Blogs from Western Australia, Australia, Oceania - page 560

Although public transport in and arround Perth is far better than the UK we were becoming tired of waiting for busses. So the decision had been made we would buy a van, in doing so we would save money on hostels (about $7000 per year each), have more privacy and the freedom to go where busses dare not. After scouring the "Quokka" (the Aussy answer to Freeadds) and looking at a few real lemons, most with more snaggs than a russian web site about donkeys and dwarfs.... In an act of despiration we forked out another $2.20 and bought the Sunday Times as it was said that it had a good car sales section. I know strange buying a car out the Sunday Times and without a small African country to pay for it.. We had ... read more

I was convinced that Gina’s blood curdling scream would have made even Helen Keller run for the door. The subsequent stares and eventual laughter from the crowd came as no surprise. Typically strong willed and not easily scared, my wife had the unfortunate pleasure of being the target of a practical joke. As the guide on our flashlight-lit tour of Fremantle prison explained how the chain link mesh was installed above the main floor where we were standing to protect guards from prisoners’ aerial assaults, a life-sized cotton dummy hurtled from the darkness and landed directly above Gina. She had spotted the projectile mere milliseconds before its impact and reacted with the agility of a deer caught in an 18-wheeler’s headlights. En route to Cervantes the morning prior, Gina determined that we should overnight in Fremantle, ... read more

Hallo an alle auf der Nordhalbkugel, nachdem ich nun nach 5 Wochen Uni bemerkt habe, dass man hier auch etwas während dem Semester tun sollte, werden die nächsten zwei Wochen etwas stressiger was die Uni angeht. Aber die Woche solls eh bisschen kälter werden und dann passt des ganz gut. Mich hats heute zum ersten Mal leicht gefröstelt. Bin wie immer in kurzer Montur an die Uni und dann kam heute mittag ein Tief rein. Sehr kalter Wind mit Regen. War ich doch sehr überrascht wie schnell die Temperaturen hier wechseln können... Also ich denk mal das waren dann so um die 20°C heute. Zumindest gefühlte 20°C. Naja schau mer mal, ich glaub ja das nochmal ne wärmere Periode kommt! Ach ja, zu meinem Umzug. Also eigentlich habe ich mich entschieden, aber ich habe so ... read more

Today we commenced our 8 day outback tour from Perth to Exmouth - 3600 km, a vast distance. It is hard to explain the emptiness & peacefulness of the outback. The red soils known as 'pindan' in aboriginal is caused by iron oxidation, the dry vegetation and masses of bush scrub. Driving for miles watching the scenery, and spotting many skeletons of dead kangaroos found on the side of the huge straight roads (often killed at dawn and dusk). We were pleased that we had decided to travel by bus rather than hiring a car! Our guide 'Trevor' was brought up in the outback and had many aboriginal friends, and certainly prefers this way of life to the busy Perth city life. We were travelling with a small, professional and knowledgeable company 'Red Earth Safaris' Red ... read more

Well it's been a blissful week in WA. The sun has pretty much shone on us for most of the week - except for a shower or two on the track on Thursday. I'll get the walk info out of the way & move on to more interesting subjects. Spectacular is the easiest way to describe the scenery here in the south west. If my camera takes one more photo of a tortured, rugged coast line it'll probably freeze up! It's all very much like the Great Ocean Road without the road. We're walking through fairly rugged country, over cliff tops and in the back bush of the "Great" Southern Ocean (we think they need to put "Great" in there - they do it for all other Australian things). We're usually the only two people walking ... read more