The Final Frontier

We cross the border back into Victoria - over 21000 km and three and a bit months later. We're home again! 

The Last Night - an eerie symmetry

Back at the caravan park where we spent the first night created a sense of symmetry and familiarity. It was eerie watching the sun set over the bay once again, and being impatient as it took seemingly forever to drop below the horizon. It is a reminder of how one becomes conditioned to seeing events in a particular way...
However, that first night sunset was replaced by a storm on the second night, and the last of our trip. The winds whipped up during the night, rocking the van so much that I dreamed that I was sleeping on a train! Fortunately for the parents (us!), the winds hammered the end where the boys were sleeping. It was unrelenting during the night, with intermittent bursts of rain falling. Waking to this brought consideration of how we would pack up. The rain cleared, but the winds continued in their intensity, and as there was little need to "fold in" 0ne of the ends - it was like a sail, while the other end would blow out! We managed to finally pack down the van in stages, and headed off for home. The weather echoed the first night, which Ev reports here.
An amusing quirk of fate had us mixed in with a large cohort of vintage cars as they took part in the "Bay to Birdwood". We had seen many of these cars and their vintage vans in our van park. But as we drove up ANZAC Hwy, the streets were lined with people waving, so we responded! In the midst of T-model Fords, 1925 Chevs and other antiques, there we drove with our van, waving and receiving many smiles in response. It was nice of Adelaide to turn out to farewell us!

Back in Adelaide

As the sun sets on our day's journey, we realise that our trip is coming to its close. There is a small matter of acquainting children with places where their dad spent his early years, and some catching up with relatives, then back to the place we call home. There are a few "reflective" posts which have been floating around in our heads for a little while which we will publish in the days to come. 

Closing the Loop

Returning to Port Augusta and passing the turn-off to the Red Centre brought a strange sense of closure, at the same time as it rekindled memories of the journey. This point enclosed us with wonder at all the things we had seen in the intervening weeks. The light of the Flinders Ranges was strangely familiar and unique – its clarity and beauty rekindling fond memories - a light that we had not seen for many weeks. We drove through to Adelaide, our last stop before returning home, and our first stop on the journey which began over three months ago...

A Fishing Experience... or two!

The first sign of motion this morning came from Caleb whispering in my ear at 8.30, “Can I go fishing?” About an hour or so later we bumped into Matt and Beccy (whom we had met at Ningaloo), as they were heading off to the Lincoln National Park for a couple of days. As we were saying our farewells, Caleb came rushing back with a freshly-caught squid for them to take and cook for the day! That is one ugly-looking fish! It was 11.30 before Caleb ventured back to the van once again, by which time he had caught a number of squid and sent them on their way.

We managed to pry Caleb away from the pier for a little while - long enough for him to purchase a crab net, which offered plenty of entertainment for him during the afternoon (the squid seemed to have taken their leave, unlike the sea lion which entertained us at the end of the pier with its antics.) After spending the afternoon catching up with journals, I headed down to the jetty where Caleb had been for most of the day, save a single break for lunch and a trip to the shops. I took him a drink, handed it to him and then picked up a rod and began to fish for squid. I had been fishing only a couple of minutes when I heard the rattle of plastic – I looked around just in time to see the blue glass blow into the water. I called to Caleb to bring the crab net, hoping to use it to snare said cup before it drifted too far. By the time he responded it was too late – it was out of reach. Nonetheless Caleb threw the net in once, twice, and on a third time threw it all in – line and all! The look on his face was priceless…… as he realised what he had done. Never mind that it only cost $6. He realised what he had lost – and had been having a lot of fun with. Fortunately his fishing mate managed to snare it with his squid jig and pull it back in. End of adventure. The look on his face will be remembered for some time! 

