Z Gorge and Natures Window - plus little Joey!

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At 6.30am it was rise and shine for breakfast time then on the road again for 7.30am. We had to start early as we were going to the Z Gorge and apparently in the heat of the day the temperature could rise upto 50 degrees down there!
We stopped to refuel and Steve recommended that anyone that is bothered with flies (there are LOTS in australia due to the heat and they really get on your nerves flying up your nose, and in your eyes, ears and mouth - anywhere thats moist really!) could buy a fly net here. It cost 7 dollars (3 quid) but if the guide is suggesting it then I'm getting one!
The Z bend gorge is a beautiful valley but unfortunatley due to the recent drought in Australia (they haven't had any proper rain out here for the past 3 / 4 years) the lake was pretty dried up. But we headed down the 150 metre descent to have a proper look around. Thank god for the fly net - the flies were everywhere and it was only 8.30am in the morning! The nets are the black things over our heads in the pictures by the way, how cool do we look!
After quite an energetic walk we headed back to the coach for our next stop - Natures Window.
This is bascially a rock that when you look through it you can see the whole of the valley - amazing!
Back to the van for the drive upto Monkey Mia and Coral Bay.
During the drive it's just miles and miles of nothing but road, sand and small bushes - you could tell we were in the outback. But there are wild emu's just running along side the road and kangeroo's hiding under the bushes from the heat of the day - amazing to see and they're all in the wild. A bit different from seeing squashed hedgehogs and cats anyway!
A couple of hours drive and sarnie stop later, we found ourselves near Coral Bay and went to look at Stromatolites - the only living fossils on the planet. They are like rocks that live in water, but have been around before mankind evolved!
Due to driving quite a bit Steve rewarded us with a break on Shell Beach - again so beautiful and we were the only people on it so it was like our own private area.
The water was a lot warmer than in Scarborough - very salty too!
Feeling all refreshed we headed to our accommodation in Coral bay - the hostel was quite cool with parrots and birds in cages outside the rooms!
There were 2 dorm room in the apartment we were in aswell, so we had a girlie dorm of me, di, suzi and kim.
Dinner was Spagetti Bolognaise which the Italians insisted in cooking - after all it is their nations dish!
After lunch the owner came round the table with a rather suspicious bag, asking if anyone liked snakes! Poor Paul and Suzi nearly jumped on the roof (they have a slight phobia!) so after a bit of a giggle he revealed that there was actually a baby kangeroo in their - soo cute! The mother had been hit by a car (they jump in the road at the headlights at night) and someone had bought the baby to him to look after. We were all able to have a hold - a bit smelly but so placid and like a baby, as they are usually kept in their mothers pouch when young so you have to hold them close to you for the first few months.
Another group of travellers in the hostel were cooking shark meat and has quite a bit left over so gave us some to taste - its really nice and tender!
After a couple of pure blonds (really like this beer!) we were ready for bed - it's Monkey Mia tomorrow to see the wild dolphins. Due to day light savings we have to get there by 7.30am for the first feed - it used to be later but unfortunatley the Dolphins don't recognise the fact that our clocks go back an hour so we have to go there earlier but if we can feed the dolphins it will be worth it.
Night Night!

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Photos

A Native Australian Bee's Hive
The best thing about it is these bees do not sting - can we swap?