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Published: February 26th 2017
We left Bali during the middle of yet another 'celebration'. There appears to be one more or less every day. This day was a celebration of all things metal! I know! Apparently it was a day to be thankful for all thins metal which were of service to our lives. Cars, scooters et were emblazoned with beautiful leaf offerings. I was informed by a local that one should also dig out guns or weapons and dress them up too!
So on to Denpasar Airport. Strangely, we had been unable to print out our boarding passes. The document we received mentioned something about a 'document check'. On arrival at the check in counter, we were met by a charming young lady who asked us if we had a visa to visit Australia! 'Visa? Certainly not! We don't need one – we're English!' Thinking back, I am sure I have never applied for, or felt the need for a visa to visit our 'Neighbours' (get it?) in the land down under!
'Oh yes you do!' was the reply!
It transpires that we English folk DO need a vias to visit
Australia, and we needed one fast so that we could board the plane! It felt a little like finding that your mate next door had, overnight, replaced his garden fence with a Berlin Wall complete with guard towers and searchlights! Luckily we were informed of a website which would issue an urgent visa within 20 minutes! Just as well – the plane was due to depart in just over an hour! This was not the kind of Aussie welcome we had envisaged. We wondered whether the Aussies, in turn, had to buy a tourist visa to enter the UK. The answer? No! The first 6 months are FREE!! Anyway this little surprise cost us around £100 for the two of us! I will be talking to our local MP very soon!
We were met by John, our host, who had driven up from Margaret River (3 hours by car) to collect us. Bless him!We made our way down the motorway. Well, the roads are somewhat different to our beloved English ones!
1 The is little or no traffic
2 the roads are absolutely straight
Decked out Logia
All ready for the Big Day!!3 the only possible hazard is the occasional stray kangaroo hopping across the motorway. Well it is their country after all!
Margaret River is a compact, upper class kind of town about 300 kilometres south of Perth. It is a town and country sort of place and is surrounded by vineyards and eateries of all kinds. One of the common pastimes here is to visit a few different wineries. Each one of them offers a range of local wines to sample and sometimes a couples of nibbles on the side (!) A paradise for wine lovers. Whilst the 'samples' tend to be on the small side, the cumulative affect of a couple of dozen is surprisingly pleasant! The 'Full Money; dining experience at these establishments is wonderful but often requires the customer to apply for a second mortgage to foot the bill! The town is full of ex pats and the overall atmosphere is something between Taunton and Torquay but in the sun!!
We were here to be part of John and Claire's wedding. Janie and Claire have been friends since going to school together in
Bristol. They have remained firm friends since and it seemed only right that we should be here to see the knot being well and truly tied! The wedding was to be in their back garden bathed in glorious sunshine! However, it is good to know that the gods of weather are as unpredictable here as they are at home. Behold, the wettest and coldest weekend since records began! Sound familiar?! The venue was hastily moved to the large logia on the side of the building. Fluffy tissue paper balls, in white and pink, festooned the wooden beams and flowers loitered everywhere showing off their crisp rainbow colours. A small army of friends and relatives invaded the house and, within 36 hours, the place was transformed into a spacious arena for the wedding of couples.
I was to be the Master of Ceremonies. This, I imagined, meant the moving around of a crowd of people who really didn't want to be moved, and the arranging of appropriate silences during the proceedings so that events could be heard. I was rather flattered to be called 'a bully' by one of the guests shortly before I
OK...
...So they do beaches rather well down here! moved her on again just to prove her right!
The day went wonderfully. The happy couple exchanged vows and were duly wedded.
The evening's entertainment was a disco. Janie and I were the last to leave the dance floor at about midnight together with the next door neighbours! Needless to say that I had sampled enough Aussie beer to believe that I was destined to be the next John Travolta!!
A few days later it was time to move on to Borneo. We were determined to visit the Orangutang Sanctuary at Sepilock in the north of Sabah (the former North Borneo). Three years ago our efforts had been thwarted by a couple of hundred marauding Philippine pirates who had tried to invade the north of the island. This unfriendly visit apparently had nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that the area has been found to be rich in oil and natural gas! We had to beat a hasty retreat!
Janie and I were, very kindly, driven up to Bunbury by John and Claire, to catch
Somewhere to Have a Tipple!
One of the huge number of wine estates around Margaret River. the train to Perth – a couple of hundred miles to the north. Next door in this part of the world! At the other end we were met by Brian Palmer. Brian was formerly from Bristol (my hometown) and had been 'seconded' to my driver on my stag night! I kipped on his floor the night before I married the love of my life (yes – Mrs Darling!) We dropped off our kit at a local hotel and hit the town with him. At 'Outback Jack's' we had the finest steak I can remember having for many a year and went to sleep for about 4 hours. Next stop Borneo!! Read on if you dare!!
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Melodie
non-member comment
Who would have guessed
Had quite a laugh at this, thanks again for sharing. I'm off to Aussie in December, I will be visa armed x