walpole

Fri 06.07 - Rowena, Vicky's friend arrived at 12.30pm. I showed her around Bunbury and then we went shopping for a present for Claire. We snogged for the first time 10 years ago today. Shocking!!! 10 years!! Feels like 40 years ago!!! I would never have imagined being on the other side of the world 10 years later.

Rowena and I got dinner ready so that we could leave for Dunsborough before it got dark. But it dark pretty quickly and with the advice of Garth, the manager of the Hostel, decided to leave first thing the next morning. Its meant to be pretty dangerous to drive after dark becuase of the Kangaroos, they can to quite a bit of damage to a car.

Mossy and I went and bought the trusty box of wine and we mucked about playing pool and then went to the Pub. Mossy and a Londoner girl called Jo came along with the four of us. Got the shock news that Rowena was 41, with a 19 year old son.. She looks about my age. As we were leaving pub Mossy and Jo were chewing the face off each other.

Sat 07.07 - Up at 7am. Vicki and Rowena didn't get a good nights sleep. Mossy and Jo got a little frisky in their dorm!!! Vicky had a full blown row with Mossy in the dorm and told him to leave. But he tried to sneak back in about 5 minutes later.

Anyway, we left for Walpole about 300 kms away. We stopped off along the way at Bridgetown, a quiet little town, to buy a few CD's (Moulin Rouge Sound track and Santana) . We arrived in Walpole at 1pm, another sleepy little town, had lunch and proceeded to the Tree Top Walk, in the Land of the Giants. So called because of the thousands of absolutely massive trees that go on forever. The walk lasts for 800m and and the highest point is 40 metres (thats 125 feet for the imperialist among you) off the ground This picture gives you a bit of an idea of what it is like. There are more pictures in the Photo Pages

Vicky had drove in the morning, so Claire took over the driving in the afternoon. It was her first time to drive an automatic car and she kept grabbing for the gear stick coming up to junctions.

We made it as far as Pemberton before sunset and stayed there for the night in the local Backpackers. The local hotel there is great value and you get a good portion of Spag Bol.

There were lads from Wicklow and Wexford there. We watched the Lions getting stuffed by the Aussies and then crashed out at 10pm.

Sun 08.07 - Up at 7.30am. Had Museli with Water for Breakfast! Drove to the Gloucester Tree, just 3kms outside Pemberton. There are metal pegs all the way to the top where there is a fire lookout. Its 61m high. It was to wet to climb, thank God. We all went up the first 10 steps and that was scary enough. Beside the tree were loads of Lorikeets, really colourful birds, that we fed.

We then travelled to towards the coast to Canal Rocks, a fantastic bit of coastline. The waves were about 2 metres. It had been raining on the drive from Pemberton but as we got out of the car at Canal Rocks the sun came out. The weather was glorious.

We then went to the famous Margaret River wine growing area. We visited Linton Brae vineyard and had a glass of wine. Sniffing it, swirling the glass, graggling the wine, like we knewwhat we were doing! Busselton was or next stop. It has the longest jetty/pier in the southern hemisphere. We admired it but didn't walk it.

We were back in Bunbury at 5pm so that Rowena could catch a bus to Perth. She was flying home to York on Monday.