiful sunset - we were just walking back to the camper van from a cliff top walk.


And on the drive back - eagle eye Elvis spotted Charles Drake here by the side of the road - I risked life and limb getting this picture may I say. I don't know what kind it is - but it looks brown so could it be the deadly brown snake? Perhaps Ben or Justine may know. A little poem for you:

A cup of tea, for a positive ID.

What a lovely view from our kitchen window, just what you want to see when you're having your morning cuppa!

The coast line on the west is very dramatic - gigantic rocks, caves and cliffs with lovely little coves and beaches nested in between. This is Dunsborough.

This is us having a rare treat at Vasse Felix - the first winery in the Margaret River area. We had just been for some free wine tastings and the old hunger pains started. The restaurant was very classy so we thought it was time for a treat.

This was 'Surfers Point', the waves are really big here, this is because we are very close to the most south-westerly point of Australia where the Indian Ocean meets the Southern Ocean.

Surfers and windsurfers doing their thang!

Another beautiful sunset, this time taken from the patio!

This was just down from the van - we were climbing all over these rocks until it got too dark, the coastline is amazing here.

The beaches aren't bad either!

This was taken at Green Pools, just outside of Denmark, check out that water!


The next day we headed inland to see some of the fantastic forested areas of the south west - but that has to be the subject for another blog wouldn't you say?

Ps Chinese detective work from Rusty Sandersfield has revealed that the previous cup of tea challenge - i.e. to authenticate the sheep story has turned up a mystery. The story is NOT true to Sunderland after all, although Rust reckons there is a story that would match Sutherland in Scotland! A cup of tea in a bone china cup with all the trimmings for some excellent work by Mr Sandersfield.

Sheep shearing

These pictures were taken at a place called 'The Shearing Shed' in Yallingup. It's a working farm with 4000 merino wool sheep. Every day at 11am the owner puts on a 'bit of a show' for the young 'uns (and the old 'un's). First of all visitors can feed the sheep, quite cute eh! If you look carefully at the first picture, you might see Keith waiting to be fed - only kidding! The guy then brings in the sheep and the shearing begins.

This is the sheep getting sheared! It's quite amazing how it just sits on its butt as placid as can be while it gets a shave. It reminds me of how I had to sit for my school haircut down Pallion when we would visit 'The Pole' - no that's not the name of the shop, it's the nationality of the Barber! He couldn't speak English, so whatever you asked for didn't matter, you ended up with a short back and sides!

This part was amazing - the border collie (just visible behind the sheep) waits to hear just one command from the guy. So the farmer was in front of us talking about everything and the sheep were all in the distance grazing in the field. The border collie never took its eyes of the guy. All he said was 'Ok get them'. The dog took off - jumped clear over the fences and raced off into the field - within 3 minutes it had all the sheep gathered in front of us at the pen. When they get to the pen they need some more 'encouragement' to enter the pens, so the farmer unleashes his secret weapon 'Bruce'. Bruce instinctively stands on sheep (no training necessary) he's breed includes a part dingo and this is how dingo's bring down their prey by getting on top of them. So Bruce runs along the backs of the sheep forcing them into the pens and the border collie stays behind them in case any sheep decide to turn around. It was very impressive. The border collie was amazing, the farmer said the only training he has to do is to tell it NOT to get the sheep in - otherwise it would instinctively gather them in without a command. My friend Peter Marley had a border collie - alas all it could do was gather the remote control and eventually died from too much love.

We saw this 'claim to fame' on the door when we went in to buy our tickets. Free cup of tea to anyone who can 'authenticate' this story in the Guiness book of records (or by Goggle Paul!) They did confirm it was 'our' Sunderland i.e. in England!!

Ps Didge - I (Keith) remember been taken to the Saturday morning ABC picture club (you weren't that kid with all the coloured badges on were you?). I always loved it and thought it was very generous of my parents to take me - until I later found out that my Mam and Dad just wanted rid of us for a few hours peace!

On the road again

'On the road again' a great little song by Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash and very fitting to our next leg of the trip. Back in a camper van for 9 days heading south from Perth to what's known as 'the Southern Curl' - it turned out to be the best trip we've had so far in Australia!

