Wednesday, 30 March 2016

We are now facing the cold reality .... Brussels airport still closed, we are flewn from London to Amsterdam, where we are to catch a train to Brussels around 15:30.

The apartment at Plasky seems to be flooded and there is no hot water.  About the heating we don't know.  

"Heureux qui, comme Ulysses, a fait un beau voyage" - "Lucky is he who, like Ulysses, made a fine trip".

"Room with a View" at Hotel Sama-Sama at Kuala Lumpur airport - yesterday.

Sunset over KL, during "High Tea" at the hotel before catching an overbooked flight to London.

Monday, 28 March - leaving Australia

A quick morning walk in Easter-quiet Perth before cheching out at 12. 

We are to take off at 16:25 on MH 124 (Malaysia Airlines) for arrival in Kuala Lumpur around 22 hrs.

Hans has booked us into "Sama-Sama" at the airport with both pool and sunshine.  No sightseeing, no rushing - just a relaxed day before the long flight back to London for arrival Wednesday morning.  From there we will see how to get to Brussels.  Is seems that the airport is still closed.

Here a few last souvenirs pictures from Australia.

"Our" Easter Sunday mass at St. George's Cathedral.

The bells from St. Martin's-in-the-Fields were donated to Perth and placed in the (green) Bell Tower.

Yesterday, Easter Sunday, at the beach in Hilary's Boat Harbour.

The newly finished Waterfront in Perth.

One of the very wall painting on William Street.

Inside each letter is a scene from the Northbridge area, where we stayed at 3 different occasions.

Day 75 (I think) - 27 March (for sure) ..... last night in Perth

"The Book" talks about the exceptionally good breakfast at "Little Willy's".  Our hotel being on Robinson Avenue, we are just around the corner to Williams.   The breakfast at the hotel being not all that tempting, our day is all set:

Breakfast at "Little Willy's" on William Street.

10-o'clock mass at St. George's Cathedral.

Excursion by metro and bus to Hilary's Harbour north of Perth.

How - and when ?

Family ticket = 24 hours by bus, metro and ferry all over Perth for 12,50 $AU.   Compared to Brusels, it is a treat.

Too many people at the Aquarium at Hilary's Harbour and we change plans in favour of a short walk at the beach before "travelling" back to Perth.   

After the many days and hours of driving, public transport is, indeed, most agreable.

And now we have reached the last night in Australia.  

The feelings are mixed ... will we ever come back ?  

Day 73, Friday 25 March - still at the same campsite, in Toodyay

Here is an example of a perfect set-up, with camp kitchen and private toilet.  "Be prepared" seems to be the motto of our new neighbours at Toodyay campsite, where we are to spend another night, the third.

The sun has been shining and we have a "cabin", but I am eager to get out of this place.  Easter means a long weekend for campers and maybe the last one before winter.  The campsite is slowly getting packed with people of all sizes in their huge caravans.

Australia is a "Big Place of Plenty".

The day has been very warm and thunder is at the horizon.  During our supper on the wooden terrace it starts raining and within seconds there is lightning and storm.   It is good to have solid roof on a night like this.

We are to give back the car in Perth tomorrow.  

Sadly enough that means the end of nights in the tent under the full moon or the bright stars - a very exceptional experience.

24 March -

Dear all -

We have been reading about the terror attacks in Brussels Tuesday and we know, that many of you are worried about us.

The airport of Zaventem is still closed, but we are to return, via London, only Wednesday, 30 March. 

Hans & Bente

Day 70 - Tuesday, 22 March - "Lake Navarino" (campsite)

We start the day visiting l'Arboretum in "Inglehope Park",  just south of Wellingup.  

A lovely walk for an or more by foot, taking tile to take close looks at the many treed, we have seen in the forests in the south. 

The "Mediterranean Maritime Pine" which sheds its bark so beautifully ....

.... leaving the trunk ever so shining.  It grows generally 35 m tall.  We know this Maritime Pine from Jar sur Mer, in France

"The Sidney Blue Gum" grows up to 66 meter tall and is slim and very colourful.

Banga tree - grows to 2 meter tall.  The bush they are like   bad weeds.  We call them 'Comic strip trees"  or "Tegneserietræer".  The needle-like leaves grow out from the top of the "stem" and so does the cream coloured long and slim flower, usually one per plant.   The Banga is slow growing, long living and very fire resistant.

"Euc marginata" popularly called Jarrah is also a Eucalyptus.  It is the most common Timber tree in West Australia.  We drove through huge State forests of Jarrah just a few days ago between Walpole and Denmark, on the south coast.

A small sample of the "California Redwood" ends today's Arboretum tour.

 

We expected much from the "Lake Navarino" campsite and were deeply disappointed.  

 

 Huge forest fires two months ago.

But the story is even sadder for the owners who acquired the camping two weeks before the fire.   

They lost 90% of the infrastructure and were busy rebuilding, when we were there.  Good news are that, although the forest still smells fire and ashes, they are fully booker for Easter.

Day 69 - Monday, 21 March - Quindanning (hotel)

We have a bigger room with a wooden terrace and direct access tonthe garden, which is now more or less cleared up after yesterday's party.

