Day 15:

Leaving Kalgoorlie day and only 126 kms to Menzies our next stop. We were here 7 years ago and it was where the decision was made for me to fly home to be with the family as my dad was in a coma so not too happy memory of this place. Although the caravan park is in a different spot and now clean, modern facilities as much as one can do in the outback anyway. Arrived about 12, and after lunch headed out to Lake Ballard. The one place I really, really wanted to see 7 years ago and we did go out there but I was not in the best frame of mind to enjoy and the weather then was miserable and grey and wet. So today: It is a 50km drive out to the Lake and guess what started to rain again. The surrounds are salt lake scrub but there are wildflowers seen around. What we have found of the flowers we have looked at closely, whoa, the spikes on these pretty little things - they definitely do not want people or animals to walk on them or eat them. A camper was sitting at the edge of the lake and told us it had rained overnight and the mud terrible. This means sinking 3 inches in with each step and is very slippery so we did not chance it and the weather was closing in again. Took some pics of one of the fabulous statues but it is a 2 hour and 5 km walk around if you did them all and we could see the ones in the distance in water which would have been so fabulous to photograph. Ho hum. Anyway, back to Menzies and a wander around the town which consists of a gorgeous Town Hall, a visitor centre, a pub and a café the only working buildings, beautifully kept though. The Pioneer Store is advertising for amateur artists to display works to be sold on consignment as long as the subject is on Menzies. I am sure I could come up with something if only I could get at my paints. Oh well, a project in the making maybe.

Love from the wet west xxxx