Day 17 - Homeward bound

The flight was on time and 11 hours later we arrived at Abu Dhabi and disembarked for a couple of hours before joining the next flight for Heathrow and joy of joys I actually managed to sleep for a while and so the remaining 7 hours were not so bad, except they switched the inboard entertainment off before the end of a gripping episode of Secrets and Lies! Not sure I will ever know 'whodunnit' now!
Quickly through the baggage claim and passport check and before 8.30 we had been met by our taxi driver and were back on the M25, speeding homewards. Never thought I would say that it was good to be on this particular motorway but after the deserted roads in Oz it was refreshing to see such a lot! Shame it was also raining - welcome back to a typical UK day in June!

Day 16 - Time to go home!

 Sadly this is our last day in Oz and I have a touch of the hangovers which isn't the best of conditions to be in before a long flight! Luckily a well cooked breakfast (cheers Alan!) and the necessary cleaning of the van followed by the usual dismal attempt at packing the suitcases ( we decided to bring the new heater and huge blanket home with us!) I actually felt OK.
We decided to go for a last look at the beach where they live, which is unspoilt and where we know that dolphins visit and then it was back for a last look round and say goodbye to Jewel, the cat, before we were headed back to Apollo the return the motorhome and on to the Airport in Perth. After checking in we all went up to the bar for a final drink and said our farewells. It has been a great trip and wonderful to cement a friendship that was made on a previous holiday - Huge thanks and big hugs to Alan and Jackie who made us feel so welcome!

Day 15 - Last day on the Road

 Woke to a brilliant blue sky and warm sunshine, fairly typical for our last day to have no chilly wind! Jon cooked breakfast and we were on the road by 8.30 and as he wanted to be back in Port Kennedy by lunchtime we just kept driving! There really is nothing to see except endless grey tarmac, green scrub and sky, whether you are on the freeway or the coastal road, and it's almost a relief to see another vehicle just to make you feel you're not the only people on the planet!
Anyhow we got back as planned and had last lunch on board and then went in search of a hairdresser as we both needed a bit of attention in the hair department! Once restored to our former selves we headed off to Alan and Jackies to catch up on the week and celebrate Alan's birthday. Their friends Anita and Rob joined us and we all set off for a fab meal at the Steel Trees Restaurant. Good food, great company and a generous helping of local wine was the perfect way to end our trip.

Day 14 - Back South Again

Woke really early this morning, Jon said it was 5.20 and I thought that's ok we wanted an early start but as it failed to get light outside after a while I checked my watch and it was still only 5am! Grrr! He really must get an eye test!
Anyway we did get an early start and were on our way back down towards Geraldton again (let's hope there are no dramas this time!) but decided to stop off for a look at Kalbarrie on the way down.  It is a lovely unspoilt little quaint town right on the edge of the sea and we had a wander round and then lunch in the van overlooking the bay, very pleasant!
We had planned on travelling as far as Cervantes as our overnight stop and also to see The Pinnacles but felt we'd had enough driving for one day so chose to stay at the Sunset Beach resort where we would have been on Tuesday but for the Motorhome malfunction!!
1st issue on arrival - the 'world famous surfing beach' was closed!
2nd issue - Part of registration document included a warning letter about a 'thief at large in the camp'!
3rd issue - a rather nasty smell has arisen from next doors toilet!
I do now wholeheartedly believe that we and Geraldton should never be together, it is our jinxed place in Oz!
So as this is our last night In the van we shall light the last BBQ and cook everything left in the fridge and drink any remaining alcohol (last night's Barbie was great).

Day 13 - Monkey Mia and Shark Bay

Woke to blue sky and sunshine, hurrah! And we headed straight off to the dolphin beach at Monkey Mia and as we had missed the first sightings we sat in the sunshine and had breakfast, Jon went for eggs benedict and I tried out the date and pecan bread, both of which were delicious especially when eaten beside a turquoise sea and white sandy beach!!
After a couple of sightings a pod of 6 dolphins came to the shallow water about 11am and were fed a small amount by the Rangers so we could view them.  Feeding is restricted so that the Dolphins do not become domesticated and are encouraged to live normally so there are only about 8 that regularly visit the beach.
We left Mia beach to go to the Shark Bay aquarium where we had an incredibly informative and entertaining tour by a couple of marine scientists. These guys are really passionate and knowledgable about what they do and the marine life they look after.
We sat and had a drink overlooking the bay in the sunshine and then headed back to camp via the village and restocked with food and fuel.
We returned to the Waterfront bar as they have a fab internet connection ( unlike anywhere else we have been!) and then returned to site to attempt a BBQ for our evening meal!

