Mouse is winning. Had a walk with camera to the beach and around the bay, it is very rocky at one end and lots of different coloured rock formatoins.
Water is crystal clear again. Mouse has been at packets of pasta and the crisps, so now storing those in one of the side boxes, looks like we will have to get some poison if not caught before we leave here. warm sunny day with a nice cool breeze. We were invited to a poetry reading at 4.30pm given by a bush poet called John Hayes, he is in his 70s and started writing poems in his 40s. he read some of his own and those of others. it was surprisingly really good they were all about the struggles of early Australia and the people who lived there. he finished of with a poem he wrote about the bush fires in March 2009 in Victoria , it was very poignant to one of the listeners as he had known some friends who died in the fires, and he'd gone in to help clear up afterwards. On our journey we have come to understand the effects the drought, subsequent rains and the bush fires have on the lives of ordinary people.
4th March Sunday
Darned mouse. Hot start to the day. Went fishing at 8am, not as early as planned, using bacon as bait, met two men coming off the beach been out fishing since 6am and caught a few herring. There were other people fishing so we went further along the beach. the bacon worked Colin caught a whiting, too small to keep but at least caught something. Rose went back to tent to get bucket and camera and on way back to beach saw dolphins playing in the bay. kept missing them with the camera.
Did'nt catch anything else so headed back after a couple of hours. Got talking to some other campers on way back and they listed some good camp sites we might like to stay at along the coast. At least we have learnt today that wildlife in Oz whether on land or in sea like bacon. Went swimming in the afternoon, it was great, only thing you have to walk a long way out to get any depth. Had long chat with the young German couple and they read English books so might be able to swap a few books. Back on stirfrys as Colin was missing them(not Broccoli)
5th March Monday
ONE DEAD MOUSE, broken neck, yippee. Out fishing just after 8am but no luck today, sea a bit rougher. Later in morning went for a swim, what luck the dolphins came back, we went back in the water and were within 10mtrs of them, awsome. Quite a few campers leaving today and it is over 30degs. Spent afternoon with John and Anne(the poets), they went through the camps book and pointed out some cheap/free good sites , then Anne had made some scones, they were delicious. Good afternoon. Just before dinner the young German couple popped round with some books to swap, we then went to see them later showing them the camp sites that we had been told about, as they are going in same direction. Went to bed in the dark tonight, lots of mozzies around.
6th March Tuesday
Leaving Quagi Bay today, it is such a nice place. Up early but still did'nt leave till just after 9am, after saying goodbyes. Another place we could have stayed longer. On our way to Ravensthorpe. Rollercoaster roads again with some pretty big hills. Approx 38 kms to east of Ravensthorpe past a big opencast mine, you can see it from qite a distance. By time we reached Ravensthorpe LRover temp inside has reached 30degs. Found Community Centre and uploaded all of photos and blog for past week, which took an hour. walked to visitor centre and after talking to lady we decided to go to caravan park in town after we done our shopping. At site unpowered $18 powered $28, when we said we only had a fridge we got charged $19 all in, result. There is lots of shade and a camp kitchen which we'll use, laundry only $3. Colin has mended the awning with what he had to hand. Temp is now over 40degs, not good travelling weather for us. There are a few clouds of Grasshoppers in this town, the good thing is when you walk through them they hop/fly away from you, takes some getting used to. Making use of camp kitchen tonight. Whilst eating other campers are cooking and chatting. Colin rang Laurie for a quick chat, very poor internet access as at bottom of hill. Still hot when went to bed.
7th March Wednesday
Windy warm night, up early for for early start. That did'nt happen, site owner stoppedfor a chat so nearly 9am before we left town. Roads are rollercoaster again and the land is used for Wheat, so now very barren looking. Stopped at Jerramunjup Lions Park and sat under shade catching Up with Emails. Looks like phone/internet access is best at small towns/roadhouses, away from them it is useless. Drove onto Welstead, driving through clouds of Grasshoppers,
when we stopped the switch for the fan decided to break, whilst Colin tried to fix it Rose went into Resourse Centre where the very helpful girl rang Cape Riche Campground to find the cost $5 pppn, when Rose left she ran after her with a goodybag including a china mug in a box(will now have to keep it from breaking), she also told her about a coffee morning the next morning at 10am. Colin couldn't switch so managed to buy one for $5 at the general store. Drove to the campground 18kms down dirt road,
decided to stop for 2 nights. They have flushing toilets, cold showers and drinking water, it is a big site and the caretaker said they have been busy since Christmas. There's also gas BBQs available. Had a walk to the beach, we have "squeeky" sand , white sand. Not as pretty as last place but still nice. Hopefully do some swimming and fishing.
8th March Thursday
Already sunny and warm, few people have left site this morning. Colin has made himself a list of jobs to do. Decided after the jobs done to stay another 3 nights till Monday as site is good and we can go fishing and swimming here, the weather forecast is well into the 30s so not good for travelling. Had a walk across the rocks after lunch and decided where to go fishing. Sat down before dinner when 4 Kangaroos came into campground,
they came so close you could have touched them,
looked like 2 separate families it was wonderful. Cooked dinner on camp BBQ. Clouding up before bed.
9th March Friday
AT TWICE THE LENGTH OF THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA, THE DINGO FENCE IS THE LONGEST FENCE IN THE WORLD
Cloudy this morning, would have been a good travelling day. The Kangaroos have been through the camp again this morning.
Chatting to other campers, after the grain harvest in S.A. it is common for the mice to invade the caravan parks and to get into caravans, motorhomes and LRovers, we were lucky to have had only one mouse. By lunchtime sun has come out. Caught up with journal and calculated distance from Albany to Ipswich by most direct route to try and work out roughly where we have to be and when. Drove up to Welstead to catch up on Emails etc. sounds like some of the girls have been having a rough time, phone signal not good so will wait till we get to Albany to make calls. Bought bottle of wine and filled up water before going back to site. Wind has got up a bit which is cooling it down nicely. We were invited for Happy Hour with Heather and Alen and expats Colin and Jan, Heather invited us to join them for dinner. They had an old gas bottle cut down used as a fire pit and cooked meat on hot plate over the fire, it was lovely and a great evening with good company. We learnt from Alan about how individual states came together and became the federation in the last century.
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