The Journey Continues

“Go left!”
“Go right!”
“Don’t turn around!”
“Keep moving!”
No, these are not indications that we have given driving lessons to Caleb, but the recurring cries coming from the driver’s seat as Ev negotiated the vehicle down the west coast of the Eyre peninsula on a day in which lizards and snakes had decided to sunbake. Having already left one in many pieces on our last day across the Nullarbor, Ev was determined not to repeat the dose. She does, however, suggest that there are now a few stumpier-tailed lizards than previously known in this area!
The highlight of this day was a visit to Coffin Bay, home of oysters which make their way on to dinner plates around the world. When I emerged from one of the fishing sheds with nearly two dozen oysters, obtained for the grand sum of $5, you could have lit the whole peninsula with the gleaming smile on Ev’s face. After eating about a dozen or so, the smile had diminished somewhat, her stomach filled and her taste buds satiated.
We discovered once again how small the world can be. When we pulled into a petrol station at Port Lincoln, who should we bump into but a young couple we had camped with at Tulki Beach at Ningaloo! When we booked into the camp site, we then found ourselves next to a NZ couple we had met a couple of days earlier!

Caleb on Cloud 9

To spend almost the whole day on the pier fishing is Caleb’s dream. At Streaky Bay he not only had the opportunity but we managed to pull in 5 salmon (all in excess of 40 cm) and 2 trevally, which provided a sumptuous evening meal. The only catch was fighting off the pelicans who were hovering (and attacking!) as I cleaned the fish. Streaky Bay is a picturesque spot with a beautiful beach and quiet ambience. The sunsets were spectacular, and the only drawback is that none of us wants to eat fish again for a while!

It’s a Small World

Our lunch stop at Nundroo Roadhouse brought us into conversation with a cyclist we had passed along the road. I was intrigued to discover why someone would ride across this barren expanse, particularly when one has red hair and fair skin. It turns out that this guy, from a place called Peaceful Bay, just near Denmark, had held the dream for a few years, and was going to undertake the crossing last year. He was approached do the ride for charity and thereupon postponed for one year. It turns out that the inspiration for this was the efforts of one Colin Ricketts, who had walked around Australia for the same charity, finishing just over a year ago. I learned of Colin’s journey because he had been best man at a cousin’s wedding many years ago. That we should meet and share encouragement and a common bond in the middle of the Nullarbor reminds us of how small the world can be.
I suggest you Google Colin Rickett’s name and check out his walk.

CROSSING THE NULLARBOR

I was so looking forward to crossing the Nullarbor in springtime with the wildflowers in full bloom. We had obtained a special guide for the journey, which offered alternatives for Nullarbor travellers:

“there are two ways to negotiate this journey – you can roar through on the max, or take a little time out to smell the saltbush...”

So we set out, cruising along in anticipation. But it wasn’t long before we hit the 145 km section of straight road – the longest in Australia. How fast are we travelling?

Sadly the south-west has been through a very dry wet season, meaning that the expected wildflowers were yet to bloom... what is that speedo reading now?

OK, there are very few trees, very few curves, a blustery wind, and a rising temperature... why are we travelling so slow?

Some beliefs talk of a place called limbo where one enters after death. It is sort of a nothing space where one waits until the real action takes place. I wonder if the Nullarbor is a prototype? CAN’T THIS CAR GO ANY FASTER!!! I can still smell a little saltbush!

The term ‘Nullarbor’ is not an aboriginal term, but the description given the plain by South Australian explorer Edmund Delisser (starting a long line of people leaving Adelaide in search of something better!) It comes from the Latin “nullus arbor” meaning “no tree”. WHAT IS THE SPEED LIMIT HERE?!?!?!

Samuel comments occasionally from the back seat, “Are we on the Nullarbored yet?” His mispronunciations convey more truth than he realises!

We park for the night on the Great Australian Bight, at a roadside stop. The view of the sea is spectacular, with the sun setting and a subsequent electrical storm out to sea illuminating the night sky near the horizon. The canopy of stars and the 360-degree views are indeed spectacular. Perhaps this 200,000 square kilometre piece of limestone has some beauty after all. We sleep peacefully at the edge of one of the most dangerous stretches of water in the world, on one of the driest stretches of land. Australia is a country of extremes, often juxtaposed against one another.