I know the place names won't mean much - but for the record this is our first stop, Bunbury - this is exactly where we camped - right next to the beach. Let me paint the picture.... pull up to somewhere you like, walk into your back garden (the beach) have a little rest on the sand, go for a swim. Pop back to the van, cook a little tea with a couple of beers and a glass of wine looking out your dining room window onto beautiful scenery. Go for a little walk while the sun sets - go back to your house and get to bed. Wake up to the sound of the sea and the sight of the sun rising - have breakfast - decide where your next 'room with a view' will be and then set off. I swear it can't be beaten.

This is the same view as above from behind our 'dead canny' little camper van. Yes Ginny - very similar to our last one, even has Gordon the bucket!

This is the 'sunset walk' part of the day. A beer and a cider in our back garden!

This is perhaps the only photographic evidence that exists of Elvis doing some cooking - the smile was totally put on!

As an Englishman it is our duty to make sure the Oz breweries have got their act together. This is in the Ferguson Valley (more renowned for their wine making) in a micro brewery (Wild Bull brewery). I've already sampled the wheat beer, pale ale and the bitter and I am now working on the stout. Elvis was busy checking out the cider. Don't let anyone kid you that this backpacking malarkey is easy - there's still work to do.

People who know me well, will know that visiting a 'land of little folk' is not high on my 'must do' list. Anything to do with madgetry sends a shiver down my spine and a mystical smell of cabbage in my nostrils - but at least these ones aren't real!

This is Gnomesville, a kind of mecca for travellers around the world to come and 'plant a gnome'. Wait until you see the next picture though......

Look at this - any friends named Shirley out there? There we at least 60 identical gnomes put down by people named Shirley from around the world - there's even a website if you girls would like to check it out. Sorry Shirley's Sandersfield and Sorrell - we didn't have any time to get two for you, besides as my brother-in-law Bob once said to my Sister Ginny when she asked if he would buy her a little cuddly toy 'I'm not paying 10 dollars for that piece of sh*t'!

Back to the important things - This is Busselton and this particular picture is of the longest jetty in the Southern hemisphere (2km long - yes we walked it). We've noticed how, when the Australians describe such things they often say the biggest, best, longest etc...in the SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE - that's because that way it rules out America where everything is bigger, including womans ar*es!!

Further down the coast at Yallingup, watching the surfers riding the gigantic waves.

This is a lovely sunset, this time from the LOUNGE window!

After all this beach work it was time to head off for some culture - so we went to have a look at a working sheep farm - but that's for another blog.

Well done with the answers to the cup of tea question. The dutch explorer thought he saw massive rats on the island and what is Dutch for Rat - Rott (I think I could speak Dutch if it's that easy!). I think everyone used Google, which is fine - but I get the feeling Derek and Margaret were speaking from the experience of being previous visitors to Rottnest. I think on that basis we'll award Derek and Margaret (yes - one each) the free cup of tea.

Ermmm by the way - we (that's Elvis and I) set the free cup of tea questions around here - but I'll play your little game just this once. The only town on the west coast that means anything to me would be Geraldton - why, well becuase this is what my Ma was going to call me before she sobered up and decided upon Keith - Do I win a free cup of tea?

Cup of tea questions - answered

Shirley - cup of tea to you, yes we were in the museum because it was too hot outside, well done!

Ginny - a cup of dishwater to you (too weak tea with too much milk and in a plastic cup - ugh - it makes me shiver just thinking of it - nee good for dipping your custard Nana's in). However, another cup of tea to the Sandersfields, Rusty got this one right - it was of course the Germans that climb all over Uluru (and anyone else's national monuments - no change there then).


A winger is simply a miss- spelled whinger!

Ginny - no idea why the 'boy-in -the -bubble' didn't respond. I sent your comment directly to him. All I can think is that he's a big Sunderland fan - so he must be suffering a lot.



Shirley - previously awarded cups of tea have been confiscated due to the rude comment regarding picture 3. Remember the Aunties girl!!

Rusty - derogitory comments regarding steam trains and congratulating Elvis for MY photographs could see you losing your free cups of tea too. You're sailing close to the wind boy.

