Reaching the end of a walk along the Busselton jetty, the longest wooden jetty in the Southern Hemisphere I am more the 1.5 kilometers from the shore. Necessity dictated its length. Commenced in 1853, a 162 meter jetty was completed by 1865. Horses pulled carts, transporting timbers such a jarrah and karri to the ships. However the shallow waters coupled with shifting sand and larger ships meant the length had to be extended. An additional 132 meters had been added by 1875. Further extensions in 1887,1890,1894 and 1911 increased its length to 1841 meters. In 1909 a steam train replaced [View Full Entry]

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Located 13 kilometers west of the Fleurieu and south of the Yorke peninsulas in South Australia, Kangaroo Island is Australia's third largest island after Tasmania and Melville Island. Its it approximately 155kms long and 55kms wide with a total area of about 4350 square kilometers. It population is 4350 people, 500,000 wallabies, 15,000 kangaroos and 25,000 koalas. Also amongst the inhabitants are echidnas, platypuses, sea lions, seals and dozens of bird species. Though I have lived many years in Adelaide, I have never visited. Now aboard a ferry boarded at Cape Jervis, on the tip of the [View Full Entry]

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Up at 4:30AM to catch the ferry which runs from Wallaroo to Lucky Bay Cowell on the eastern coast of the Eyre Peninsula, South Australia. The Eyre Peninsula was named after Edward John Eyre (1815-1901) who with his aboriginal friend, Wylie, was the first to cross Australia from east to west. Leaving Lucky Bay I drive inland reaching Cleve. What is there to say about Cleve, that is has a park with painted farm machinery, a dunny not initially recognized as a dunny and murals depicting pioneer history. But the mural that caught my attention was was the one that appeared [View Full Entry]

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Escaping form Perth for a few days I drive along the coast from Walpole to Albany. Attractions during this trip are the Valley of Giants, inlet beaches and the former whaling city of Albany. Walpole, 450 kms south-west of Perth is located on Walpole Inlet which drains into the larger Nornalup Inlet and hence into the Southern Ocean. Established in the 1930's as a group settlement for farmers its industries grew to include timber milling, beef and dairy farming. Today its main claim to fame is the Red and Yellow Tingle Tree. With a population of 500 people it is a [View Full Entry]

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Pre Dawn at Ankor. I buy a three day pass for $US40. It has my photograph embedded in it which means it will be a nice souvenier to take home as it cant be on-sold to someone else. An annoyance is the days are consecutive. I would have thought a three days pass where the days can be taken over five days or a week would be better for general business in Siem Reap. But a 3 consecutive day pass it is, and I hope I am not templed out by the end of Day 2. Inside the grounds I am [View Full Entry]

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With nose pressed up against the bus window, the Laotion countryside glides past. The decision to take the bus rather the fly from Luang Prabang to Vientiane is correct. A ribbon of bitumen winds its way through the forested karst to Vangvieng. Karst is a topography where carbonate rocks (limestone, dolomite or marble) have been dissolve by carbonated water resulting in a landscape consisted of steep gorges, sinkholes, disappearing and reappearing rivers and springs. Though is can be seen from the road that much of it has been cleared. Roadside villages consisting of a few thatched houses m [View Full Entry]

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Luang Prabang is small, small enough to see by meandering around on foot. Strolling along the Mekong towards Wat Xieng Thong, I am diverted by a riverside cafe selling banana fruit shakes. Been having a lot of these lately:) Located in the north of the historical area, where the River Khan enters the Mekong,is Wat Xieng Thong, built by King Settathirat in 1560. It can be entered from the banks of the Mekong. Directly in front is the Sim(main temple). Lower than its Thai counterpart it has a low sweeping three tiered roof. At its back is a glass mosaic encrusted [View Full Entry]

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Leaving Chiang Klong in Thailand we cross the Mekong River into Laos landing at Ben Huay Sai. Here, any delusion of group travel held since leaving Changmai disintegrates. Its every person for themselves trying to get papers processed and passed through immigration. Through immigration I am whisked off to a cafe and told to stay. Half an hour later I am moved across the street to another cafe, and once again am told to wait. Maybe they were hoping I would buy something, maybe it was disorganisation. Finally I am shunted onto the slow boat to Luang Prabang. The boat, about [View Full Entry]

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Arrived in Changmai on the last day of the Loy Krathong festival, which was a bitter sweet surprise. Sweet because of the parades and the girls dressed prettily in traditional customs, but bitter because of the fate of the Kom Tams. In Sukothai they appeared to rise, rise and rise all the way to the heavens. But here from the balcony of my hotel, I could see them, fuel spent, falling, drifting and finally hitting the ground to become ...GARBAGE:( Next day was a Buddist holiday which meant all the Wats were closed, really and truly, not some tuk-tuk drivers scam. [View Full Entry]

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Arriving in Sukothai in time for the last two days, Saturday and Sunday, of the Loy Krathrong festival I consider myself most fortunate to acquire accommodation a kilometer from the historical park. Having never attending this festival before it seemed appropriate to see it here, where it first occurred over 600 years ago. Legend says that the first floating krathrong was placed by Noppomo, consort to King Loethai.The festival is now celebrated all over Thailand on the first full full moon of the 12th month of the traditional thai lunar calender. This means it falls in November, this year a [View Full Entry]

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