We take a day "off".  Hans has reached nr. 72 in the Sudoku, I offered him for his birthday almost a month ago and I am sorting out photos and updating the Blog.

In contradiction to our habits we have lunch today :  "Fish and Chips" with "remoulade" presented in an oyster shell.

Forgive me, if I am repeating myself with the following .... 

The white mangroves in Bunbury.

These "Fire Rating" boards seem to be actioned manually and have been on blue till now.

More than 400 years old, these giant trees have survived violent and repeated forest fires.  Their inside has burnt away and they are completely hollow.  A slim layer under the bark keeps them alive and allow them to reach 40-60.

At the entrance to "The ancient Empire", 

A Tingle tree is a Eucalyptus.

From Denmark to Denmark.

Compared to Namibia, Australia has poor wildlife, but this kangaroo was right behind the ladder to our tent.

It stole most of our bread from behind the car.

Day 68 - Sunday, 20 March - Quindanning (hotel)

Happy Birthday to Charles in St Paul -10 years today.

The road from Bunbury to Williams is very scenic and we were in no hurry.    Rolling hills and much sheep on the bare fields.  

Hans was ahead of me (photo), when I spoke to the driver of the below pick-up.

"Need food for my sheep", he said and asked: "Where do you come from?".   Then we smiled goodbye.

He had travelled 400 K's inland to get this load of hay from his brother,  had stopped at the icecream man in Williams and was on his way back to Busselson - just another 200 kilometers.

In another two-three months it will be winter in Australia.  We have been told, that July is cold and wet in most places.  But just now the fields are bone dry.  Sheep and cattle wander aimlessly around the almost dried out waterholes.

Our goal is "Ye Olde Quindanning Inne", where we had coffee with Inga and Hans two weeks ago on our way south.   The Inn dates back to around 1900 and has a lot of caracter.

We remembered the garden as shady and quiet.   

But, believe it or not, today we get to attend "Tribute to Johnny Cash, Bruce Springsteen and The Rolling Stones".

- with loadspeakers on HIGH.

We are in the middle of a huge garden party concert with beer, hamburgers, chips, flowery summer dresses and men of all ages with horsetail in roomy shorts.  Much laughter, fun and applaus on this warm and lovely Sunday afternoon.  

We take a break to visit a tiny Anglican church which is open like churches used to be in Denmark many years ago.

At 8 pm, when we come back, the musicians are leaving.   

The evening is warm, the moon is almost full and we meet Mike, who is bit tipsy.  He drives a truck in the nearby gold mine, he loves his job (sparkling eyes), he is a rich man (130.000 $AU a year) - and in two years he will retire.

We learn all this without asking any questions .... the Australians are decidedly friendly and outgoing people.

If we can get a room to the garden tomorrow, we will stay another night.

Day 67 - Saturday, 19 March - Bunbury

The cold rain this morning makes camping less attractive.  Some campers are already leaving.

Bunbury is known as the "City of the Three Waters", ie. The Indian Ocean (Geographe Bay), Koombana Bay and Leschenault Inlet.  We are at Koombana Bay with a nice view on the small town around the church.  

The town is basically one street.  A few blocks to the west is the beach and the lighthouse.  To the north the boat harbour.  

As we walk to town this morning, the weather clears up and we spend  a lovely sunny, relaxed afternoon reading and resting.

There is a footparh along the waterfront of the   Morning walk to town, sunset walk to the "White Mangroves", which are surprisingly small with airy vertical stems comimg right out uo the salty water.  We still wonder, why they are called white.

Tomorrow I will send you some photos of kangaroos and Tingle Trees, which I forgot to publish the other day.

We are a bit at a loss about what to do with the last days before arrival in Perth on 26. March.  We have seen and experienced so much and are a bit tired of driving.

Go inland ?  Stay at the Ocean ?

Day 66 - Friday, 17 March - Bunbury Campsite

We are back at the Indian Ocean, in Bunbury.  The sun is shining and the temperature is perfect.  

Yesterday, we drove a lot.  Distances here are such that from time to time one needs hours to find a "home".

Typical 1850-style village house, in this case a hotel.

A most touching memorial site for Australian soldiers who joined in WW I.  A row of signposts each carrying the name of five ships.  Thousand of soldiers and hundreds of horses, many for the battlefields in Flanders (the Poppies).

4 Poppies and copy of some handwritten letters addressed to "My dearest Love".

We drove around Mount Barker with the many, many wineries.

This bridge was built over the Hay River in 1885 - and closed in 1995.

West Cave Howe winery - with white wine and a cheese platter at 4 pm.

And their dog.

We spent last night in a place called Bridgetown.  The night was very cold.

Day 62 - Monday, 14 March - Pemberton

"Blackwood River" in Augusta, seen from our first floor room on a grey, but warm Monday morning.

Augusta riverside.

Roadworks ....

A lot of tatoos.

The wind is such, that we prefer driving inland, through the big Karri tree forests towards Karridale and Pemberton, where we will camp.

Wine tasting and - and buying.

It is much cooler in this area - hardly more than 17°C, and windy.