Day 12 - Motorhome Malfunction!

We woke early and got ourselves sorted so that we would be ready for the tow truck at 9am. He was great and loaded us up in no time at all and we headed off to Geraldton Diesel Injections Garage.  By now it is chucking it down with rain and we ran for cover in the 'office'. 3 hours and a couple of thunderstorms later and the van was fixed (thank goodness) and we could finally set off for Monkey Mia.
The journey took 4 hours and the scenery was exactly the same from start to finish! Straight road of  tarmac, orange dirt bank either side and green scrub as far as the eye could see! This was interspersed now and again by heavy rain which actually made the wet leaves on the roadside trees sparkle in the sun as if they had tiny crystals on them (waxing lyrical here shows how even the smallest thing relieved the boredom of the trip!!).
We arrived at Denham Seaside Campsite at 5pm and booked for a couple of nights to recover!
A short walk along the seafront and we found a good looking bar (as opposed to the men only style billiards room / darts board pub with no women in sight) called the Waterfront Bar and settled in for the evening! Great food, music and entertainment in the form of the locals dancing rock and roll!
We are now chilled!

Day 11 - Travelling North

We made sure we were up and ready to go by 9am as we had a really long journey ahead.  Said our goodbyes again and we off and pointed in the direction of Geraldton some 470km away!
Decided to go and restock our alcohol stores but shops all shut due to Bank Holiday so Jon replenished his supply of spectacles (how many can one man sit on or lose in a week?) and we set off minus the booze - how will we manage?
The journey can only be described as tedious with absolutely nothing to look at and a strange harmony evolved with the other cars because we were all going the same way at the same speed and it began to feel like we were all travelling together - very weird!  Anyway we just kept driving until about 1.30 when a roadhouse was signposted and we pulled in to refuel and have some lunch, as did most of the other travellers on our trip.
Set off again and finally reached Geraldton about 3pm and pulled into another shopping centre only to find this was also closed - for heavens sake! It wouldn't happen in the UK!
Went to drive off and the van wouldn't start!! Things were just about to get even worse as when we rang for assistance they couldn't get anyone out to us until the morning!
Packed everything out of sight and walked to the nearest pub to drown our sorrows and use the wifi and power to charge the phones!  We will be wild camping in the supermarket car park tonight!

Day 10 - Out and about in Perth

Up and about early as a hair wash was much needed before venturing out into Perth. We tiptoed around in order not to wake Jackie and Alan only to find they had gone out for an early morning walk  to the beach and they saw dolphins!! Arrgh! why didn't I wake up even earlier and go with them?
After brekkie we set off for the city and Alan gave us a drive round and guided tour before we just had to pop into the shopping centre (Jackie needed shoes! And apparently so did I!) we also bought another travel bag so that we could fit all our stuff in to come home - nothing changes there!
We then drove up to Kings Park which is an amazing haven of green. Fab trees and shrubs and a wonderful panoramic hilltop view of Perth and the harbour, a must for any visitor to Perth and we had the benefit of information from people who live here and know loads of stuff about everything - a really great place.  We found a sunny spot to have a drink and then it was off to Freemantle which is where Jackie arrived in Oz on the boat from England when she was just a child.
Had a walk rounds the old sheds down by the port which have been turned into small market stalls for all sorts of arty crafty things and the general pile of toot as well!
We had a couple of drinks outside and then set of home for a Barbie cooked by the guys and which was delicious. Crashed at about 11pm!

Day 9 - Back to Rockingham

Woke at at 7.30 and quickly set off for our return trip to Alan and Jackies near Perth and had an uneventful journey back. We reached Rockingham by 11am.
We did three loads of washing and when Alan returned from work we all set off for Kahunu Koala Park. Finally I got to see my most favourite of animals and I got to hold and feed one called William! Heaven! He was just adorable and I am sure he really wanted to come home with me.
After they dragged me away from William and we had to leave we went off to  Byford Tavern for a drink and then on to North Danderlup Dam. This is a really quiet and peaceful place and we spent a while just enjoying the views.
We headed back home to change and then back out again to Penag House for a fab Chinese meal in Mandurah. A lovely day with great friends.

