Day 17 - Saturday, 30 January

We just finished breakfast under a hibiscus tree with yellow flowers.

The temperature is rising and should culminates  around 32C before dropping to 21 on Monday.  The light breeze is very welcome.

We are in Dongara, on the North bank of the Irwin River with view on flowering agaves and are 100 m from the beach.  

The river is large, but doesn't flow into the ocean.  As for many rivers in Western Australia, the Ocean creates a sand bank holding back the river until it breaks through with rains in Spring (Sept-Nov).

By the way, when leaving the campsite in Cervantes, the police stopped all trafic on the road leading to the Pinnacles.  Cars going south towards Perth had to take a 5-hour detour inland.  We keep the site for the trip back in a few weeks.

Yesterday, we went to Mt. Lesueur, a beautiful national park.  Slow scenic drive of 19 kms with flowering gum trees and a few flowers alomg the road.

It was our first occasion for the 4 WD on the very sandy road leading to the "Stock Yards Gully Caves" east of sleepy Leeman village.  Unfortunately our torch went flat, so we entered the caves just enough to cool off from the midday heat.  The cave is said to be used to stock goods in a cool place.  The  dried out riverbed comes to life in Spring.

The last part of the drive was scenic although not spectacular.  Green and bushy with view on the Ocean far away.  The vegetation looks like at home, but it is indeed thorny, thick leaved bushes and succulents in all sizes.

This should give you an idea about the size of Australia:

We are travelling in a tiny bit alongside the coastline of WA only.

And now off for swim in the first POOL - life is sweet !

Daily life at "Green Head" - 35C - r

Raising tent

Bedroom

Cocktail time

Resting

Day 15, Thursdag 28 Jan

"Green Head" is too nice to leave, so we'll stay another day or two.   

The campsite is great.  Only a few other campers which we cannot see nor hear.  

The dunes are green with thorny bushes, so although there is a fairly strong wind, we are not disturbed by the sand, which white and fine like glazing sugar.   Our site is shaded by a gum tree (Eucalyptus) just at the limit of the dunes and 100 meters from the beach.

Due to the steap rocks and high waves, most of this beautiful coast is inaccessible, but just around the corner is "Dynamite Bay", a horseshoe shaped bay, which is said to be protected.  That means no sharks, no poisoneous gellyfish, no seaspiders, no saltwater crocodiles, no poisonenous seasnakes or whatever could be encountered when swimming.

We still need to avoid direct exposure to the midday sun.  Swimming must wait till late afternoon combined with sunset which is at 19:30.

We enherited a pair of "palmes" or "svømmefødder" nr. 40 and a sun-roof from a younng German couple who left this morning.   They said, it was frightfully warm up north, with a lot of rain and heavy storms.

Life is easy.  Two meals a day and a glass of wine as a "nightcap".

We just met a French couple from La Rochelle, with whom we exchanged experiences and addresses.  Who knows ?

It is still hard for me to add photos on the Blog and the iPhone doesn't synchronise with the iPad, so all the nice pictures from the previous days will unfortunately never reach you.  Still don't know how to place text under a photo .... learning by trying !

Will send a few pictures at the end of the day.

PS to day 14 - Hans at work

Day 14 - Wednesday , 27 Jan

Already the 14th day of our voyage.

We arrived in Perth on 18 Jan and enjoyed the city and a few excursions on the Swan River and even sailed to Fremantle.  

Unfortunately the car was delivered with two days delay, but we turned the ssituation into a positive angle and got into the hidden treasures of Perth.

Eventuelly on the road on Friday, 22.  First stop was Guilderton where we spent two nights on a more than crowded campsite, between tents with happy and crying babies, huge Australiens and a Corean lonely father with two lovely kids.  

Today, on Wesnesday 27 Jan, we are at the end of a long weekend, which everybody seems to have combined with the AU-day (yesterday, 26 Jan).  Campsites have been packed.  But people are nice and very friendly.

After Guilderton, we went inland hoping to find less people.  The small place, New Norçia, is a few houses built around a Benedictine cloister with monks growing olives and grapes.  Nice enough, but  too warm - close to 40 C, so we headed back to the Coast, where the brease keeps the temperature around 30 C during the day.  The nights are fresh enough to impose a light blanket.

On the way back from the Hinterland, we stopped at a Winery, Riseborough, and left with a box of white wine.  Better than the "Château du Cardboard", that we enjoy with the daily meals of tuna fish and cheese and bread.   Mr Riseborough donates a kilo of small and sweet blue grapes, that we have been treasuring.

Last night we had a serious storm and the feeling that the tent would blow away with us and the car.  Today there are still huge waves at the horizon.   

After a great breakfast, we will now leave Cervantes to visit the Pinnacles and see the Stromatolites (living stones) before spending the night at campsite "Green Head", a bit north of Jurien Bay, which seems to be the "capital" of this area.

We have difficulties finding our way around.  There are no road numbering and only few indications on cross roads.  One of the first days, I made a mistake which tok us back to square zero, or almost. 

Will be back in a few days - maybe with photos..

Day 5 - Monday 18 Jan

Day 5, 18 January

Yesterday we visited the very imposing National Mosque in KL and enjoyed a walk in the very beatiful park with bird- and butterfly parks.  But, again, the heat in midday hours is unbearable.   We drove by 'teksi', not 'bas' to "Tune Hotel" at KLIA 2, the domestic airport. 

To get from there to KLIA 1 appears to be quite an experience.  We spent a couple of hours rehearsing by train and foot (4680 steps) and decided for a "teksi".  

It was the occasion to book Hotel Sama-Sama for our return flight on 28 March.  A beautiful place.

Well rested, up at 5 am, we are now ready for the 6 hrs flight to Perth on MH125 with a couple of good memories from Kuala Lumpur.  

Photos from Kuala Lumpur

Mosque

Vue from room

Head gears

Day 3 - Saturday 16 Jan

Well arrived in Kuala Lumpur" (KL in local language).  Very warm and humid.  All kinds of weather today:  clouded, bright sun at noon then thunderstorm with a lot of rain.

We spent the first part of the morning travelling by "Mono-rail" to visit a mosque and walked back through "Little India", which indeed is like India with all the smells and shops and temples.

KL is very crouded and very busy.  A skyscraper city.  Close ro our hotel is Chinatown, which is like any other Chinatown.

Malaysia is mostly muslim.  A lot of scarves, but we don't need to wear one.  Happily - it would be too hot.

It's hard to get used to the 7 hours time difference, but tomorrow we be back to normal.  

Day 2 - Fri 15, 2016

After a lovely dinner at NH Shiphol airport hotel, we enjoyed the luxury of kingsize bathtub and huge bed and a long night.  Quick coffee and shuttle to the airport, where we have breakfast at Hans' lounge..

Bought Ringit at the airport and left timely at 11:40.  12 hours to enjoy - but we get 5 seats to share.

Good Indian food, a few glasses of white wine and we sleep like babies.

Day one - trying out the Blog

So, here we are - on our way to Shiphol, where we will spend the night.  Malaysian Airlines will us from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur where we will arrive Saturday, 7 am - after 12 hours flight.

Getting closer

Over Christmas and New Year we read a bit about what we are up to.    Quite scary.   Snakes and spiders - and not very "friendly" ones.  And mosquitos and stinging flies.

What did we do ?    Another 10 days to go - and  we'll be there !

Preparation

A few weeks from now, on January 14, we will leave to spend the rest of the winter in Australia.   So very exciting, indeed.

We, Hans and I, will add notes as we travel in West Australia - starting out of Perth on 20 January.