Month: March 2021

Tuesday, 30th and Wednesday 31st March 2021.

It rained last night! I get up about 7am and all the windows are wet. Paying bills on the computer is such fun. Define fun. Marginal contentment?

Yet another washing load. Mainly bedding. Long, long job and it happens to be hot today.

The proof. Anne didn’t put it back on the front car screen. Now we have TWO in the van.

5.30pm, we get picked up by friends Helder and Cristina and given an extensive tour of the amazing Fremantle.

Look at this monster ship that we are told is a car carrier.

Then onto a fab custom brewery with restaurant. It was a lovely night and a chance to catch up with this fine couple we have not seen for literally years.

We are dropped off with a promise to meet again before we leave Perth to head north and it will happen.

Home, food, grape juice, showers ….

zzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzz

 

Wednesday 31st

Up early to book tickets to Rottnest Island.

At B Shed 8.15am for coffee and 9am departure.

Coffee brings joy.

So that’s the name of the clipper ship.

And that bloody big ship is the reason for us having to pull over during our departure.

Arty building.

An oil rig just off the coast. Nice to know we got some that is easily got at.

A Chocca Quokka about to experience it’s demise.

The island made it’s money producing salt and this was the office. Now a gift shop.

We have decided on a hop on – hop off bus instead of bikes. (Thank goodness for small mercies.)

It includes a walk between bus stops and on that track we meet our first QUOKKA.

We meet others.

Anne explaining the operation of the phone. I thin he’s getting it … a bit.

He’s getting it.

New guy while we’re lunching. They love checking bags out.

A flower with five petals named after a Roman who had his hand stuck in boiling water and had his hand modified and similarly displayed. Bummer.

An eagle. (It’s got another more accurate name) Look half way down the left slope.

We get off the bus to go cross country to gun emplacements and the light house.

First stop is the plotting room. Once shooting angle is deduced, it is sent through to the guns.

 

Another hike pending to the guns and we have already been going for half an hour. SO this is as close as we got.

Turn around point to head back.

Back to the T junction and the turn to the lighthouse.

That’s the light house in the background. Yes. It’s a long way.

The ‘arbor.’ We are walking through a tree tunnel  for about three minutes.

 

The walk takes us not to the lighthouse as the map shows, but to the base. so no track up from here and it’s about 400metres and 300 up.We have lost interest. We find a bus stop ad look for civilization.

Civilisation. Cappuccino’s and ham and cheese toasted sandwich.

Geordie Bay. Geordie is an English term and this photo is taken to be forwarded to English rellies (relatives) for consideration.

Nice bay. Another one that is.

Lunch spot is café with art.

Back in the main town. Fascinating church story.

Monsignor O’Shea created the church and was such a contributor and so loved, it was granted his remains were to be placed on the church grounds.

It’s a marvelous little church and has lots of leadlight.

This shows the birth of the baby Jesus. I think it is important to point out the brown figure with horns to the left is a cow and not Satan.

This window apparently shows the struggle of the settlement of the Island …. .apparently.

An Aerial photo of the island. Not mine.

End of the day, the ‘mall’ is full.

Another cute semi-rodent.

Just pictures. They don’t grow that big.

Departure wharf.

Anne has bought a stuffed quokka for no better reason than I think it bares a striking similarity to the gopher in the film ‘Caddy Shack. Tell me I’m wrong.

Back at the vanpark, I regret taking a taxi to the port when I could have used the parks Tardis.

Getting squeezed now.

The couple we were going to have ‘five-sies’ with were not home. So we do some fix ups. Straighten things, soup and roll and sausage roll for dinner. We have to leave tomorrow. Shower, TV, grape juice….

zzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

 

Monday, 29th March, 2021

N.B. It is worth saying that we headed for the free camp around the oval at Waroona because we read a glowing reports and it sounded great. When we got there, the toilets were locked and there was no one else there. So we used the dump point then phoned to clarify but got the answering machine so left a message. They called back today but we owned up and said after the call we made, we found it was only open March to I think October. However, the area to use is by the Memorial Hall and the toilets to be used are adjacent. As advertised a pub and IGA are within walking distance. I felt obliged to tell you this because I felt we had to ‘make good’ from our mistake.

