The Great South West

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Mandura



We went to a caravan park called Timber Tops. It was right in the middle of town so we could walk or ride our bikes everywhere. Mandura is really big and reminded us a little of cotton Tree on the Sunshine coast. It had this really cool old fashioned lolly shop. I convinced mum and dad to let me at it. All week dad was going on and on about Father’s day and how he doesn’t believe in it. He thinks every day is Father’s day. On Friday we decided to host Steve’s Day instead of Father’s day. He got to spend the whole day doing his favourite things. He went for a run and a bike ride. After that we dropped him off to an Irish pub. I made a card for him and while he was out Mum and I made him his favourite curry. We washed and wiped up and he didn’t have to do anything. He had a great day.



The weather turned really bad. There was server weather warnings so we decided to get the heck out of there and headed south east. WE didn’t stop in Bunburry. WE drove through some cute places like Donny Brooke(where the granny smith apples were invented)> They had the coolest park I have ever seen. There was a cute bookshop there. I got to buy some more books (more Andy Griffiths surprise, surprise).



WE ended up in the cutest little town called Bridge town. It was a little village. Everyone in that twon were super happy. They all loved there town. Mum and dad looked at house prices there. Mum told dad it was too cold for her to live there though. We stayed right on the blackwood river. There were some really good bushwalks and cannoying along it.



The next day it started pouring down. We took shelter in the town’s cidery. It was very cosy. It had a lovely fire and cumfy chesterfield chairs to sit on. The lovely lady who works there cooked James and me up some hot chips and I got to try all the different types of apple juices. She invited us to stay for the day to get out of the rain.



The next day we were suppose to leave Bridgetown but the weather was so terrible everywhere else we decided to stay another day. We went for a drive out the the truffle farm and vineyards. I took us a long time. Mum was really looking forward to the truffle hunt and to sample some oils, and other truffle products. She was going to get some oil for herself and John Movie but….. when we got there it was closed (curses!!!)



We saw some beautiful vineyards in towns like Munjimup and Pemeperton. The weather was so awful that the whole town of Pemperton was closed. They had no power. WE eneded up going to 0 vienyards. The drive was nice though.



The next day we packed up and headed to Bussletton. The wether was soooo bad we didn’t even stop in Bussleton. Mum and dad were really disappointed because they wanted to take a 6 pack of emu export over to Wilma (From Coral Bay). We ended up staying in a motel in Dunsborough. When Sue and Boyce found out they called us soft!!!!

Margaret River



Next stop was Margaret River. We stayed at a station called Big Valley. It was awesome. There were all these cute lambs. We were allowed to feed them grain and a bottle. They were gutses. One even sat on James’ lap. When the lamb got up, it had pooed all over James (it looked like choc chips). Mum said that was a turn up for the books as it is normally James who pooos.

We visited a fudge factory. I got coconut ice and didn’t share it.



The next day we went to this vineyard that had a brewery and the best playground ever. Something for everyone really. We had a great time there.



We went on a bush walk at Cape Naturalist and mum got lost. We didn’t wait for her and she got back before us. I think she was getting worried. We had lunch at a cave. The nice man let James help make the coffees cause coffee machine’s are his new fad. We can’t walk past one with out James making the noise of it and trying to get behind the counter.



The surf at Margaret River was really good. There were heaps of excellent surfers out there. Along the roads, Arym lilies grow wild. Mum made us stop so she could pick some. The wild flowers around here were beautiful. We watched them for a little while and then headed to Augusta. WE didn’t like the look of it se we kept on driving. Eventually we ended up in the little town called Northcliffe. It had the strangest caravan park. On the way in they had jokes written on signs. Mum and dad laughed their heads off. I didn’t really get them and mum won’t let me write them here (boring). Eventually we ended up at a place called Windy Harbour. It lived up to its name. It was sooooo windy. WE met a lovely couple called Shena and Dave. They live at Grafton near Nymboida where we go at Easter time. Mum and dad had a great old chat with them. There were some backpackers there who arrived with no tent or anything. It was so cold. Dave helped them set up in the camp kitchen and dad gave them one of our mattresses. They must have been so cold.



The next morning mum and I went for a shower. They were really BAD! DON’T GO TO WINDY HARBOUR!!! ESPECIALLY YOU PEARL GIRL. YOU WOULD HATE IT. They were a beach shower. They were suppose to be hot but they weren’t. You pressed the button and they went off within 5 seconds.



We took off and headed for Denmark. Denmark is great. We could all live there. The caravan park was right on the river. The sunsets were amazing. They had a great park. I got mum to video myself on the swing. I won’t to send it in to Funniest Home Video. Denmark has bike tracks everywhere. We did heaps of bike riding while we were there. One day we road 15kms to curusoe Beach. The ride was so nice but the beach was disguisting. Dad thought there must have been human poo somewhere and kept looking for it until mum pointed out it was rotten mussels. On the ride homw we saw wild orchids, nice smelling snow flakes and a snake.



We met a lovely family from Hopetoun at Denmark. They were having a holiday. They invited us for dinner at their place if we went through Hopetoun if they were back.