And finally - yes there are wild camels in the Northern territory. They were brought by the Afghans to help lay the train track (hence the Ghan train) and apparently at the end of their useful term - they were set free.

Elvis here - need to make it clear I had NOTHING to do with the comment regarding kissing and cuddling in the back row - in his dreams!!!

Rottnest Island

WARNING!! If you're frightened of spiders you may want to proceed with extreme caution! We did! It's the 12th picture down and it's nasty!



But first lets start with a good old 'free cup of tea' question. Can anyone tell us why the Dutch explorers on seeing this beautiful island, gave it the hideous name of 'Rottnest Island'.



Just a 30 minute ferry trip from Perth, this little gem is a fantastic break from modern life. The whole island is only 11km long and 4km wide - there's NO cars on the island - if you want to get around there's a bus, your legs or, like us - two wheels!

The first picture is Corporal Hodge-Von-Dodge outside of Kingston Barracks, which is now a hostel and where we stayed for two nights. It used to be a working army barracks up until 1984. It has a fine ablution block, if you're interested!




A couple of pictures around the harbour. The second of these pictures made us laugh - a little girl resting in a boat with the daily paper!

Some stunning beaches and coves around the way. We did a full circle of the island on our bikes. One way was distinctively easier than the other due to the winds.

The slogans in Australia say that we shouldn't rely on sun cream alone. So here is me with my sun factor 200 on.

This is Elvis at full speed on the way to the little cinema on the island, we were running late as usual but in fact we made it in time. 'Stardust' was the film by the way, the cinema was a little hall with about 20 rows of deck chairs!







Us with those ridiculous 'half-melons' on our heeds!

One of the beaches we settled down on was quite close to an Osprey nest. After a few 'fly overs' the parent came in very close and swooped right over us - message received and understood. We moved!

Here is the horror show. I was looking at the light house trying to line up a picture and came very close to walking face first into this thing! Could you imagine it? They have bird catching spiders here - this isn't one, but I still wouldn't like it on me clagged to me face.

This is Elvis cycling towards the impressive lighthouse on Rottnest. The sun was starting to set and in the next picture....

The setting sun lined up perfectly with the light at the top of the tower. I just need someone to 'photoshop' out those telephone wires!

Elvis sillohetted against the setting sun. This photo-I like!!

Here is an inhabitant of Rottnest Island and believe it or not - a major reason as to why the Dutch named the island so (there's a clue for you!). It's real name is a Quokka - it's a small marsupial and is almost exclusive to this island. It actually looks like a small kangaroo! They're a bloody pest when you're cycling home from the cinema in the dark because they come out at night - and there's lots of them. There's also snakes on the island and yes - we did see one!

The inland lakes are full of salt - so when the sun evaporates the water, the salt crystals form. The island was famous at one time for providing so much sea salt.

After this we went back to Perth and then picked up a campervan for the next trip - but as you know, that's for another blog!

Perth

Phew! After scorching our ar**s off at the Red Centre, it was a relief to get to Perth and some cooler temperatures. It was a mere 22 degrees C when we landed.

We are using Perth as a base for the south west coast, so we'll be coming back to Perth later in the month.


But in the mean time......

These are just a few shots from around spectacular Kings Park. We spent a day wandering around and having the odd nap on the grass - you can do that here without being mistaken for a tramp!

This is the skyline of Perth looking back from the park.

The next picture is a 'mock' olde English street, just to make us Poms feel at home. In fact, if you were about SIXTY years old, you would feel at home on a road like this - not that we know anyone that age - Alan Richardson (AKA Didge)! Belated birthday wishes Alan, we hope you had a good one and enjoyed your time in Spain (do you want to send us some pictures of you on the Spanish beaches in your speedos for the blog?).

We like to finish the day with a visit to the cinema - this one was a corker, a real old fashioned place with all the fancy paintwork and curtains etc. We were on the back row kissing, fondling and heavy petting!

We will be coming back to Perth, but the next day we visited Rottnest Island - but that's for another blog!!

PS Rick Lutgens - if you are reading this please send us an e-mail to keithandsuz@hotmail.co.uk The e-mail address that you gave us for you does not work! We have wrote to you a few times and the e-mail comes back as 'undeliverable'.