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Published: September 10th 2006
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5th - 8th September 06 -
All the news and papers, here today, refer to 'Steve Irwin'. Its really strange that only the other day at the aquarium at Hillary's Harbour, I was watching the stingrays in fascination, as they swam safely around me, while I walk through the glass tunnel. I thought how cute they looked with their smiley face underneath. (like my drawings of a smiley face). :-)
Thanks everyone for the great texts and emails on the subject!!
The bus journey was 6 hours from Perth to Albany. The vast countryside was surprisingly flat moorland (ranges) with unusual shape trees and many sheep. Dairy farms and vineyards are plentiful. There are many crators, in the fields, which are apparently dams, dug out for the water to collect to feed the animals. Lots of towns we have gone through end in 'up' kojonup, nannup etc. This means either meeting place or watering hole, although our bus driver said the 'town of'. Oh and When I got my ticket, it said including GST, I thought this maybe some lunch or something, but when I asked, it was explained that is the tax, (like our VAT) uhh.
Already I
have noticed a change in temperature, the town seems really nice and friendly, not a big town, with a couple of pretty little churchs, nearby town hall, and what look like some nice restaurants, a few shops and pubs. Even as I walked up to the YHA, several people offered smiles and hello's, (well, how ya doin). Like the town is small enough to know, here is a stranger in town. The town is in a sort of inlet, overlooking the King Sound and even from the map you can see lots of nooks and crannies to explore.
The YHA here in Albany is ran by Kathy and Peter,who make everyone really welcome, Kathy gave me details of a cheap car hire, and I was shown on a map exactly how to make the best of my stay.
So it was, I had one day car hire and covered 325KMs, I drove to Walpole first, Valley of the Giants (giants are trees) with an enormous treetop walk, all along a suspension type bridge right up in the giants. Not only could you marvel at the construction of such a walk and how did they get it there without spoiling
nature, you were up there in the trees, with some beautiful birds, and very old trees.
That was my furtherest point, so on my way back, I called at a yummy toffee factory, with tasters, a leather shop, with all types of 'Daphne's' Ugg boots, a honey wine farm, with tasters again, Elephants cove, with unusual rock formations (like Elephants), Ocean Beach in Denmark, the surf spot and Shellys beach in Torbay. Apart from my tasters, I didn't have time to eat lunch!!
Lucky for me there was a BBQ at the YHA in the evening. Yum.
We are not talking a few minutes to each destination, like the little maps I was given to show the points of interest, we are talking ages and ages, miles and miles of empty roads, its unbeleivable, (John says it sounds like heaven!), only worry is, if you go wrong, you don't know until the next sign, which can be a long way away. Most of the way was straight along the South coast Highway, couldn't see much coast, bit like our very own Atlantic highway!! The other funny thing is that once off the highway, there are long stretches of road
not the highway
but still a road?? that are like dirt tracks!! I have enclosed pictures, but they somehow don't show what I am trying to say. Driving was easy though, and driving the same side of the road as home. It was fun to see the sites at my own pace, luckily I had a radio, long stretches of road with no-one to talk to. But each time I stopped, I got into lengthy conversations with people. Several people that have moved to this area from the UK.
It is really cold down here too, much colder than Perth, especially at night.
In Singapore I had trouble sleeping at night, cos it was soo hot, (and the 'air con' droneing all night), here I am having trouble sleeping as its sooo cold. (wake up stiff, rolled up in a ball).
The log fire is blazing in the dining area at the Hostel in the evenings, which is nice, till I get to the Shower room and my bedroom...brrrrr
Today I have a new companion, Grahame, who had a car already and felt it seemed a waste to both have cars and drive around the same area, so we travelled around the bays of Albany, in
Albany
early evening from the view point his car. The Gap and Natural bridge of stones, Stony hill, Albany wind farm, Middleton Beach, where you can sometimes see Whales in near the bay, (not today, misty rain) Emu Point, (lunch of squid & chips), Pelicans in the marina, two peoples bay and little beach with the bluest turquoise sea and sand almost white. On the way back there was a 'mob' of 'Skippy's' in a field (about 40 in total). I was jumping up and down like a kid at the sight. Grahame is a retired teacher on holiday from Sydney, and his interest is Wild flowers, of which there are many different species, (at least 1500 in the Sterling Ranges), before the day was out, I too found the various differt wild plants fascinating enough to take photos of. Unfortunately at the end of the day, when I went to look back on my photos, I found that my camera has broken and not only have I lost today's pictures but the camera has overwritten the photos of the day before and deleted them. This was a bad moment of discovery, I have probably lost about 60 really good shots of birds, plants, beaches, and stone
Albany
early evening from the view point formations, even though it was a misty rainy sort of day the scenery was incredible. Very disappointing, but they are stored in my own memory as 'Wow factor'. I begged some of Kathy's photos of the main places, and asked Grahame to forward any he may have taken.
When pulling out of Albany on the Bus, Friday morning, I felt quite sad to leave, a feeling of not having enough time there, so much to explore and see.
The photos are part of my diary, as well as this blog, it helps me to store my impressions and events, sights and memories, I try to update it daily, before moving onto the next new experience, and it sounds like you are all enjoying the trip too. I have realised that there are many different types of travellers, who travel in different ways including cycling with backpack and walking in all weathers, some prefer to camp, some prefer hostels, some hotels, by comparison I am not a very remarkable traveller but do like to see as much as I can, not only touristy things but the scenery in general. More like a touring holiday sort of traveller :-) As Paula
Albany Town
with town hall so rightly said, you have to have Coffee and Cake (well cookies actually, like Mum makes). Oh and Mum, my new fav soup is Pumpkin!!
Steve asked me to mention the diving, it is plentiful down here, and Whales are often seen in, and around the bays, this time of year. They no longer do Whaleing, and are not supposed to get within a certain distance of them, but from my afternoon at the aquarium I learnt that there are lots of interesting sea creatures in these waters, including sea dragons, oh and Stingwray up north. Would make exceptional diving I am sure, come on over and have a look? I also meant to say for Jen, there is a massive Asian population in Perth. For John and Ian, apparently when the surf is 'on' theres some good spots down here.
Most useful item this week has been my fleece, I had to buy one, and it has not been off my back. A hot water bottle would have been useful. May have to get waterproof, mine disappeared from a bus in Malaysia.
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John
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I think your a " bloody " remarkable traveller ! Keep it up darling, wont be long now then i'll be with you. Counting the days ! x x x x x x