Australia

After a couple of relaxing days in Bunbury catching up with friends I hit the road (I’m sure you don’t want to know how much I ate, what movie not to see, how my legs hurt after climbing the tower or the Jurrasic Park marathon).

I had seen some pictures of Manea Park in Bunbury so seemed a good place to start. I saw a million sun orchids most not out but also a variety of other orchids & flowers on my walk.

After stocking up I hit the road, took random stops wherever took my fancy, like Greenbushes Pool where again I found more orchids.

I pulled into Muirs Lake lookout despite the rain I braved the boardwalk & from there I saw pink & purple enamel orchids, cowslips & some pink spider orchids couldn’t get close enough for photos. There were also black swans nesting on the lake. So I ventured back to the car & noticed where others had walked along side the boardwalk, with a well if they can do it I can to attitude off I went…went to get wet shoes, socks & pants of course. But I did get photos of the enamel orchids the spiders I wasn’t so lucky, I draw the line at walking through water.

Now I’m just relaxing in the freezing cold of Denmark.

Mum may have told me not to wander off the tracks …. So what do I do pull up on the side of the road cause something caught my eye a few meters into the bush. The something ….

Ok it was the purple enamel orchid that caught my eye but I managed to find three orchids in total today on my explorations around Collie.

The caravan park had given me a few maps and one had a trail for out of town so off I went with no real plan, I only got lost/took a wrong turn/turned to early four times that’s not bad I think.

There was Minninup Pool

Black Diamond Lake

St David’s Church

Potters Gorge

Wellington Dam (recommend a BLT from the cafe)


The mural is amazing but my tip don’t walk around with your camera ‘She looks like a photographer’ I ended up taking several groups of ladies pics for them.

Rapids

Gnomesville

Watched some mining at Shovel 6

(I’m there for size comparison)

And finally Stockton Lake

I might go for a walk around town in a bit if I feel like it.

Cooper asked if I was going to blog while on holidays…My Mum backed him up so here it is…

The day started with an abrupt stop barely out of the town boundary when a big kangaroo decided to step infront of my car, holiday almost ended there.

(This one is for size comparison, this is a tiny kangaroo)

I learnt that if the first overwidth is still making its way across the bridge with a bank of trucks waiting patiently, you have enough time to go through New Norcia (maybe a little above the speed limit) and get out the other side infront of the second escort…however the planned toilet stop had to be postponed until Bindoon.

I detoured into Serpentine Falls for a look where it was just me & another couple so basically had the place to myself but there was no way I was taking a dip.

Took a few little detours, stopped in a parking bay for lunch and ended up walking the wall at Harvey Dam.

I eventually made it to Collie where I’m spending the next couple of nights, took a walk around town before relaxing at the Caravan Park.

(Wouldn’t let me take this back to the Caravan Park when I decided I didn’t want to walk back up the hill)

Whose idea was it to go camping down south at this time of year???? It’s not even 7pm & I’m freezing!!!!!

Today I hit the long road home, last place I wanted to go, I was happy escaping reality but happy to have my own bed & a decent shower.

It’s a long drive of well very similarly terrain, you can’t play eye spy alone & if you count caravans, motor homes or campers you’ll be asleep pretty quick. I did see emus, goats & a wedge tail eagle so that kept me on my toes.

I didn’t get very far out of Denham before I pulled into my first stop - Eagle Bluff. I missed it on the way in & while it was close enough to town I could have ducked out I didn’t. Anyway I took a stroll on the boardwalk & watched the sun rise.

The mist in the valleys was quite photographic, just never in a good spot to stop.

Took a quick toilet break at a rest stop at the Galena Bridge rest stop.

So after 3,407.3km, 10 books, 3 cancelled attempts at day tours, countless photos, many memories & 699 songs (A-Z on my phone but I didn’t listen to everyone of those songs tall the way through) I’m home itching to run away again.

Ps I will miss my 3.30, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere :-) drinks & nibbles.

Well I tried to do several tours here in Shark Bay & they just got cancelled due to not enough numbers...that’s life so I got a lie in. I just chilled at camp reading this morning.

Then I migrated to the beach for a little swim.

I got lunch at the cafe & sat in the park with my book for a bit.

Chilled some more at camp, wandered down for my sunset cruise. Seriously why do I go on these things I don’t even like boats!?!?! Guess the guy selling it to me felt bad since they’d cancelled 3 trips already he had to sell me something. Anyway the sunset was nice, we saw dolphins & a sea snake.