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Published: August 30th 2006
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Ok, ok so you don't get many people in Australia singing along to this ozzy classic but we think it is important to realise that Australia lives up to many of its sterotypes, for example..
1) It is very sunny, in fact it has only rained here once since we have been here, that's spectacular considering our track record.
2) There are kangaroos..everywhere particulalrly at dusk/dawn, which must be avoided at all costs especially when in a hire car with a scarily high insurance excess
3)...Ok so thats only two sterotypes but it will do for now, instead here is a little update about how things have been progressing down under:
Since we spoke last we spent two days in sunny Port Douglas. This was most amusing especially as caught up with our new friends Andrew and Kellie who are travelling around Oz after getting married in Fiji (ahhhh) they were on our yacht and we had lots of fun. They were staying in the posh hotel next to our hostel so we had fish and chips and VB (Victoria Bitter, an ozzy brew) on the beach and went back to their plush accommodation - this included
outside bath and shower!
We then drove back down to Cairns where we were to catch a flight to Perth. One of the highlights of this town was having a little chat with a man from Winchester (or more precisely Weeke) we spotted him on account of his Tshirt with a picture of King Alfred's Statue and he spotted us because well, Liz was shouting "That man's from Winchester! I'm from Winchester too". Couldn't help thinking what a small world this is, reminds us of the time that we were in Wanaka, New Zealand home of the snowboardingness and a girl shouts across the slopes "are you liz or Caz?!" now that was something that we had not heard for a while, turns out she was from Winchester too, Bereweke Road no less and was the year above us at Westgate, strange ey?
Anyway so we flew from Cairns to Perth on the worlds most uncomfortable flight (Virgin Blue, come on Richard get it sorted I've still got bruises in funny places) and after a night in a motel, and a tasty brunch at a Sweedish hotel/restaurant (we were too early for the smorgisboard unfortunately) we headed out
into the bush. WA is the biggest state and this really hits home when you are driving yourself about. We probably drove for about 4 hours along the south western highway and (shock) did not see one kangaroo. We did however stop for pies (they love there pies down here - flavours included mexican, sweet and sour, and steak and kidney) at Kirip but managed to resist the deadly alcoholic 'kirup syrip' whatever that is. A little further down the road we found a bed for the night in the tiny settlement of Balingup, where we hired out a little cottage overlooking a farm for the night. The Balinga Cottages as they were called, perched on the hillside above the highway with views of ponds and fields of horses and cows. Nightime was a bit noisy with all the frogs, crickets and kookaboroughs (they sound like laughing monkeys) - was real country Australia, and dead cosy as we had the fire going. When we wandered down to the local shop we were very tempted to make a roo curry - yes, whole chunks of it were for sale in the freezer and all it needed was for us to add
some sharman's vindaloo sauce - but stuck with the classic tuna mayo baked potato combo instead, creatures of habit we're afraid. The next morning I opened the front door of the cottage and was greeted by fresh bread and eggs sitting there on the step left by the farmer. Had the best breakfast of soldiers made from crusty bread dipped into runny eggs. mmmmm.
The next night we drove on down to Denmark, a town on the south coast and stayed the night in a caravan in a campsite full of parrots and a couple of pelicans. On the way there we stopped off at at the tree top walkway in the Valley of the Giants near Walpole. The local trees are really tall so wisely with both our fear of heights, we took a walk along this suspended walkway which seemed to leave the ground very quickly and in no time we were amongst the tree canopy on this very boncy steal structure.
Having survived this we moved quickly onto up to Busselton to stay with Liz's Mum's Cousin's Son (Richard) and his wife (Sharon) and their children Phillip and Clare. We finally saw a roo hop
over the road in broard daylight, delighted we were, though as warned by the farmer in Balingup, Tom was keeping his eye on the trees next to the road as they're supposed to hop in pairs and if you're not careful the second roo will take out your car while you're admiring the first. Luckerly for our wallets this didn't happen!
The most famous thing about Busselton is its pier, the longest in the southern hemisphere. Walking along this with Jonathan (Richard's bro) we passed countless fishermen to get to the end. There's this submerged visiter center at the end but being winter the place was closed. To get over our disappointment we grabbed Phillip and went roo hunting at sundown. There was masses of them in fields munching away at the grass a bit like rabbits/mice/deer. They hopped about and jumped over barbed wire fences with ease. Saw one with a joey too.
Next day was a full on sightseeing day of the Margaret River area with Richard and Jonathan. The areas is peppered with caves so we spent the fist couple of hours underground gorping at stalictites and stalicmites, and crazy formations which look like elephant
ears, bacon, mushrooms, jabba the hut. Lunch in Margaret River, a few samples from the fudge factory ( I liked the cheesecake flavour) and then via a winery we stopped by Ellensbrook. Ellensbrook is an old homestead located in the middle of a forest (Naturaliste National Park). Built in the 1860s by pioneer settlers and hired convicts, it was lived in until the 1960s. Two guys from the National Trust were doing it up and they were really enthusiastic, showed us round every tiny room and handmade nail which was sweet. A walk through the forest to the waterfall and it was back in the car to visit the chocolate factory (for free samples) and another winery (more free samples).
To finish off the day went to a really pretty surfing beach to play in the enormous sand dune. A good laugh, sand got everywhere and Tom managed to fall over and roll on his head.
A great time in Western Australia. Thank you so much Val, Ken, Richard, Sharon, Jonathan, Phillip and little Clare - particularly as you were moving house the next week! A drive up to Perth and a bite to eat in Freemantle and
suddenly we were on a flight to Singapore.....
Ps for those of you who can't resist a little Australiana here is the uncut version of waltzing matilda..
Once a jolly swagman camped by a Billabong
Under the shade of a Coolabah tree
And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"
Down come a jumbuck to drink at the water hole
Up jumped a swagman and grabbed him in glee
And he sang as he stowed him away in his tucker bag
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me'".
Up rode the Squatter a riding his thoroughbred
Up rode the Trooper - one, two, three
"Where's that jumbuck you've got in your tucker bag?",
"You'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me".
But the swagman he up and jumped in the water hole
Drowning himself by the Coolabah tree,
And his ghost may be heard as it sings in the Billabong,
"Who'll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?"
A.B. (Banjo) Paterson
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caz
non-member comment
stay still for a bit!
Hey Lizzle (and Tom), thanks for another chorus of Waltzing Matilda, loved the one on my card too... and the Let the Wild Rumpus Start bought back many memories for me - would send you some post but you keep on moving around! xxxx