Day 36. Up very early as we are going to morning prayers in the monastery chapel with the Benedictine monks of New Norcia. The monks are dressed in long brown robes and sandals and follow a strict daily routine of prayer, work and silence. Lots of chants, hymns and periods of unexplained silences and then we are off to breakfast in the monastery. We then visit the shop and museum which has a fabulous history on the Benedictine settlement and aboriginal mission from 1847. Driving further south towards Perth on the Great Northern Highway we detour near Kittering to follow the river through green rolling hills and valleys planted with citrus, grapes and even mangoes! We stop for lunch at small town of Bindoon at the Bakehouse and then another detour through the Brockman River Valley to view wild flowers at Blackboy Nature Reserve. Past the large Pearce RAAF base we arrive into small village of Muchea on the outskirts of Perth to stay overnight with Ross’s friends Trevor and Susie in their beautiful new house. Over a few beers Trevor tells us about his experiences in the 1990s as an army major in Norforce Regiment, a band of commandos who are sent out in small reconnaissance patrols to remote northern regions to spot potential enemy landings. Susie from England cooks us a tasty hot curry which we enjoy with red wine before retiring to huge separate double bedrooms. Such great hosts! Distance today 150km, warm and windy 31 degrees. Heavy rain at night. Home soon!