Hey Sue, just thought you should let Peter know that geologist Greg is absolutely certain that he not only has found some Ammonites, but some fossils in sedementary rock as well.
We may yet be trillionaires *lol*
Monday, 18 June 2012
PERTH, FREEMANTLE & SURROUNDS
SATURDAY & SUNDAY, 16th - 17th June 2012
Yesterday, 15th June, we drove from Albany to Perth. The wind was pretty horrific and made towing the van quite yukky. Quite a lot of trees had been uprooted and branches down everywhere, evidence of the terrible winds that came across last night. I believe Mandura copped it really bad, with many yatchs and boats tossed into each other from what we saw on the news. Many areas are still blacked out.
We rang ahead to the Caravan Park at Caversham in Perth to be sure we would be able to get in and they said it was fine - they finally had power back after 15 hours!
The woolshed incorporates the local Information centres, along with several speciality stores and a cafe.
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| LIL, I BET YOU WOULD LOVE THIS SHOP! |
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| The cafe also had an outdoor area, but the weather was not kind enough to enjoy it today. |
Saturday was drizzly, but we took a drive down to Freemantle, with the intent to visit the Freemantle markets. Sadly, like many of the larger markets, this one is also now more a permanent market and prices are similar to any retail shop. Not a lot of home-made individual items there. So, we went for a walk around the port. Amazing I must say what we could have bought if we were in a party mood!
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| This is how you cross the railway tracks in WA. |
Now I did offer to buy this guy's gear for Greg (being a McNeil, scottish blood and all), but I think Greg was scared he may have to perform for the crowd and as we hadn't purchased any party herbs he was a little shy so I took the offer back. Mind you, I think I could really handle chasing Greg around in all that leather - look out Mel Gibson! A new Braveheart could be in the making, less a few tattoos and blue paint *lol*
Some of the authentic buildings here are just magnificent
The buildings have been restored and are maintained magnificently in Freemantle and the stonework is phenomenal. Hard to imagine how they did all this years ago all by hand.
The clocktower
After looking around here, we headed up the coastline back towards Perth and checked out the beaches for a little while. These beaches are completely different to the southern coast and our eastern coast, but there is a huge conservation effort going on, especially for the coastline and the marine animals and plants in there.
No anchoring is allowed, but there are bouys stragetically placed around some reef area that fishers can tie up to when fishing in the allowed areas.
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| Just outside Freemantle port on the Northern Side |
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| Shag found drying itself |
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| The Sun dial |
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| We think this was a Surf Life-saving Building |
We caught the train into Perth city and after picking up our tickets for Cocos Island, we made a visit to the Perth Mint. Another magnificent building and a very interesting history with it. The tour didn't take up too much time, but we got to see how the gold is melted and formed into ingots and slabs, in the old fashioned way too!
Unfortunately, no photos allowed in the mint (for a few obvious reasons I guess!),but this is what it looks like from the outside.
SUNDAY, 17th June 2012
Today I went for a look around a quaint little touristy town called Guildford. Greg, not being a shoppy kinda guy opted for staying at the van and checking out a little leak in the roof, so he dropped me down-town and went back for the silcone treatment!
In Guildford, I came across an amazing Museum of Taxidermy. Some astonishing items in here as you can see -
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| Kudu |
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| Oryx |
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| Wildebeeste |
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| American Bison and Puma |
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| HOMO SAPIENS (not too sure what happened to him, maybe this was what was left after the critter below got hold of him) |
Well, Greg fixed the roof and came to pick me up but we had lunch first at a nice little cafe - but I didn't have one of those: You had to cook them yourself and I already had dinner under control for once. Ah well, next time.
Whoo Hoo! off to Cocos Keeling Islands tomorrow..............
So, until we get back next week, here's wishing you all a very happy week xoxoxo
Wednesday, 13 June 2012
ALBANY, WA
Wednesday, 13th June 2012
ALBANY, WA
Well, last night was the expected gale force winds. After dinner (of the most delicious Dinner Winner Leftovers), we pulled the awning in, and lowered the roof. Nothing was expected till around 12.00 midnight in the more northerly areas and not till around 2.00am-ish here. Around 2.30am we woke to some pretty strong wind and rain skuds on and off. About 4-ish it seemed stronger and this morning showed some minor damage from the winds, but nothing major. There were a few branches off trees on the ground and the guttering on the amenities block was on the ground. All good though and we were able to raise the roof, have some brekky and take the Ute up to the mechanic for a service.
Since we were also having the suspension set up increased for the weight of the van to see if it makes any difference in towing, the mechanic said we could borrow a car for the day:--------
So, after Greg worked out that the green fuel drum in the back was to hold up the drivers back-rest, and that the choke was stuck out, so to go slow enough in the caravan park it had to be neutral, and that we couldn't find a rego label, he decided that only a mechanic could have got this going AND we thanked the mechanic for being so nice as to let us have it for the rainy, windy, day to go site-seeing in!
This beautiful memorial to the desert soldiers would have to be the most spectacular and emotion-evoking monument I have ever seen.
It is sculptured in bronze and has the most wonderful detail engraved into it.
The words in the surrounding stone seating areas are equally evocative.
