Howdy from OZ! Having a good time so far on our madcap Southwestern Road trip, despite the constant and unrelenting rain... From our arrival in Sydney to the southern most tip of the continent, the rain simply has not stopped... Our photos depict the few moments of sunshine in an otherwise very soggy 10-day trip... During the planning stages of our trip, my mind's images of WA were of sundrenched snorkeling spots and blistering temperatures, so obviously a bit disappointed with the persistent downpour! The locals, however, are ecstatic: the entire area is still suffering from a seven year drought.
The last time Paul and I toured the "southwest" by car it was in the good ol' U.S. of A., but now we are having a very similar experience, yet thousands of miles away on a different continent... The Southwest of Australia reminds me in many ways of our trip across the States: super friendly locals, wide open spaces, small towns divided by vast expanses of highway, huge trees, and finishing our journey at some of the most beautiful beaches we've ever seen, albeit a bit drizzly. The overall feeling so far is very much like Southern California... But in the winter!
After a super soggy New Year's in Sydney, we took off for Perth on 02 January... We jumped right in the car and headed south to the coastal town of Busselton, home to the longest pier in the Southern Hemisphere and some of the cutest, friendliest dolphins anywhere in the world... During our first walk on the beach, we were joined by a couple of dolphins playing in the shallow surf, just a few feet away from us! The entire area is full of things for tourists: aquatic centers, cute cafes, restaurants, outdoor parks... most of which were mysteriously closed (during the height of tourist season)?
On a side note: a major political issue in WA is businesses trading hours, which are very limited at best... The head of regional government here is currently facing stiff opposition from business owners and labor unions over legislation that would deregulate trading hours, allowing businesses to stay open later and trade on Sundays... Shops here are closed by 5pm (even grocery stores!) and restaurants by 8pm!!! Our first night in Busselton, a major tourist town, we struggled to find a place to eat at 8:30pm and we ended up begging the Thai restaurant to serve us, even though the sign said they were closed! Our waitress told us that "the cook is very tired. He has been here since 6pm." I am not kidding. After Buenos Aires, the land of the lingering midnight supper, this has forced us to change our daily routine... One benefit: we are getting up earlier and going to bed by 10pm!
After leaving Busselton, we headed south through the huge forests of Pemberton to the tiny town of Walpole, home to several national parks and the super-cool Valley of the Giants (again drawing parallels to California). The amazing Tingle trees live over 400 years and grow to heights of 150-200 feet... One of the highlights of this area is the Tree Top Walk, which leads tourists across a suspended bridge at the tops of the forest... absolutely stunning! We also stopped by the Ngili Caves, which were a fun underground distraction, not dependent on nice weather.
We were blessed with a brief break in the rain during our day trip to an Alpaca farm and animal refuge, where we fed the Llamas, baby cows, goats, pigs, and kangaroos! The "roos" are so friendly and even tempered... really fun experience! Paul was overjoyed to spend so much time with the animals and didn't want to leave!
We are currently in Albany, a surf town with a laid-back vibe reminiscent of Long Beach or Laguna, California... I am trying not to become depressed and too anxious over the fact that it hasn't stopped raining since we arrived in town, and most of the attractions are outdoor/beach related... I had my heart set on doing some serious snorkeling here, which due to weather conditions, the boat cruises have all been cancelled due to cold waters and no visibility. So we are instead spending (wasting?) our time in this beautiful corner of the world reading papers in the cafes, going to the cinema (I highly recommend both Flushed Away and Happy Feet), and taking drives around the area... We leave tomorrow morning for Perth, where we will stay for 5 nights... The weather forecast is for Perth is looking up, so we may not be totally washed out afterall! Wish us luck!
More soon. x Jason
1 comment:
Good to know you both are enjoying Summer down under. We are seeing some wild life ourselves...new bird feeders with some common visitors. Cold is arriving this week and feels more like it should this time of year, not to my liking of course. Take care and enjoy .
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