On the road again...

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Well I was right about one thing. Sunday was a write-off. I succeeded in doing nothing more than sleeping, reading (WW2 book which Mel lent to me, written by an Aussie POW who worked on the Burma-Thailand rail crossing that I visited in Kanchanaburi 6 weeks ago), sleeping more, eating Mel's amazing food and watching telly (Tim Minchin - music and comedy genius).

So Monday I set off on my adventure to Margaret River. I picked my latest little car up - an air force blue Hyundai i20, clearly the little brother of my beloved white i30 of 2 weeks ago. This little mean machine is brilliant too - we're going to have fun the next few days.

Margaret River is about 300kms south of Perth, and is a major wine and food area. Vineyards aplenty and free food is enough to make me drive 600kms let alone 300kms. I set off with a veritable spring in my step! The road to MR is relatively straight and dull - not too many villages or so to pass through. However what you do notice is that people drive faster south of the city than north, and that there is far less roadkill (today just one roo). Reassuring given that I'm driving a smaller car - roos would definitely win in a stand off with the i20...

3 hours or so later, I'm here and it's beautiful. A really quaint little village with a handful of shops on the main road through the town. My bed for tonight is a backpackers and I'm rooming with two long termers. It appears to be the place for long termers as they all work 3 months in the vineyards in order to secure the renewal of their working holiday visas for a second year. The guys in my room introduced themselves but I remember only one of their names. I'm willing to bet they don't remember mine so I don't feel so bad. They both work in the local pub and appear to have their entire lives stuffed under their bunkbeds. I have a pitiful one bag with me and really look like the odd one out. Still at dinner tonight with one of the young ones, I passed again as 25. Maybe it's all in my head!

Tomorrow I'm going to do a drive around the area and sort out a wine tour. It's a shame I'm not Knight Rider as I'd love to be driven around all the vineyards to sample the wine without fear of repercussion. An 80 dollar tour will have to do the trick instead - an expensive way but the only way to do it when you're on your own. The area has recently been badly damaged by bush fires (a government controlled burn that - you've guessed it - was not quite as controlled as they hoped). Houses have been lost as well as forest land, so although it will be tough to see, it will bring the gravity of the situation to life. To get to the coast, you have to pass through this area so it will be a case of keep driving, rather than gawp at what people have lost. They've suffered enough without becoming the latest tourist attraction.

On a happier note, I also have to go and buy wine for Lindsey at Cape Naturaliste - let's just hope I can keep the tops on the bottles long enough to make it back to Perth....

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