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Published: September 30th 2004
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Kevin and Val
Val with Kevin at the Overlander Roadhouse near Exmouth First, thanks to everyone for their friendly messages. Sorry we have not yet been able to upload photos to the Blog. Internet Cafes are afraid of viruses. Will upload at first opportunity.
We should have allowed four to five weeks for what we planned to see and do, hence we are rushed and would have liked a more leisurely time here. This is one of the best wildflower seasons in many years, so we got that right. They are superb and Val had to keep stopping to take photos much to Pat's dismay. The predominant flower is the everlasting - a small pompom of papery petals. They are everywhere except the far northern part of the Coral Coast. There are yellow, white and pink varieties so this otherwise quite boring scrubby vegetation with so few trees is covered in carpets of white, or yellow or further south, pink. The shrubs are all blooming too - a real contrast to the red earth background.
We had a few days with friends in Perth, saw the sights, went to a barby and tried to learn the language.
Fate had led Joan to a certain travel kiosk and a meeting with Richard, who had been a guide on the coast for several years and subsequently arranged the campervan hire and suggested how we spent our two weeks away. Aussies are great travellers and campers - you should see some of the outfits. Everyone out here sems to have a four wheel drive and no vehicle looks old. Distances are huge (didn't realize how huge) Perth to Exmouth and Ningaloo Reef is 1500 km one way! Roads good but only two lane and not much traffic. Huge rigs ply these roads taking resourses from north to south. All have massive roo bars on front - they travel overnight and that's why for the first few days the only roos we saw, were dead ones at the side of the road. Travelling great distances has to be fitted into daylight hours (6:00 am to 6:00 pm) unless you are a big rig, because travel at night not only kills roos but can kill you too and make a heck of a mess of your vehicle.
Most Western Australians don't travel north of Geraldton. You're into the Outback and it's miles and miles of nothing. Glad we did it - Shark Bay was interesting though the Dolphins coming to the beach is very commercialized and probably should not be happening. We expected to see whole Dugongs but only saw heads or tails - they stay below the surface on the grass beds most of the time.
Since 99%!o(MISSING)f Aussies live on or near the coast, and most of these are on the east coast, each bit of coast has a name. Shark Bay to Exmouth is the Coral Coast. Ningaloo Reef is superb and easily accessible from the beach and the whole area totally uncommercialized. Land very arid and rocky, area hot and windy and Indian Ocean cold, but we snorkelled anyway. Saw all manner of different coral shapes and colours and huge variety of brilliantly coloured big and little fish species. The biggest thrill in the Cape Range National Park was to be on back roads at dusk and dawn and watch live roos, wallabies, emus and other birds.
Western Australi is huge - 1/3 the land area of Australia with 2 million of the 20 million population.
It feels strange to watch the sun in the north move to the left rather than the right across the sky (we know it doesn't really move).
One week later on the south coast.
Glad to leave the aridity and barrenness of the north, so different from this area which receives a lot of rain hence the very tall trees, agricultural land and wineries. Have seen 100 million of the 106 million sheep that Australia has! Seen some very colourful birds, and flowers continue to amaze. This area quite flat and m uch of it just like England except that people talk funny.
Nothing of great interest on route, other than meeting Kevin, at the Overlander Roadhouse. It was a great thrill to cuddle this 18 month old orphaned roo. Later that day at a pull-off, we lucked out and saw the electric blue Splendid Wren which led to meeting an interesting couple. In fact we are meeting loads of people and everyone is so friendly and helpful.
Since Bunbury, where we did a couple of bird walks, we hit this coast south of Perth where there is tons of construction. We took a short trip to Penguin Island to see some breeding White Pelicans and Silver Gulls as well as some Little Penguins.
Now back in Perth to stay a couple of days with Joan and family prior to our early morning flight to Melbourne on Saturday.
Must go and do laundry.
Till next time
Pt/Val
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gayle
Sounds like you are having a great time - of course I knew you would!! Hope you are wearing lots of sun block. I do wish I was with you. I know that you will return so keep a list of what you want to see on your next visit. Hope you are eating lots of seafood. Gayle