Day 84 Margaret River/Dunsborough.

Our penultimate day in Australia, I can't believe it, I don't want to believe it. This place is definitely addictive. We left Cape Lodge after breakfast and set off to find Ocean Vines Retreat, the guest house that the couple we met yesterday in Margaret River, Klaus and Trish run. We had only an address and a vague idea of where it was and all around here looks pretty remote but we found it without too much difficulty. The accommodation is great and they have given us a really good rate too. Sadly they have a cookery demonstration tonight but may join us for a drink later, still they gave us a bottle of local award winning wine which can't be bad; apparently Klaus had picked the grapes for this himself. Sightseeing started this morning with Ngilgi Caves, pronounced Gigli where we were led underground some 37metres, down a series of steps and ladders with restricted headroom, high CO2 levels and 90% humidity to a world of ancient wonders beneath the limestone ridge of Cape Naturaliste. There we saw wondrous stalactites, stunning stalagmites, helicitite and shawl formations. From there we went to share the Aboriginal Experience at the Warden Aboriginal Cultural Centre; sadly we couldn't share it as all of the tour guides had b*****ed off to the Margaret River International Surfing Comp where we were yesterday and wouldn't be back till next Sunday! We therefore had to drown our sorrows by visiting Simmo's Ice Cream Parlour which is in fact a large concern that has a restaurant, crazy golf, kid's playground and an ice cream eating emu no less. We had bought a joint ticket at the caves which entitled us to visit the Cape Naturaliste lighthouse so we made our way up there. Trish had basically said there wasn't much point in visiting there and she was right, there wasn't; but Bunker Bay and Meelup Beach definitely were. Of course sods law dictated that we stayed on the wrong one (Bunker Bay) to go swimming as it had quite a strong undertow and by the time we got to Meelup Beach which was in fact a small bay to Bunker Bay's long beach, it was getting a bit late as the sun was fast disappearing. We called into Dunsborough on the way back and picked up a Chinese takeaway which of course was far too much for us too eat. Currently sitting in the guest sitting room writing this having eaten on the patio where we watched Kangaroo in the fields opposite and marvelled at the night sky once darkness fell. Oh I don't want to leave……..