Day 65: Salmon Gums to Munglinup . . . Saturday 29th December

Today 'we are mostly' heading towards Esperance we have been told that it is a really lovely place. On the way we passed many huge salt lakes that resemble the appearance of an Ice Rink and when the sun reflects off them they almost blind you with their whiteness. Railway tracks are all over Oz and the wagons full of some type of aggregate can number as many as 100, if you get caught on the crossroads you can wait for ages. Upon entering Esperance we found the Info Centre (rammed with tourists . . . this is what we had been dreading as everyone is on holiday) still got our info and headed for the internet cafe to send the blog. Once we had fresh supplies we started to look around for a campsite, no luck people were queuing up, so we decided to head out of town. We took a couple of wrong turns but as luck would have it we stumbled upon the Great Ocean Drive (can I hear you say not another one?). At our first stop, I couldn't tell you the name of it, we were absolutely amazed at the sight . . . we had never seen an ocean that colour. As you are all aware Oz is surrounded by oceans and this being the Southern, and as it came across the shallow rocks the sea was an amazing blue (see pics) we really needed a professional photographer (Geoff or Tony perhaps?) to catch the colour. Apparently Esperance was voted 'The Best Beach in Oz.' There was a wedding taking place on one beach but unfortunately we could not blag an invite to the reception . . . must be slipping! No camping along the GOD what a shame I would have loved waking up to that in the morning so we scanned through the bible (Camps 4) and found Quagi Beach which involved an 8K dirt road drive but it was along the beach so we were up for it. We soon found out that the dirt road was probably the worst we had been down and when we finally got there no sites available. Once again this is a site without many amenities, however the holiday makers were already there so we turned about and headed for the highway. After another 40K we found a site opposite a road house at Munglinup and it did have a shower which was pretty rough but hey, it's cool (a local colloquialism) the money went to the Ambulance Service . . . only a couple of vans/coaches and the fee - nothing only $2 each for the dirty shower.

Day 66: Munglinup to Lake Grace . . . Sunday 30th December

We now believe that all the sites along this stretch of the coast will be full until late January so we have headed inland for a while. Travelled to Lake King to locate a site but unfortunately it was inhabited by flies and it was too hot with little shade, that's the price we have to pay for moving away from the coast, no on-shore breezes but you can still get the flies. Headed towards Newdegate (no we're not travelling through Surrey) and passing an enormous mining development. Work is apparently really easy to find in WA because they need people to work in the mining industry, mostly driving lorries and maintenance around the pit heads. Pay is around $130,000 p.a and the older you are the better, anyone over the age of 50 is considered to probably have a good work ethic and is no doubt reliable, so we've applied for jobs as drivers!!! Arrived at Lake Grace around 1.30 p.m and decided to stay and catch up on some domestic chores. It's so hot there's no way you can sit out in it for very long (not even our sun-worshipper . . . Lissa). Quiet a large township but it's Sunday and everything is shut.

Day 67: Lake Grace to Albany . . . Monday 31st December (New Year's Eve)

Really nice drive down to Albany around 180K through the Sterling Ranges and Mt. Barker scenery more interesting and green along the way to Albany. On recommendation (Tracey other half of aka "The Didge") we headed for Emu Point campsite very crowded and no room but we decided to visit the beach and surrounding area, very nice with shallow water for the kids to play around in and lovely white sand. We left them to it at 4.30 p.m and headed back along the road to a campsite we had seen earlier King River Palms and the river does run around the site and kids were in there cooling down. Plenty of campers and a whole group of about 30 Germans determined to have a good New Years Eve. Dancing all evening and singing away until about midnight and then all went quiet. We were not aware, but at the foreshore of Albany they were having a firework display which we might well have attended if we knew . . . but we didn't so never mind!

Day 68: Albany . . . Tuesday 1st January 2008 (New Years Day)

Happy New Year to family, friends and people we have met during our travels . . . have a good one (sounding like a real Aussie now). Took ourselves off to town (which is a very nice place) to the Tourist Info Centre which luckily was open and got the low-down on the places to visit whilst in Albany and we were directed to the Torndirrup National Park. This is a tourist drive around the coastline following the Frenchman Bay Road . . . first port of call Cable Beach and The Gap/Bridge followed by Blowholes, Stoney Hill, Salmon Holes and finally Whaleworld a whaling station together with whaling boat if you wanted a guided tour. It took us several hours to cover the route because we just couldn't leave the views (see pics). Fed up with using the same words to describe what we have seen so use your own adjectives as I've completely run out. Found a site along Frenchman Bay Road, the Panorama and that's what it's got but not a lot else, it's bloody awful we will not be putting it in the Herberts touring bible, but we needed to stay until the banks are open tomorrow in town. Anyway not all bad, prawns with pasta tonight followed by strawberries with the sun still shining through the windows at 6.45 p.m - things we have to put up with on the road, don't know how we do it for the money!!!

Day 69: Albany . . . Wednesday 2nd January

Continued with the other half of the scenic route today although it's a little dull weather wise. Visited Nanarup Beach and you could have got beach access right to the waters edge if you had a 4x4, no one about except for bent trees. Moved swiftly onto Two People's Nature Reserve . . . Little Beach. . . found a lovely parking space overlooking the bay and stayed for a couple of hours. It was raining and very windy but people were still clambering over the rocks to get a better view, which had become very wet . . . silly things. Found a campsite at Kalgan River where campers bring their boats to do some fishing or stay on a houseboat. . . nice site. Met a couple from Queensland and they spent the evening with us drinking coffee, they are on a trip around Oz for 12 months or perhaps longer.

Day 70: Albany to Denmark . . . Thursday 3rd January

Very warm day but still overcast. . . in Brisbane (nowhere near us) we heard there have been cyclones and many people have been evacuated from the smaller islands. Made the decision to move on today and headed for Denmark via the scenic route unfortunately all roads off to the coastline were dirt tracks and we have had enough of them, the van rattles so much when there are large ruts in the roads. As usual visited the Tourist Info Centre at Denmark for maps and advice and were directed to the Ocean Beach Road taking in Ocean Beach and Wilson Head. Retracing our tracks we turned off to Lights Beach with small lagoons suitable for family swimming but it was a little different further down the beach really rough conditions with large waves hitting the rocks and crabs crawling under them. Wonderful area, we had been recommended Green Pools a little further on and this beach and surrounding area was even nicer. Mainly local families from Albany and Denmark visit there but they are not crowded. The sea is cold, in my opinion anyway, but it's not so far away from the Antarctic . . . the Aussies don't seem to mind especially the kids . . . I could be persuaded to venture in with a full wet suit. Travelled through the Winery district which has very green countryside, it rains a little, and found a a really lovely camp site at Riverbend Lane, Denmark.