Perth to Esperance

After an overnight stay in a hotel in Perth - including a roast beef dinner with Yorkshire Pud and horseradish sauce (bliss!), it was another early start to pick up our bus to take off for Esperance and lots of places in between.MondayFirst stop, Mandurha for tea stop.The town is a marine paradise and about to be utterly spoilt by the building of two tower blocks on the marina.Bottom floor apartments start at 1.5 million bucks so not for the poor!Understandably, there is controversy about the building but, again, the developers have got their way.Drove through very different countryside to that north of Perth.Very verdant, dairy farms scattered around, a bit like English countryside on a very hot day.Stopped at Bussleton for lunch.Bussleton lays claim to the longest wooden jetty in the southern hemisphere.It is two kilometres long.Building started in 1865 and it was used commercially until 1972.When it closed it fell into disrepair so the local people got together to save it.Despite their efforts, nature intervened and a cyclone in 1978 swept away a large portion of the restored jetty.It was rebuilt, only to be seriously damaged by fire in 1998, caused by a discarded cigarette butt.However, it is now restored to its former glory.Bussleton is a delightful town, full of old-fashioned buildings and quite charming.Then on to tour Niglia caves, stunning and a tad better than Cheddar, I thought.Next stop at Margaret River for wine tasting -none were to my taste, or anyone else's for that matter as nobody bought any.Margaret River is another delightful town, good shops and very friendly people, and masses of wineries.Could easily stay there a bit..Stayed overnight at Augusta, had a nice house to ourselves, dinner outside (shared with a few thousand mossies - but you can't have it all, can you?)TuesdayIt was another early start.Got on the bus to find it was our tour leader,Beck's birthday.We all had a goody bag, streamers, party poppers and stupid hats - the Japanese were somewhat bemused by this but joined in.Hit a really big kangaroo who bounced out of the bush in front of us.Stopped and went to look for him but he was hopping (hobbling?) away into the bush so he survived.Went to Carn Forest to the Bicentenial tree.It was seventy five metres high with metal spikes sticking out around its circumference and leading you forever upwards.Used to be used for fire watching.I used my bad knee as the reason I couldn't tackle it - best excuse I could come up with.The thought of that scared me witless and I'm not that keen on slipping down a tree.There was a bit of plastic netting about a foot high just wound around the edges of the spikes and that was it.If you fell there was nothing to stop you until you hit terra ferma.The attitude over here with regard to safety is a good one.If you want to have a go and kill yourself, tough.Your decision, live with the consequences.Perhaps UK could go back down that line a bit?Then on to Tingle Forest.Hugh trees you can walk through, Not unlike the Redwoods in California and quite magnificent.Went on forest canopy walk, eighty metres above ground, very wobbly and swayed considerably.Some came off feeling quite sea-sick.Forthe rest of us, it was fun.Onto to William Bay National Park.Lovely beach and yet more rocks.This time Elephant Rock.I think someone in Oz has a job going around looking at rocks, deciding they look vaguely like something they can put a name to and promote it as a tourist attraction.Looking at the photos I'm still not sure we took a picture of the right rock!Anyway there was a chance to swim and that was good.Stopped the night in Albany in a crummy backpackers, probably the worst I have been in so far but you can't win them all.WednesdayMajority couldn't get out of bed as they had been out celebrating Beck's birthday but we eventually left.Went via War Memorial and beach walk on to Borongurupa National Park.Walked/climbed Castle Rock.Tough climb then crawled through some rocks, up a vertical ladder (at least this was surrounded by a metal hoop so there was some hope if you slipped) to the view point at the top.More stunning views that went on forever.Drove through Stirling Ranges on to Esperance, a long drive - just hope Esperance and Wave Rock is worth it.Arrived in Esperance.Nice accommodation, played 'killer' pool and had a good evening.ThursdayTo Cape Le Grande National Park.Most climbed Frenchman's Peak - I only got half way as it was very steep and slippery but at least I tried.Went on to Lucky Bay for lunch, had a swim and played 'footie' then on to Hell Fire Beach.Absolutely beautiful aquamarine blue seas again and white sand.The sand was strange.If you stood on a firm bit and rubbed your foot along the surface it squeaked.Very weird.Somebody tried to explain why it happened but I don't think he really had a clue but he sounded good.Tried sand boarding down the dunes but we all failed spectacularly as the run was too short.Drive along yet more spectacular coastline and yes, the long drive to Esperance was worth it.Very quiet town, not really on the road to anywhere but well worth the effort.FridayLeft to start long drive back to Perth.The rabbit proof fence that is 1872 km long starts just west of Esperance at Starvation Bay and finishes at Ninety Mile Beach, east of Port Headland.Apparently it didn't work too well as someone seemed to forget that rabbits could burrow down under the fence. Apparently some Reverend from England bought out six rabbits to breed and put in the pot but some escaped and they are now over running the country and have caused lots of problems.Drove to Wave Rock and Hippo Yawn.Wave Rock was worth visiting but not sure about Hippo Yawn or perhaps I've seen too many rocks.After lunch drove on to York, a really old fashioned town.Don't think it has changed in years. The front facade of the hotel says 'Accommodation for respectable couples' - hasn't changed since about 1920, I don't think. Had afternoon tea complete with bone china cups, teapot, milk jug, sugar basin and wonderful home made cake in a lovely old hotel. It was even English tea - pure bliss after the tea bags that pass for tea in Oz.Eventually arrived back in Perth at 6 30 pm.Stayed the weekend with my cousin and back home to the family on Sunday where I stay until I leave to go to New Zealand after Christmas.