Fri 21st of August 2009 Denham and Monkey Mia to Carnarvon

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Fri 21st of August 2009 Denham and Monkey Mia to Carnarvon

It had rained heavily overnight and today persisted into the morning, that same warm fairly unobtrusive stuff that makes one want to push on. Took the 20km ride over to Monkey Mia that is on the other side of the Peron Peninsula from Denham and where the sea life can be seen from the shore. I was not disappointed as a small group of dolphins could be seen from the jetty. In part I suppose because of the daily feeding that started serendipitously by a local in the 60’s and has now become a feature of all the tourist books. There were pelicans and birds I took as frigates of some kind amidst a typically beautiful sandy beach. Worth the trip. Riding back to Denham the rain got heavier and I headed back to the café I had taken a likening to and had previously eyed the home made blueberry muffins. Typically the rain ended as soon as it started leading to bright sunshine and it was onwards. The only apparent gas station in Denham ran out of high octane unleaded as I was filling up and the amicable attendant didn’t seem to know when more would arrive. “it gets here when it gets here.” I love Australia. Retraced my steps, using low octane unleaded, off the Peron Peninsula, but first passing shell beach - the name says it all - pure white fine shells, and northwards on to Carnarvon. The country is pretty arid now with dead kangaroos at the side of the road every couple of miles. Often carcasses are close together as if it was some mass suicide. I don’t remember seeing so many in other parts of Australia. The only live critters were a lone emu and black cows. The emu ran around in a circle as I approached and headed off flapping its imaginary wings into the bush as I got close. Did nothing to raise by believe that there is any intelligence in that pin head. Many years ago on an outback road in Northern South Australia (SA) we encountered two emus standing in the road. What did they do, took off straight down the road with us in a 30 mph pursuit. Never once did they think about heading off the road, that is until a barbed wire fence appeared at the side. There they veered off and undoubtedly took more that a few bruises as they toppled over.

Bruce, (of course) the bike renter fellow had warned me of the cows, but I had not really believed him, thinking it a gentle warning to keep me off the roads at night. But there they were. Fortunately there is such a panorama in most places that they can be spotted miles away at least during the day.

Carnarvon was a mixed bag for me. Usually you enter a place and immediately like or dislike it, and that feeling sticks. At first I liked it - wide palm lined main street, classic Australiana wrought iron balconies. But then in the tourist information office a young girl who talked a lot but did not say much useful started the change. Left with a map with a couple of crosses on it. Tried 3 caravan parks in an effort to get a cabin. No luck. Ended in the motel part of the pub known as the Hotel Gascoyne (after the region) which was established in 1900. I have come to realize that country town Australia has three types of accommodation. Caravan Parks which many Aussies flock two with their vans. Many of these have cabins that can be rented in the $65 range. Pub like accommodation with typically 60’s style motel rooms tucked away in the back, typically in the $65-100 range. Lastly there is fancy accommodation in the $150 range from well known names like Best Western when the place has anything to recommend it at all.

I love those dilapidated motel rooms. Reminds me of my youth in Australia in the 60-70. The household appliances in particular - iron, kettle etc. are classic and just as I remember them. Occasionally there is a concession to a modern era like a microwave.

Perhaps it was the difficulty in getting a room, but something changed my opinion of Carnarvon. There is a one mile jetty, which I remember learning about in high school geography when I was a kid. That was a jip as it was closed after ¾ of a mile since part of it had collapsed. Still you have to give it credit, if for nothing else keeping your feet out of some pretty festering looking mud flats. Had fish and chips at the local chippy for $7.50. Took it back to my room and watched Australia open their innings in the cricket live from the Oval in the UK. Life does not get any better. More flashbacks to the chippy when I was growing up, and where we used to hang out. Certainly leant more about the facts of life there than I did from my parents. The fish was good and has that batter that is somehow characteristic of Australia. Can’t describe it, but more flashbacks.
Rain stopped play at the Oval, no surprise there, so while they took an early lunch and I spent an hour with Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Definitely I am more into it this time around.

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