This scene also from this monuments lookout over the bay of Albany
These two guys a few minutes later tend to show just exactly how windy it was on that rock. MAN! What we guys go through for you lot to have something to read........ *lol* We did have heaps of fun though I must admit. (Not often I get to save Greg's life for him!)
View through the gap under the Natural Bridge.
Now, for all you facebookers today, (yeah, yeah! I know you had a good laugh at my expense, but I gotta tell ya that it was freezing too!)
And this is what you guys got on facebook (but boy! you should have seen Greg's face when he saw me too.... Hehe: he said "I thought I heard you squeal about 50mtrs back")
Well all, we are off tomorrow towards Perth. Possibly 5 or 6 hours drive, so up early because we don't think anywhere in between is going to be okay to stop (Watching the news and most of the areas within a few hours of Perth are still in black-out conditions and the SES & Electricity people are working their butts off trying to get everything back up and working for the communities). Will see what comes about and will update you next time........
Until then: Live, love and laugh everyone - Life is full of sudden surprises xoxo Mwaaah
ALBANY, WA
Well, last night was the expected gale force winds. After dinner (of the most delicious Dinner Winner Leftovers), we pulled the awning in, and lowered the roof. Nothing was expected till around 12.00 midnight in the more northerly areas and not till around 2.00am-ish here. Around 2.30am we woke to some pretty strong wind and rain skuds on and off. About 4-ish it seemed stronger and this morning showed some minor damage from the winds, but nothing major. There were a few branches off trees on the ground and the guttering on the amenities block was on the ground. All good though and we were able to raise the roof, have some brekky and take the Ute up to the mechanic for a service.
So, after Greg worked out that the green fuel drum in the back was to hold up the drivers back-rest, and that the choke was stuck out, so to go slow enough in the caravan park it had to be neutral, and that we couldn't find a rego label, he decided that only a mechanic could have got this going AND we thanked the mechanic for being so nice as to let us have it for the rainy, windy, day to go site-seeing in!
This beautiful memorial to the desert soldiers would have to be the most spectacular and emotion-evoking monument I have ever seen.
It is sculptured in bronze and has the most wonderful detail engraved into it.
The words in the surrounding stone seating areas are equally evocative.
This scene also from this monuments lookout over the bay of Albany
Emu Beach just across from the Cafe where we had awesome Cappuccinos and slice.
Well, this sign kinda says a lot. We went down this road to the salmon holes, but it was a 800mtr walk in with 78 steps down and 800 mtrs back with 78 steps back up and the rain scud was about 1 minute away, so we by-passed the holes,
AND FOUND MISERY BEACH!
where the scuddy rain came anyway, so I was only able to get a couple of shots here and Greg was a little cold too so he sat in the car,
Then we found WINDY ROCK.
This pic really does not say it all. Greg nearly fell over 3 times trying to get this picture and I nearly got blown off the rock.
These two guys a few minutes later tend to show just exactly how windy it was on that rock. MAN! What we guys go through for you lot to have something to read........ *lol* We did have heaps of fun though I must admit. (Not often I get to save Greg's life for him!)
Just below the lighthouse, we found the 7 mtr swell they were talking about this morning. Boy, you sure would not want to be out in this in a 6 mtr boat *lol* Whales or not. (I think any whale with any kind of smarts about it would be down very deep today, along with the dolphins & sharks too)
These waves were so much bigger than they look in these photos.
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Now, for all you facebookers today, (yeah, yeah! I know you had a good laugh at my expense, but I gotta tell ya that it was freezing too!)
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| Anyway, this was how it started....... |
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| And it got bigger, and about now I thought it's looking kinda cool ........... |
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| And it got even bigger................. |
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| And then this happened, (and Greg turned around and waved when I let out the high-pitched coo-eee), |
We picked up the ute on the way back (but I didn't go inside to say thank you for the loan of the car!)
After getting back to our Park, I took a long, leisurely, hot shower and felt so-o-o-oo much better. So, after cleaning my camera up and getting rid of all the salt water I took a drive in our new higher rear-end Navara out to the Sandelwood factory at Mt Romance. Apparently Albany has been producing the Sandelwood oil since the early 1800's and their first export overseas was in 1845. The factory here has been producing ever since and is the highest producer of Sandelwood Oil in the world. Nice treat here on a cold, windy, rainy day too! Massages available here all day :)
Now, I think I may have mentioned earlier at some time about my concern with Greg and his trusty tape-measure and tools.
Hmmmm! well, arriving back at the van I came across this :- (scroll down and no cheating!)
Yep, McGivor at work (a new reading light to be had tonight, whoop! whoop!)
*seriously wondering: How do you tow a Tool Shed behind a Caravan*
Well all, we are off tomorrow towards Perth. Possibly 5 or 6 hours drive, so up early because we don't think anywhere in between is going to be okay to stop (Watching the news and most of the areas within a few hours of Perth are still in black-out conditions and the SES & Electricity people are working their butts off trying to get everything back up and working for the communities). Will see what comes about and will update you next time........
Until then: Live, love and laugh everyone - Life is full of sudden surprises xoxo Mwaaah
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