Esperance

The Lonely Planet guide makes the following observations of Esperance:
“Esperance sits quietly on the Bay of Isles, a clear landscape of aquamarine waters and squeaky white beaches, but the town’s charm is not immediately visible…”
Apparently so. The highlight of the tourist advisory takes you on a wildflower drive of 36 km – all of it away from Esperance. A request posed to someone who had lived there for some years gave the following reply: “there’s nothing in Esperance!”
Ah, well, at least a place to unwind.
Except for the train line which ran behind our caravan park, with trains passing on the hour.
And for the hostess from hell running the caravan park who had all the personality and helpfulness of gout.
Still, the Norfolk Pines on the main street were rather attractive.
And the 30-degree plus weather gave us reason to sit still and enjoy the sunshine.

Restful Albany

Albany has been a wonderful spot to unwind – a bit of fishing, a lot of shell collecting and whale watching, and time to enjoy the wonderful spa in the caravan park. Each morning began with a beautiful stroll along the beach, followed by breakfast and a warm spa before whipping Caleb at table tennis or pool. The kids enjoyed the theatre venue and watched a couple of movies in surround sound, while we enjoyed the warm spa, the reading in the sunshine, and … did I mention the spa?

Almost back in shape and up to date

Hi all,

Have just spent a little while getting the posts in order for August, so they now follow (roughly) chronology of the trip. There are still gaps from Perth down to Albany (where we are presently ruminating and whale watching) which we hope to fill before we head east in a couple of days. All are well, Caleb and Gary still in shorts - and still catching sharks! Will tell more of the Perth and Margaret River story soon.

Happy Spring!!

Albany

How's this for a view from the beach where we are staying?

Wine and Women and...(4)

ANCIENT FAMILY HISTORY
Many of you may not know but we own an island – or at least have a stake in one. It is not something we wish to brag about, but if you go to the atlas and look up Heard Island you will find it positioned somewhere down south near the Antarctic. Of course our ancestors had no idea that we would prefer much warmer climes, but the story of this family legacy has been told for generations (or at least since our kids were little!) It seems that a great-great-great-great grandparent was a keen fisherman who set out from Point Leeuwin (the southwesternmost tip of the Australian mainland) on a fishing expedition. His day was not all that fruitful until his rod jumped to life and his line began unreeling at an incredible rate of knots. This was clearly the catch of a lifetime which no self-respecting fisherman would give us easily. He fought this fish for days while it dragged him hither and thither across the oceans until finally the tired fish surrendered to the stubborn determination of the old salt. Unfortunately in his dogged battle with said fish our intrepid ancestor had been taken a long way from home. As he hauled the huge catch aboard his vessel, he noticed land in the distance and pointed his bow towards it. Arriving on the island, he claimed it as his own, naming it in honour of the family whose name he bore.
Now, you might ask, why am I telling this story? Because the children reminded me of it when we arrived at Point Leeuwin, which is perhaps better known as the place where Matthew Flinders commenced his journey circumnavigating Australia and mapping its coastline. The kids reckon it was named in honour of Flinders’ robust lieutenant who persuaded Flinders to undertake this momentous task, which prompted Flinders to say, “OK, Lee, you win” thus giving the point its name... I have no idea where the kids get their strange sense of humour from.
And, in case you can’t be bothered searching for an atlas..

Wine and Women and...(3)

CAVES
Beneath Margaret River and the whole south west region lie hundreds of limestone caves, most of which are accessible only through very small holes in the ground, which animals and, undoubtedly, the occasional human being, have stumbled upon (and fallen through) from time to time. In one of these caves has been found the skeleton of a Tasmanian Tiger, over 3000 years old. These formations exhibit stalagmite and stalactite growth which reflects tremendous stability in the area for lengthy periods of time (scientists suggests tens – even hundreds – of thousands of years). There is a tranquillity to these caves which invites one to sit and contemplate. Unfortunately most caves offer guided tours which keep you moving, but Mammoth Cave was self-guided, which allowed time and space to appreciate the wonder and beauty before you.
And there was the occasional window to the surface world – in Jewel Cave one could see the tap root from a Karri tree wound around a pillar (where a stalactite joins with a stalagmite) – and here we were 50 metres below the surface! Karri trees live to around 400 years and grow in excess of 60 metres in height, making its combined length (including tap root) well in excess of 100 metres! It gave pause for thought when the guide indicated that we were underneath the road we had travelled on to arrive at the cave – one wonders what other delights sit below the surface of places we travel! When they turn the lights out in the caves there is complete blackness – not a skerrick of light penetrates these places. Imagine falling through a hole and landing inside! Early cave explorers carried candles which would often be extinguished by drips of water from the ceiling, plunging them into blackness. The experience in many ways defies expression – the magnificence of these underground worlds breathtaking to experience. We were all taken in by these caves, exploring three over successive days.

