Day 81: Pinjarra to Rockingham . . . Tuesday 15th January

Just up the road to Mandurah this morning to get money, supplies and internet connection. It was more by accident than design that we ended up at the Marina as the Info Centre was located there. The town is laid out around the Ocean Marina, and be it on a smaller scale is akin to Darling Harbour in Sydney. They are developing waterways and the luxury apartments/houses are being set out along each stretch with stone bridges inter-connecting. It's going to be wonderful when completed with glass fronted buildings, clear water and blue skys and laid with immaculate manicured grass verges . . . watered 24/7 in this heat. They have incorporated play areas, boardwalks with al fresco restaurants, cafes, multiplex cinema, performing arts centre and plenty of seating and paddling areas with windsails for cover. After several hours moved onto Singleton, Golden Bay and Rockingham beaches. All these areas are being developed to a very high standard and the wealthy have a home down here as well as Perth. On the new developments they build each house differently and some are really into their "bling." Stayed at Rockingham Holiday Village and met a couple from Switzerland who just happened to be leaving on the same day as us and on the same flight to Singapore.

Day 82: Rockingham to New Norcia . . . Wednesday 16th January

Decided to take the New Norcia Drive from one of our driving books . . . headed towards Armadale from the name I think there should be Quakers living there, but there's isn't. To get there we had to pass through Perth's suburbs which are just like any other city with loads of traffic. Armadale was lovely up in the hills surrounding Perth with very large houses and magnificent views across the valley. If you could afford it this would be high on the list of des res locations. Went through to Midland, Bindoon and New Norcia on route 95 quite hilly but also very dusty, the countryside is mainly wheat fields, mile upon mile. The name Norcia came from an Italian village and when Benedictine Monks came over in 1846 to set up the monastery they named their new settlement New Norcia. The Benedictine Community was set up to educate indigenous people of Oz. The architecture is very Spanish looking and the buildings are very large and ornate. They built the monastery and then workshops, a flour mill, bakery, library, schools, colleges and a convert. They also built an impressive guest house if the parents wanted to visit, which then became The New Norcia Hotel. Well what a place . . . in a complete time warp of early 1900s, the furniture, chandeliers, high ceilings and fibrous plastered walls together with brown paint work. The staircase was huge with large mirrors and guilt-framed oil paintings . . . you could imagine ladies with crinoline dresses and parasols staying there, but I somehow think that the aboriginal parents were not invited to stay. The large buildings are still used for educational trips and conferences and Monks still live in the monastery and give guided tours, but unfortunately they were on holiday . . . where do monks go on holiday??????? Stayed on the oval next to the monastery, it's only a field with no facilities but the roadhouse charges $7 for you to use their shower . . . that's to stop the Ferals (people that live out in the bush) from using them. Tonight as it's extremely hot and no fire-baskets we are going up to the restaurant at the hotel to have a meal, no doubt the only guests with plenty of people waiting on us. Don't altogether think that shorts are appropriate, but that's what we're going in.

Day 83: New Norcia to Freemantle . . . Thursday 17th January

Terrible night, no air and the only wind directly from the desert. Although the road house was shut the road trains came through New Norcia and stopped in the parking bay, at one time there must have been six of them with their engines running to operate their air-cons. Of course it didn't matter to them what time it was they were working, and in a remote place like New Norcia who would have expected some silly POMS (not sure what POMS stands for but we think it must be something to do with prats) to be camping in the field. Keith didn't sleep and to add to this he had an upset stomach which had started a few days before, he thought it would go away . . . but no such luck . . . he was out most of the night with the shovel. Left early after a black raven tried to get into the van, think he thought we had passed on and could get himself a warm meal. Got our shower at the road house and headed for another scenic drive through Swan Valley, it's a drive around the wineries within the region, very nice. On passing through one small town a policeman pulled me over, I thought for the usual breath-test but Oh No I was speeding, in all the towns you should slow down 50-60 kph and then as you are coming out the signs change to 80, 90 up to 110 kph. I had gone through at 60 and then crept up to 72 and that's it on the spot fine $75 straight into the Oz economy . . . but he did reduce it from $150 (must have felt sorry for us poor old duffers). Continued driving (slowly) to arrive at Freemantle at around 1.30p.m. it was still quite warm but there was a breeze and we pitched up at a Big4 campsite at Woodman Point which was all singing and dancing with the very welcome pool!