Now obviously we continued to Pinjarra and found lots of others travellers to play with and a serious walk to toilets but they were clean and stocked with paper. Also a dump point adjacent.

Now … we wake up to an overcast day than turns less severe.

However when it becomes proper  light we find apparently aliens have snatched most of our neighbours during the night. It must have been aliens because if the neighbours packed up and left, it would have been morning and we would have heard them. So …aliens.

No vans here …

…. and there were three here.

We spot a mirage from a distance …

… and zooming in, it looks exactly like a Morris 1000.

Luckily the aliens didn’t snatch the pub.

We pack up and move off but have to sample town first.

This was a hardware store but the name attracted me because it was the nick name of Cousin Mal’s old mate ‘Tuckey.’

More memories. We spot a ‘Spyder’ in the park and so we post for the Deegans to flash back to theirs, far away but in a safe place while they are on the road.

Coffee?! We find a ‘Dome’ in the shopping centre and avail ourselves of it’s hospitality (to paying customers only of course)

Cappuccino’s AND scones with jam and cream! How terribly English.

We discover WA has a Murray River as well.

We might as well have a look at Mandurah even though we don’t go through it.

MANDJOOGOORDAP Road. Not the biggest word I have come across but … well maybe it is?

MAND  JOO  GOO  R  DAP. Is that make it easier to say. Nope?

Big mistake. the GPS strikes again and we tour a new subdivision and discover roads off the grid in the Kwinana area as we head undeterred but less than content, to Fremantle. We have jointly discussed the future of Ethel the GPS. She has let us down many times and it’s a nursing home or Euthanasia. (with a hammer)

Anne pulled one of these butterflies off the front car screen a week or two ago and kept it on display in the van. It’s an idiosyncrasy she has. Thank goodness I haven’t got any.

So I look at this on the front screen and ask, ‘Did you put it back on here.’ I won’t bore you with the subsequent conversation.

We get to Fremantle Village. Neat but tight. It’s a bit of a rabbit warren. We wash and sort with the AC going. Eventually we go for a walk around the park using the park map they give you. It was necessary. We find the dump spot (Eureka!) and chat to a couple doing what we should be doing (beer o’clock) and the chat divulges they were in Kangaroo Island for 18 years. ‘Yes. We know Mandy Johnson’. ‘So do we …’ etc etc etc. ‘Please join us on another night for drinks’. ‘Yes.’

Dark now. We receive a call for a rendezvous from old friends. Bring in the washing, showers, food? Rissoles with veg. Simple but tasty. TV, bed.

zzzzzzz        zzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

 

Sunday, 28th March 2021.

I did get out to try and catch the dawn…. Didn’t work very well.

However, It was a slow, but pleasant start.

Here was our home for two days, right on the road.

We are off for vitals. Dan Murphy’s and Woolworths. BUT, I spot this.

I zoom in. A flash from the past. I don’t know what year but it is a Ford Falcon.

…and from the side…

…zoomed.

The shady spot in Harvey we chose to have lunch after fuelling up.

We finally pull into Pinjarra free camp just past the pub. I squint and see what I believe to be an EH Holden.

Zoom. I cannot see the tail lights to confirm it is not an EJ but an EH, BUT, it is one of those two. I am calling it an EH due to line of the body which is not conclusive.

The free camp is good and we check out the toilets which are OK.

We meet others and have beer o’clock drinks. A nice bunch of people, Vicki, Brian and Philip. Now we must adjourn for our recently purchased Chicken Kiev’s a la Woolworths  with vegies … mash, carrots and broccoli.

Now, I cant remember the name of this town in the video. It is PINJARRA and it is just a little south of Mandurah.

Shower, meal, 60 minutes and a bit of movie, (The Martian – starred Matt Damon). Yes. Grape juice as well and this time with just a tiny Port then ….