Where are we?

You've probably been wondering where we are and why the posts have been few and far between... We are currently in Margaret River, and we have found difficulty in hooking the laptop into a network to make posts. There are a few today, with the original writing date leading... Will try to sort it out as soon as we can.

Thanks for keeping up with us! 

Wine, Women and...(1)

Margaret River

In many senses it was a relief to leave behind the city once again and make our way down south into rural areas. We have enjoyed the tranquillity and isolation of the country as we have journeyed around, and the pressures and conformities of city life were revealed to us afresh in Perth, where – like every other city – there is no respite from sound and light, and where electricity becomes a time-shifter which allows you to stay up later, but not necessarily be compensated at the other end of the day. The real charm of Perth was in time with friends.
But I digress...
Margaret River is a quiet little hamlet fashioned like Old English Countryside, with narrow roads framed by tall trees, behind which lay a growing number of wineries. Being good Baptists, we waited an hour or two before visiting our first one, and then only after catching up with someone we had met in Kings Canyon, who happened to co-ordinate the wine displays at the Margaret River Visitor Centre!
The only trouble with visiting small wineries and being the only people tasting is that there are certain members of our touring party who feel obliged to purchase something, even if the wine isn’t to our taste! Of course, this meant that one had to sample as many as possible in order to find out whether there was one you really did like!
There was one other great discovery this day in Margaret River – their second hand stores are fantastic! In a small town called Witchcliffe just south of Margaret River, we found plenty to amuse ourselves in an antique store... until we realised that these were things from our childhood!!!! Antiques INDEED!?@#@

Wine, Women and...(2)

CHOCOLATE!

There are other beauties to be sampled in Margaret River – their magnificent Chocolate Factory not only makes the most exquisite dark and milk chocolate, they make them available in HUGE silver bowls for sampling. Now, knowing us as you do, you know what that meant. Our customary restraint was in full swing – until the first bite! These little choc bits pile up neatly in the palm of one’s hands while one watches the huge vats stirring the molten chocolate behind a glass window (Oh, for a straw!!!) This experience was good exercise, making us walk the twelve steps from the bowl to the window, and back again, thus burning off the calories for each handful of chocolate being consumed. At times like this it is helpful to have very big hands. I took five teaspoonsful of the choc bits to even half-fill my hand! The only downside was that to purchase these delightful little morsels could be done for the mere price of $44 a kilo! After taking another handful to ponder the economics, we decided that they weren’t all that nice after all, though we did determine to give our palettes a rest and return another day before making any purchasing commitments!

Now that’s RESTRAINT!

Survival Skills

Many of you will be wondering how Ev has managed to survive this long on the road in a van. The secret can now be revealed for all to see...

Rottnest Island

Where were you when you heard the news that Steve Irwin had died? We were freezing our buns off on Rottnest Island, making a cold and wet day even more memorable for the same reasons. After yesterday’s wonderful weather, we determined to head out to the Island named by a Dutch Explorer in the 1690s (in a country supposedly ‘discovered’ in 1770!) because he mistook the Quokkas for huge rats and named it the dutch equivalent of “Ratt’s Nest”, hence Rottnest. The thirty minute ferry ride from Freo was pleasant enough, but we arrived in the midst of a cold squall, whereupon all those who arrived with us crowded into the Visitor’s Centre. We decided that riding around on bikes was not going to improve the experience all that much, so took the bus tour. The island’s beaches were beautiful but not the least bit enticing in the arctic blasts which even had the trees bowing over to kiss the ground. It was back at the Quokka’s Arms that we heard the news of Irwin. It was so cold in fact that they were using peacocks as door snakes, and even the Quokkas were taking refuge inside! It was such an awful day for weather that the sun popped its head out for ten minutes and decided to go home for the day!