Day 8 - off back to Bunbury

Woke up at 8.10 and Jon had all the covers again! So I decided  we should get up and get an early start on our way back to Perth. Breakfast done and we were off to make a few photo stops and then we were on our way.  We had decided to drive all the way without any visits so just a pit stop for fuel and we arrived at Koombana Beach camp at about 2pm.  They said they had no room because it was a holiday weekend, I looked all pathetic and helpless and begged them to find a space for just one night and they managed to squeeze us in! Result!! We set up but again no decent Wifi so went out for a walk to explore the area.

Found nothing amazing and were refused entry to the only pub in sight as a funeral wake was in progress so we stoked up the beer storage and settled in for the night.

Apparently I fell asleep at 9 pm ................ I think I probably did!

Day 7 - Middleton Beach

Woke late and had to move the van as it had been booked out to someone else and we wanted to stay another day. Had breakfast and the set off along the heritage trail to Discovery Bay to see the whaling station and wildlife centre. The main industry in Oz was whaling for many years and we watched historic films about the industry and lifestyle -  really interesting! I then got to see my first koala of the trip! Frank, unfortunately, was asleep and looked quite grumpy but I still loved him!! Whizzed through the Roos, wombat, possums etc and called it a day for he wildlife!
Took loads of photos and then went over to Emu Point for our lunch and watched the Pelicans desperately trying to engage with the fishermen for some food! We then ventured back to Albany so Jon could attempt some beach fishing and I tried to upload photos but wifi absolutely crap!! Major failure on the tech front! So popped down to beach to see Jon (not a lot of luck there either) and decided BBQ was not an option because of weather and lack of fish!
We had hot dogs in the van and planned our journey for the morning back towards Perth.

Day 6 - West to Albany

Had a great nights sleep under our new blanket and the heater having given us a cosy warmth all evening. Happy bunnies again!
First on our list was to visit the tree top walk and forest floor in Walpole which was lovely as we were one of the first visitors of the day and it was very quiet and peaceful being up in the canopy of the trees overlooking the forest. Walking amongst the huge trees at ground level was also a very calming and enjoyable experience especially with hardly any other people around. We left Walpole and headed off to the town of Denmark to see Greens Pool and the elephant rocks. Beautiful beach with perfect aquamarine water surrounded by soft round boulders holding back crashing waves out to sea, gorgeous! Met a couple of ladies originally from England but who'd come over as '£10 poms' and they had been coming to the beach almost every day and had learnt to swim as children in the shallow water of the pool.  They also recommended a restaurant for our belated anniversary evening meal, hurrah!
Round the corner a short walk away we found the Elephant rocks, so named because of their shape which was like a group of elephants huddled together.
Time to move on and we drove on to Albany and headed for Middleton Beach where we had chosen to camp for the night.  Got pitched up and sorted so went for a quick look at the beach just as the sun was going down and everything was a fabulous pinky colour, miles of white sand and hardly a soul to be seen - stunning!
The recommended restaurant, Hybla, named after a racehorse that had once proved to be a very profitable winner for a couple of gentlemen who had invested the money wisely and the result was a fully restored old house which they moved from Esperance to Albany and opened as a restaurant by the beach. The food was fantastic and we had a great evening to celebrate properly.  
Slight change of mood when we returned to the campsite as Jon was stopped by a worried Chinese guy who asked if he could help him to empty his toilet as he had been trying to find instruction on YouTube without success! Such a romantic end to our evening!

Day 5 - On to Walpole

Well! What can I say? Woke up in a tiny corner of the bed in an attempt to keep warm through body heat! It was freezing and I am sure the skinny duvet is a single!

We had breakfast and hurried into town to buy anniversary cards in the only stationers that don't have specific anniversary cards, or so I thought!