 

zzzzzzzzz            zzzzzzzzzzzzz             zzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Saturday, 27th March 2021.

We wake in what is basically a car park with ocean backdrop.

Morning spent trying to catch up on a few things. Paid Jack who fixed Anne’s ipad. Sent some to pay off card etc etc. Still lots to catch up on. 11.50am. ‘Have a break and do something.’

So as we are in easy walking distance of town, we easily walked to town.

Three minutes after leaving the van we walked past this poorly concealed spot on the edge of the oval opposite the van. This is the spot but photo taken on the way back hours later after the fact. The ‘fact’ was, we were quietly startled by the sight of a couple of youths in broad, and more or less public view, in a desperate but still amorous embrace completely unaware of our presence. Nothing too revealing. Just intense to the point where, similar to nature programs, they were in a trance like state. They say love is blind. In this case, I would say, also poorly planned.

On that note, just around the corner, we come across, yes, how about that, Dirty Rascals.

A clever name, but just have a hair cut. Not a shave.

We have a coffee and bagel at ‘Benesse’. We ask, ‘What does it mean?’ and am told it’d Portuguese for giving or a gift or something. We had never heard of it.

So we asked Mr Google … Something in Return     Benesse is a term of classic Portuguese origin and has the connotation of making a Donation, non-profit, or nothing to ask in return. Understanding this “something in return”, such as profits, dividends, income from this donation.

By the way, fabulous bagel. Cream cheese, smoked salmon, looked like shaved red onion and rocket lettuce. I hear capers and lemon is good as well.

So we start the Heritage walk, identifying buildings. Through years of development, at ground level, they are just shop frontages. You don’t notice until you step back and look at the top façade or roof line.

This was a theatre which I think burnt down and was rebuilt in Art Deco style.

More shop fronts, in fact this is where Benesse is. This was the Central Hotel, for the ‘nice’ people so it didn’t serve alcohol. (?)

Outside a shop, an apparent Albert Einstein quote. ‘I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious.’ Crap. He was a genius. I am sometimes passionately curious, but I am a long way from the theory of relativity. I have trouble making a sandwich.

Two more buildings. The corner, left was the WA Bank and on the right, a lawyers office.

The fabulous Rose Hotel, for naughty people who like alcohol. Then we lost interest and go for an ice cream.

Now we pick up art on the way to the art gallery. This shed has been painted up to show maybe a rat but I think fox, with an extended paw and a saw in the paw, sawing the wooden wall. Try saying that after the fourth drink.

At the pink Art Gallery that used to be a convent. Showed the outside a day or so ago. The plaque reads, Thanks to centenary of women’s suffrage. Mother Mary Angela Costello. 31st August 1855 – 4th October 1930. Sisters of Mercy Convent.’

… and here is the stone laid at the start.

In the front grounds, this. NO. I don’t know what it is either.

An example of art. A pink chair hanging of the edge of a balcony of a pink building.

The artist (not Anne) spent a month in China and has an exhibition, mainly in cardboard and paper. Quite clever actually. I think the title is something like ‘once were fields’ It is supposed to represent progress (?) of buildings replacing fields. Progress. Hmmm.

Art

A chap donated 20 paintings to start the gallery. Claude Hotchin Esq.

N.B : Esquire. 1. A member of the English gentry ranking below a knight. 2 : a candidate for knighthood serving as shield bearer and attendant to a knight. 3 —used as a title of courtesy often by attorneys usually placed in its abbreviated form after the surname John R. Smith, Esq.

Damn. Thought I might have been able to pick up something for nothing there, but I don’t qualify.

Art with bike tyres and poly pipe.

Art. A lady was in quarantine and she painted up each food bag she was given.

Art. A big photo of a blonde lady wearing feathers and holding a skull in front of her face.

As we understood it, this is the before mentioned Mother Mary Angela Costello’s room and her habit.

Art. Umbrella’s

Art. Twigs and pine cones with a symbol in the middle.

Now here is my favourite. It is lumpy black paint with two joined/overlapping white dots. It is called ‘Hey Moon’ and it is yours for only $4,500. OR I will do one for you for half that. OK. A quarter but that’s my last offer. I have my artistic reputation to think about you know.

