Western Australia

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A Different Country

It was really easy with us being collected from the airport by Jen and Mark, the lovely people who own the motorhome we are going to be borrowing. They took us to their home near Rockingham where we were introduced to our home for the following three weeks. It is a converted Transit van, a bit smaller than ours and a bit smaller. We found it a bit poky in comparison.

However, it works well and has all the comforts we shall need. Next day we set off to the local nudist club, Sunseekers Inc., based to the east of Perth in the hills right next to John Forrest National Park. A lovely setting with lots of friendly people. We enjoyed their sitting around at sunset, a sundowners meeting. A bit more than a meeting really.

After five days here we set off south towards Margaret River and its vineyards.

While there we managed to fit in a winery tour visiting five wineries. We stayed with a couple of Servas hosts in Bussleton where we managed a short cycle up a Dutch mountain and down again returning just before the heavens opened. One of our Servas hosts did not live up to expectations as she dashed home to see us in their drive to say she was off immediately to Perth for the birth of twin grandchildren leaving us with an enormous property and house to ourselves for us to cook dinner, shower and do what we liked. We left next day for Margaret River and the wineries. It is a big tourist centre with lots of shops, cafés and restaurants. It has everything a holiday maker might need. Shock! Horror! Lesley has discovered Chardonnay! We been exploring it since.

We realised that the great feature of this south west area are the forests which have survived here because of the rain they get each year. Great stands of Karri, Marri and Tuart are found here and not elsewhere. We camped among them and swam in the river alongside. It is so empty here that we found nudist opportunities in most places. (It's 'nudist' here rather than 'naturist' as in Europe.) But after Pemberton we have started our slow return north.

For our 39th wedding anniversary we stopped in Bunbury and found a lovely restaurant just on the bay near our campsite. And the town has a lovely nudist beach backed by an extensive wild area called Maiden Reserve. And it is sunny and warm up to 24C each day. Lovely.

Then city stuff north in Freo and Perth. And to Sunseekers again before returning the van and getting the flight to Hong Kong. Thankfully the flights are back to normal. Still sunny and warm...just like it's going to be when we return to England.

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