We then motored off to the Chocolate factory for a liqueur tasting and purchasing before heading down to the caves.  We missed the first tour of Lake cave by 3mins so went across to Mammoth Cave and managed to see everything in 15minutes by fast forwarding our tour talk headsets and then rushing off back to join the 12.30 tour at Lake cave. What a magical experience! the crystal formations and reflections looked fantastic when gently lit by the tour guide.
We then headed off for Augusta and Leeuwin Point where the Indian Ocean and the Southern Ocean meet and sometimes it is possible to see whales, but not today sadly!
Our final stop for the night was to be Coalmine Beach in Walpole on the south coast where we hoped to eat out to celebrate our anniversary.  First stop tho' was the general store to stock up on blankets, socks, fluffy slippers and a heater!
By the time we got to the campsite it was pitch black, the reception was closed, Jon got lost going to the loo and there was no restaurant in sight!  Our anniversary dinner consisted of cheese omelette followed by the fancy chocs we had bought at the chocolate factory and a bottle of bubbly! We know how to live the high life!! Jon scored maximum points for actually finding a lovely anniversary card for me whereas I failed miserably by having to cannibalise a birthday card for him, oh dear!
Kangaroos spotted - loads but I was told we couldn't stop on the highway to have a look! Hmmmm?
Emus spotted - also in the same field as the Roos!

Day 4 - Start our travels

Up early and stored all our belongings from the suitcases into the Motorhome and went shopping for essentials whilst Jackie collected my cardigan from where I had left it yesterday at beach cafe! (Memory not improved down under!).
Said our goodbyes and headed south for Margaret River.  The roads were virtually empty and we drove it in one hit and arrived about 2.30 in the afternoon. Kangaroos spotted - 3 (all unfortunately dead!)
We booked in at the River View site on Willmott Ave to an 'ensuite' pitch (this means we have a little cabin to ourselves with shower, toilet and basin exit to the van!), talk about convenience heh heh!
We walked back up to the town and found a great little ranch style restaurant called Settlers Tavern where every single thing on the menu was either home grown or homemade. Fab food but piled high so too much for two jet lagged Brits delicate stomachs!
Once back at the van we settled in for the night and discovered we had no heating and 2 of the lights wouldn't turn off.
Also, too our amazement, we realised that tomorrow was our anniversary and we had both forgotten!! Bad people!!
Tomorrow is another day.

Day 3 - Port Kennedy

Woke at 4am! OMG! Am still knackered but cannot sleep! Read for a couple of hours and then fall asleep again til 9.30am, thank heavens!
Alan made bacon butties for breakfast and when their friend Jill arrived we all went for a walk to the beach and then on to the foreshore for lunch on the seafront. Warm and sunny and good food, fab! Walked out onto the pier and lots of guys fishing and catching large salmon, very fruity language from most of the fishermen (Alan felt it was too much for my delicate ears!) so we left to go back to the house!
Anita and Rob from across the road came for a visit and we all had a good yarn and plenty of alcohol (nothing changes!) and a good old English cheese and onion toastie appeared (courtesy Jon and Alan) and then we had to go to bed - jet lag still a problem!

Day 2 - Perth Australia

Last leg of journey to Perth and we are only 10 mins late! Alan and Jackie are there to meet us and we are soon on our way to collect our Motorhome from Apollo. It's a Mercedes sprinter and quite new, so we hire a sat nav and buy the obligatory toilet stuff and after checking the condition of the bodywork we are on our way. Alan went with Jon in the van and I went with Jackie (we waited in the car park for about 5mins but couldn't see the guys leave so went to find them and discovered they had already gone!!!) so we decided to make our own way home!
They have a lovely home in the suburbs and we settled in to catch up on 2 years since we had last seen each other whilst Alan cooked a pasta dish for dinner. Lovely evening reminiscing and finally made it to bed at 11pm.

Day 1 - Heathrow

Our taxi arrived promptly at 06.15 and we sped off to the airport for our flight at 09.30.
Following our usual ritual of a Buck's Fizz breakfast we boarded the Etihad Airbus which unfortunately had to wait for an hour before takeoff!!
Flight uneventful and we were on time at Abu Dhabi for our transfer to Perth.
Another 40mins delay on the tarmac and then were on our way.

Counting Down!

Well, if it's not in the suitcase now it won't be coming with us!  But I also know I forgot the flight socks so will need plenty of ankle circling and buttock clenching on the plane to keep the circulation from clogging up!
We are safely ensconced in our hotel at Heathrow and alarms set for 5.30am so am signing out in order to catch a few zzzz's before we fly tomorrow.
Australia here we come!

Time to get ready!

Day before setting off for our new adventure and I am actually packed!
Tomorrow we go up to the hotel overnight and then set off from Heathrow at 9.35am on Friday morning.