On the way back, beautiful roses.

This one’s a stunner. I was told, and it usually pans out this way, that the more thorns on the stem, the more perfumed they are.

Now yet more art only this time in someone’s front yard on the walk home. Larger than life. Maybe stage props?

The foreshore as the sun is going down. This was a Basalt quarry right on the waters edge. Basalt/old volcanic rock for roads etc. In the old days at five o’clock, someone would walk around town with a red flag warning people to watch out and people would run for cover before the dynamite went off.

We get back and our neighbor in an RV has gone. Half hour later another one pulls in. We go for just an immediate local walk.

Notice my ghost standing next to Anne.

It says Wyaluf Rocky Point.

The Rocky outcrops are very striking with the water washing in.

Self adoration with sunset.

I wasn’t tall enough to get it through the circle and it was too bright and blinding when it was that high, so don’t say, ‘Why didn’t he put it through the circle?’

The moon was putting on a bit of a show as well.

Going, going ….

Interruption by helicopter.

What we call the ‘after burn’ about 10 to 15 minutes after the sun goes down.

Now here is a puzzle for the dim. Why do you think all these trees on the foreshore are all leaning away from the ocean? And NO. They weren’t all  planted like that.

Sun down, getting cold, showers, pea and ham soup with hot rolls with melted cheese. Too cold for beer, so grape juice. TV ………..

zzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, 26th March 2021.

We are departing from Margaret River this morning, (late as per usual) after enjoying and appreciating the hospitality of Bu and Ingvar. We enjoyed a farewell walk around the grounds ot the house.

Vegie patch.

Their own Macadamia nut tree!

Herbs, herbs and more herbs!

On the road again heading north to Bunbury again. (?) We pass red feather coffee with a great logo.

20 minutes to find a legal park big enough in town.

Pink art gallery, was a convent apparently.

By the way, we have returned to pick up the camera from being serviced ($99) and it’s lens from being repaired ($309). Total, $409. OUCH!

This was pretty cool when we first went there about a week ago to put the camera in. No van, just the car. Get your parking ticket for a free 2 hours! We get the items and go for coffee, then back to the car.

On the way back we pass a few interesting sights.

I would have thought anyone with the ability to qualify for the position would have better spelling.

It reads, ‘AK Homes not est 1908’  OK!?  So when was it?

Interesting Architecture. (or is it Arkitekture?)

Got a 48 hour free camping permit and are on the foreshore. Must be self contained but they do have a public toilet block adjacent.

We are going for a walk up past the light house to a lookout apparently. (NOT my idea, but I know she’s right)

You don’t know what this is? Neither do we. No plaque or sign.

Anne holding up the light house.

The lookout from the outside.

Proof we were there and didn’t buy a post card.

View from half way up.

View from the top, through the wire. Just a little bit above the slap bang middle you might be able to make out our caravan.

We join our fellow free camping neighbours for wines adjacent the vans till hunger forces us to our ‘homes.’ This is a sad attempt to click the moon. It’s the thought that counts I guess. (?)

Left over pasta for evening meal with more wine. Have to have red wine with the meal. Italian food demands red wine. No if’s or but’s. End of story. Free camp showers. That is water on to get wet. Turn off. Soap up. Turn on to wash off. We are also conscious we are filling up the grey water tank. A little TV then ….

zzzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday 25th March 2021.

Morning was bits and pieces. Spent a lot of time on the phone.

Turns out the insurance renewal for the car did not reach us. We were waiting and watching but not seeing.

To top it off I couldn’t recall the company. Anyway, I am 95% sure it is fixed. OK 85% but that’s my best offer.

N.B. South Australian Royal Automobile Association apparently does not insure anyone out of South Australia. My question was ….. What are they thinking a retired couple with a caravan and lots of time on their hands are going to do? Derrr!

Went to town. Been a while since I have seen a ‘Tuck Shop.’ Ref to joke reference at Busselton.