Day 84: Freemantle . . . Friday 18th January

Well 24hrs without food seems to have done the trick . . . sure the little 'uns know all about that . . . and Keith is now OK. This morning we decided to stay put and sort the van out a bit in preparation for its return on Saturday. Around 4 p.m we took ourselves into Freemantle for the afternoon, had to pay for parking which is quite unusual . . . nearly all places are free, but saying that Freemantle is a nice place. If the harbour is anything to go by there is a lot of money about and Freemantle has a walk around the harbour and its environs to commemorate their winning the Americas Cup (Yacht Race). There are some obviously very expensive boats there and the security around the various boatyards is very apparent. Over here they have multi-storey boat parks with hundreds of lovely looking boats in metals racks roughly 6 deep x 24 long . . . never seen anything like it before.There are markets on Friday and Saturday but unfortunately they were winding up by the time we got there, but we had a look at the old quarter of the town with the Notre Dame University, lovely architecture built a couple of hundred years ago or so, the buildings were originally used as warehouses for cargo brought into Freemantle. There was a Court House just up the road from the Harbour and prisons not far away for all the convicts arriving (mainly from Ireland apparently), it would have been quite a different place then! Lively with plenty of shops, restaurants and bars . . . should have gone in earlier! On our return to the site we passed a new development at Coodgee Beach they are putting in new sea walls in order to reclaim land and creating waterways just like at Mandurah, with extensive waterfront properties and facilities for mooring. It's going to look beautiful if Mandurah is anything to go by, not sure the older Aussie generation agree . . . too much change. Looks to me buying off-plan now would be a good investment for the future!!!!!!! Met a couple from Perth (Alison and Laurie) tonight in the site and had a good chat, they have relatives in Britain and enjoy visiting, and love our country. PS (not sure that's the right abbreviation) Keith's stomach problems have returned, so it's back to "nil by mouth."

Day 85: Fremantle to Perth . . . Saturday 19th January

Left Woodmans Point campsite this morning around 11.30 a.m after packing up the rucksacks and went onto the Great Eastern Highway where yesterday I had found The Great Eastern Motor Lodge, it had been almost impossible to get a room for the night but we were in luck here and by the time we arrived a "No Vacancies" sign had been put up in Reception . . . we got booked in and left our luggage. The hotel being just a few blocks away from the Britz depot where we returned our home for the past three months. With that all done (a sad day for us) we headed off for a tour of Perth, got the usual cheap day pass for transport and made our way to Kings Park with marvellous views over the city (see pics, that's the last time I will be saying that) from there we came back into the city and headed for Swan Bells, the building represents a swan and is made of glass and brass with water fountains all around, it houses the original bells from St. Martin in the Fields, London . . . an arrangement made many years ago with Britain . . . I'm not sure if they bought them from us or whether new bells (smaller ones made from the originals) were supplied in exchange. We went through to China Town for a meal and just hope that Keith's stomach holds up. Great city that seems to be very prosperous and really worth a visit, can't remember if you have been here Michelle but if not, do try and come for a short stay . . . you never know you might even want a transfer! Well that's about it folks . . . but we would just like to say "A Big Thank You" to all our new Aussie friends we met during our travels and their hospitality and of course also family and friends who have been keeping up with the blog and sending us e-mails, it's been a truly great experience and we have enjoyed every moment and it has been great sharing it with you. However, tomorrow is another day and BA are holding a flight for us, so see you all very soon. It's gooday from Bruce and Raylene.