Wednesday 17th May

We settled into the Mandurah Tourist Park and it was just amazing. We were shown to our site by the Manager, who then helped us park and then asked where the power and water were. He then proceeded to hook us up to power and water, helped Kev unhitch all the while chatting about what there is to see and do in Mandurah. I was totally redundant. Very impressive service.

If that wasn't enough, by the time we had the awning up and we were settled in, a very pleasant young girl came along and asked if she could blow the leaves off our slab. What great service, and it continued the whole time we were there.

We have never met such happy and friendly staff including the office staff, cleaners and ground staff. A credit to the Manager.

And to top it all off, the camp kitchen was set out like a Balinese hut with stainless steel BBQs, benches and range hood. And right across the road from us. They also had a coffee hut with lounge chairs and a coffee machine. A great spot.

We were sitting outside enjoying happy hour when a very tall workman headed across the grass. I said to Kev "I wonder which cabin he's going into?" when he rocked up to us and it was Paul! What a lovely surprise! He was so happy to see us and likewise for us.

Thursday 18th May

Washing again as rain predicted, a simple lunch then a drive out to Serpentine National Park and Falls. A lovely, sunny day with wallabies lazing around in the park in the sun.

Friday 19th May

10mm of rain overnight and it just pelted down, but the day turned out bright and sunny. We met Matthew, Kathy & Aiden for lunch at the Ravenswood Pub on the Murray River for lunch. We enjoyed a wonderful catch up with this lovely little family and then had a drive around Mandurah - what a surprise from about 15 years ago. We couldn't believe the difference, and the change is not for the better. There is so much high-rise everywhere, with huge apartments on lots of canals. They seem to be trying to emulate Venice - or worse still - the Gold Coast.

Home to a simple dinner to listen to the rain bucketing down again.

Saturday 20th May

We spent the day with Paul and Sandra and inspected their new home in Halls Head. It is very modern and functional with a very unusual design. Had a simple lunch of bread, cheese and fruit and a late dinner waiting for Bec to get home from work. She works at the same mine as Paul as a Driller's Offsider and works a 12 hour shift and has an hour's drive to and from work. Tough job but very well paid apparently.

A delicious chicken and pomegranate salad for dinner and lots of white wine, red wine, port and scotch to celebrate our catch up. Sandra drove us home about midnight. A very late night for campers!

Sunday 21st May

Our 51st wedding anniversary and it is very, very wet! Heavy rain again last night and this morning. Paul picked us up to go and pick up our car. We enjoyed a final coffee with them, then final farewells. We decided to go for a drive to Dwellingup as the rain kept coming over. We enjoyed a delicious lunch at The Blue Wren café recommended by Bec. It was a very quirky and vintage style café and we sat by the fire and watched the rain as it continued to fall. Home for soup, toast and bed.

Monday 22nd May

A lazy morning then out and about to enjoy a walk around the boardwalk and canals in Mandurah as Paul kept telling us about the numbers of dolphins playing around in the canals, and he was not wrong. We spotted quite a few, one in particular having fun with his fish dinner, throwing it around, catching it and doing it all again.

Home to take down the awning and pack up. This was only our second day without rain. Simple deli dinner and it's raining again!!!