Then back home to meet Martine.

Martine and Bu know each other but have not met for a while so it’s ‘hello’ for all of us.

Martine and L & A to an Italian restaurant.

Bu is booked and unavailable. Bummer.

Food time.

To state the obvious, a good time was had by all.

Derrr? Italian food, red wine and I could show off two ladies!

Only their mother could tell them apart.

Back home.

N.B. Martine is a spectacular, professional photographer She is highly respected in her field and has published books of photos and held exhibitions. She gives us two of her published books. Bloody marvelous.

Martine, goes. ‘Au revoir.’

Showers, Port, movie, ‘Sexy Beast’. Brilliant film. Bed time.

zzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzzz             zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Wednesday, 24th March 2021

Another late start. How about that. A few odds and ends. Washing on using the house washer with a two hour cycle. So washing on at 11.05am. Go to town and be back by 1.05pm.

So we go back to the Sidekick Café for todays Caffeine fix then up the road to the Post Office then the public toilet then back to the car. As we go past another café I see this painting on the wall. It has been defaced to a minor degree but as it is a bit ‘out there’ I can understand how someone particularly conservative may take offence. To clarify, It is a cow being milked and being suckled by a milk maid. The milk maids hose from the cows udders go to a petrol bowser gun she is holding.

Art?

Back to home. Empty the washer and hang out clothes. Second lot on, paperwork. Register car! Good move. Second load off and hang up. Drive to the beach. Prevelly Beach to be precise.

The beach was used for the International surfing Comp way back in I think 1985?

A fence made of surf boards.

Home, BUT on the way home we did not pass but stopped at the famous Cape Mentelle winery.

Great history lesson amongst the barrels.

Then the tasting at $10ea but off set against purchasers.

Ain’t she elegant?

Tilt right for me holding a bag.

Car in park. Photo opportunity that just cannot be passed up. (Its called sarcasm)

Then back to B & I’s home and ours as drive way tenants.

A lovely meal of mainly home grown salad and veg including a home made sauerkraut from home products by ‘Bu’ the hostess. That’s ‘home ….’s’ three times in one sentence. Main feature of the meal was, dare I say again, ‘Home Made’ Patties of smoked herrings, plus potatoes, plus, plus, plus, not only caught personally by ‘Ingvar’ the other host, but also smoked by him. As I may have mentioned before, this family namely, Bu, Ingvar, and son Oscar produce A LOT of their own food. They are very much headed towards self sufficiency. They may not be there, but they are seriously a way lot closer than the vast majority of us.

L to R Anne, Bu, Leith & Ingvar.

Anyway, yet another very nice night! Dessert, tea’s, home, straighten up from the washing, showers, a glass of port, a few minutes on the computer then … Bed.

zzzzzzzzzzzz              zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz           zzzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Tuesday, 23rd March 2021.

Lay in.  Do a few odds and ends. Finally get away late morning. We were going straight to the Tourist Information store. Instead went straight to the ‘Side Kick Café for caffeine. One must get ones priorities right. Then onto the tourist trap just 50 metres further down the road. There were interesting articles for sale including these amusing aprons. …

… and a book. Tilt head right.

N.B. Sometimes the photo comes out 90 degrees twisted.  I can straighten it by opening it in Photoshop and correcting. However if there are a stack of them, it is a little time consuming to do them all, hence the ’tilt’ instruction.

Yes. There is a Margaret River in Margaret River.

Margaret River sign. Blurred as clicked at short notice while driving past.

On info from the tourist place, we stop at the river. Then as instructed/suggested/told, we walk down one side to the weir, cross the weir then back the other side. That is about half an hour (if you don’t stop, which we did) along an easy track with pleasant, picturesque, wooded scenery.

That’s her ‘What are you doing?’ look.

Fungi. Not for eating I would say.

Made it to the weir at least.

Now back the other side. Some bird life but they weren’t very co-operative when it came to photos. Hence blurring.

A ‘blurred’ bird.

Like Annie Oakley only with splinters à la derriere.