We cut our losses and headed back to Freo early for a look around this rebuild Port city, where Ev had placed her feet on Australian soil for the first time back in 1962. Freo has a real charm and elegance, reflecting its age and place in many an Australian’s history.

By the time we reached Kings Park we were in the shelter of land and the sun had decided to give the day a second chance, though closer to the Swan River the wind was still lazy – cutting right through you because it was too lazy to go around!

But thoughts of the Stingrays we had swum so close to at Ningaloo reverberated through our minds in light of the tragedy which befell the Crocodile Hunter...

Father’s Day – And An Unusual End

Living inside a mobile sardine can puts you in close proximity to each other – so much so that you can almost enjoy each other’s dreams! But Father’s Day, when all the kids jump onto your bed at the end of the van, you wonder whether you might end up with one end sitting high in the air! I was blessed with loads of chocolate and MASH~!

This has been by far the most beautiful day in Perth – the ones the postcards are made of. Clear blue skies, no wind, and warm weather. And for us – with good company to boot! But the end of the day proved most interesting and revealing. As we were getting ready for bed, Rachel complained of a sore lump, so I packed her into the car and headed off to PMH for Children. When asked by the triage nurse when she first noticed it, Rachel’s response was telling, “Um, it was at Ningaloo.” The nurse looked to me for some clarification, and even I had difficulty putting a date on it! I had to count back through the stops we had made since to come to some form of estimation. She thought she had scratched herself on the coral, thus causing the pain.

We were back in the van just after midnight, all well.

Mexican Wave at the football!

Courtesy of some well-connected friends, we were able to get some tickets to the final Freo home game for 2006. Caleb waltzed along with his Richmond scarf and hat standing out in a sea of purple and green. It didn’t faze him that the Tigers had been walloped by the Eagles in Melbourne only a few hours earlier. When someone commented that we might be a bit out of place, we responded by joking that we made a wrong turn on our way to the ‘G’, which brought wry smiles! (Probably also some warmth due to the fact that Freo people hate the Eagles even more than they do Victorians!!!)
Well, the football experience at Subiaco was like a trip to another world! One could have closed one’s eyes and known what was taking place – utter silence when Port had the ball, and even more so when they kicked a goal. Freo possessions, on the other hand, were met with applause, cheers, and the occasional collective grunt (d’Oh) when they made a mistake or turned the ball over. The game was well over early in the third quarter when the crowd launched into a Mexican Wave. Don’t these West Australians know that this is reserved only for cricket?
But the real treat occurred in the last quarter when Port managed to scramble a goal. Down our whole side of the ground there was a sole Port Power flag being waved – something like a lighthouse in an barren peninsula. Apart from the Port cheer squad – who were all huddled together, this was a brave statement (albeit noticeable only after the game was over!)
I can understand the daunting challenge facing visiting teams to this venue. I can equally understand the pressure on the home team, with every mistake greeted by a collective groan of over 40000 voices. To carry that weigh every time they play must present its own problems, particularly if the team is not performing well.

Sunny Perth!

Perth – the place where the weather is always warm, and the sun always shines! Yeah, right!!! Try marking it as the place where you spend five minutes waiting for the traffic lights to change! We have seen maybe two sets of traffic lights since leaving Darwin over a month ago, and both of those were in Geraldton. And there was a warning sign approaching the first we saw. A voice from the back seat commented about the sign with a strong sense of incredulity, until they were reminded that it is the northernmost set of traffic lights in WA. But, in spite of this perspective, we found the traffic cycles to be much longer than we were used to – often waiting well over a minute for the lights to change. City life is different!

Sunny Perth! (contd)

I realise that I had left a thought or two hanging in the previous post: our first two days in Perth were the first sub-20 degree days of the trip since Alice Springs, (actually sub-25), with the mercury maxxing out at 19 on the first two days. We didn’t even see blue skies until the Sunday, when the more traditional and advertised weather was a real joy. Angus and Robertson has been a highlight of major towns, as the kids want to stock up on reading material for the next phase. In Perth, however, it had to take second place to London Court – an old arcade in the centre of Perth. The evening was a real delight catching up with some wonderful people.