We went to some nice vineyards and found this amazing chocolate factory. Mum and I went sick. Dad found some beer there too (surprise, surprise)

Denmark had some amazing beaches and bays. WE loved, loved loved Peaceful Bay and Madfish Bay



Albany



Albany was great. We met a lovely lady who is travelling on her own. She was travelling with her husband but he had a heart attack climbing Ayres Rock last year. She decided after a year of being home that it was time for her to keep travelling. She really liked Fred. We might travel across the Nullarbor with her.



Albany was really cold but had lots of beautiful beaches. Little beach was our fav.



We went to Whale World. It was excellent. We did the tour for once. Luckily we did otherwise it would have been rubbish. They told us how they use to catch the whale, cut it up and what they did with it. We saw all the cutting decks and could just imagine how smelly it would have been. Apparently it used to get soooooo slippery on the cutting decks that the men would slip in the blood and fall into the blubber pits. The men who worked there weren’t allowed to go into the pubs because they smelt so bad. They must of smelt worse than dad’s body odour (if that’s possible).



Esperance



On the way we stopped at Bremmer Bay. We were suppose to stay the night there but we didn’t like the look of it so we $600 for a salad sandwhich, 2 sausage rolls and a bottle of water and got the hell out of there. We went to Hopetoun instead. It is a really cute town. When we went to unhitch dad realized that he must of pulled the jockey wheel out at Bremmer Bay and forgot to put it back in. That meant we couldn’t unhitch which then meant we couldn’t spend the next day at the national park bush walking. What a shame (not!!!). Maybe for dad but not for me.



Epserance is unbelievable. We have never seen water so aqua blue clear and sand so white. We stayed at the caravan park that overlooks the bay. When we woke up the next morning mum realized that someone had tried to steal her surf board. There was a stolen car next to the car with sandy/ muddy footprints. When dad woke up he said oh. I saw that in the night and thought that someone must forgot to take their chair home (DAD!!!!!).



We went to the markets. They were good. Not because the products they sold were that good (mind you their fresh donuts were pretty awesome) but because the local people who live there were so happy, friendly and loved their town. It is really good when you go to a town where people really like were they live. We saw this old man on a motorized scooter. He just got a new little puppy. When some ladies asked him about his new dog he told them he got it to keep the ladies away. He was funny.





The next day we went to one of our favourite spots… Cape Le Grande. It is sooooo beautiful. We stayed at a national park (Lucky Bay) that actually had flushing toilets and warm showers. Our view from the caravan was amazing. Ranger Dave was a cool dude. He had dreadlocks. He told us of some good bushwalks to do (thanks a lot Ranger Dave!!). We climbed Frenchman’s Peak when it was realllly windy. It blew us up the mountain. When we got to the cave up the top, dad decided to investigate around the corner. The wind swept through the cave with all this dirt like we were at the beach. It felt like dad was gone for hours. I started to freak out!!!! Mum tried to calm me down, but I was really worried. Going down the mountain was fun, especially for down hill specialist (James). He jumped down. Dad had to hold his hand so James didn’t fall off the mountain and mum held my hand so she didn’t fall off.



The next day we met some really great people. A family arrived. Can you believe a family arrived at a national park??? Us kids hit it off straight away. I took out my trusty friend finder Fred and met Lauren and D’Arcy. They were so much fun. Their mum and dad Ben and Emma were great too. Ben plays great guitar and he can sing too(no offence dad). They came over to our caravan for an afternoon drink. Ben brought his guitar. Other people pulled up next to us. Ben invited them over. They were lovely too. Linsay and Peter. Linsay is mum’s age and she had her dad Peter over from England. They were on a road trip like us. Next a camoflagued car pulled up. Ben and mum thought they were so funny making jokes about not being able to see the car because it was camaflaged. In the car was Verena (from Germany) and her travel buddy Dale. They were great too. We invited them over as well. We had a big party. The adults sung while us kids played in the trees, played spot light and then watched a movie in our caravan. D’Arcy had this great book about robots. I really love this robot called Millicient. He is taller than dad and can do heaps of things. We wrote Christmas lists and I really want Santa to bring me a Millicient for Christmas. The next day Ranger Dave asked us to be a bit quieter the next night.



We were all suppose to go the next day. Emma convinced most of us to stay. Linsay and Peter had to move on though. We went for a swim. Verena had never surfed before. Mum took her surf board down and gave her a quick lesson. She pushed us kids onto some waves too. I stood up heaps. Emma had a go too. Mum thinks Emma could be really good at it. We had heaps of fun. Dad and James drove to Cape Arid. They were gone for ages. Ranger Dave came over for a cuppa. He asked mum what time dad left. It was starting to get late. He told mum if he was not back or she was getting worried to let him know and he would have a look for dad and James. Luckily they arrived home at about 6:15pm. Mum was so relieved. Everyone cheered.



We all met again for another sing along and had dinner together. We cooked a big spag bol and salad. We had another great night. Us kids watched The Goodies while the adults sung. It was an earlier night this time. We were sad to go.



We said goodbye and went back to Esperance. We went to our favourite beach Twighlight beach and recorded the video for my school work. We went shopping and prepared for the Nullabor. We will be sad to leave W.A. We have seen some amazing places, crazy animals and better still some lovely people.

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