When we were on the other side going up, we looked across to this spot from the landing top right on the other side and asked, How come they get a seat that side and this side doesn’t. Well, they told us to start that side so I guess they figure we need a rest by the time we get here. Either that or there is no reason. Probably the latter.

Anne posed this. I don’t know if she considered the seat back looked like a heart. If so did she sit me that side because that side had a crack above it?

Margaret River Men’s Shed. Are you allowed to call it ‘Mens’ still?

Back to the start but the other side of the river. It has a bike and coffee place.

A bike hat tree.

The shop’s called ‘The Hairy Marron.’ The Hairy Marron were native here but the Smooth Marron have infiltrated and taken over. Personally, I think I’d prefer a smooth one.

colourful coffee verandah. Anne taking a photo of a ‘something.’

Well it does go around the river a bit.

On next door to check out the Brewery for a possible meal.

Then home to our luxury, mobile apartment. A little rest as we are doing dinner tonight.  Anne’s marvelous home made salsa with fettuccine.

Our current landlords/friends fabulous house in about the best rural setting possible. 4,000 sq metres of trees , shrubs, vege patches, herbs and chooks. Just a 3 minute drive or 20 minute walk to the main street.

Meal was a success, two beers, a bottle of red, vanilla icecream with fresh home grown passion fruit, good night, home, showers, a little TV. Bed.

zzzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

Monday, 22nd March 2021.

Dawns crack. Well not quite. 9.15am off to Bunbury to put the camera and lens in to the ‘Mr Fixit’of camera’s. Good town. 15 minutes camera man. One hour coffee and talking to the next table.

Back to Busselton to pick up the caravan. MAKE NOTE!

Lazy Days Caravan Park is great and the cheapest in town. Ask them to tell you the ‘Tuck shop’ joke. No. Don’t.

Back to Margaret River to visit B & I

Nice town.

We are guests of B & I  à la ‘their drive way’ and we are most grateful. However, as we do so, our mobile home, whether driveway, national park or rubbish tip is still, in our minds, mobile comfy home.

We have a truly lovely night with B & I with the added treat of most of their  meal straight from the garden. Amazing. So self sufficient. But this is rural and we all have either big days tomorrow or lazy sleep-ins.

zzzzzzzzzz         zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzzzz

 

 

Sunday, 21st March 2021

Lazy morning but we will do tourist-ie things today hopefully starting 11am ish.

Breakfast, some clothes washing (again) lunch, then our 1pm departure a mere two hours late. Good for us.

Big tree near foreshore.

Did you know the French were here in 1800?

This is the ‘Froggy Chappy’  Baudin

Tilt head right.

Big jetty. 1.8km

On the train. 20 minutes to go 1.8km to the end of the Jetty.

Normal walking speed is 3 to 4 mph or 5.6kph. The train travels at 5.4kph. Looking at the ground from the train, I would say that is just a whee bit optimistic. It goes faster than I would walk but .. is that a reference?

Lovely lady volunteer.

Tilt left. We are going to under water observatory.

Tilt right.

Amazing stuff.

Us, amazed …  but concealing it.

Length of the Jetty. It was extended to get deep enough for shipping. It was extended to 1.841 km’s to get just 8 metres deep. Now the boats have outgrown the Jetty and tourists are the main/only cargo.

I had a bit of a turn when I saw this bird.!

N.B. Terns are seabirds in the family Laridae that have a worldwide distribution and are normally found near the sea, rivers, or wetlands. Terns are treated as a subgroup of the family Laridae which includes gulls and skimmers and consist of eleven genera.

Her ladyship. tilt left.

Us. Dynamic two-some.

Fruitless directions.

Roy Morris Platform. (Tell me I’m wrong!)

She again. Tilt left again.

Really good bronzes of the settler days.

So, we can’t have Coon cheese even though it was his name, but we can have Camel Balls. If that’s not government thinking, what is?

Best fish and chip shop we found. It was recommended by Dan Murphy staff so it had to be good.

Home, TV, our fish and chips, showers …..

zzzzzzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzz          zzzzzzzzzz