Albany, Easter 2011

Wow it has been almost a year exactly since being in Albany! time flies. It is Easter, but Anzac day this year coincides with Easter Monday (today) so we have an extra long weekend this year.

Rose and I have come to Albany again this year for the long weekend. It has been unseasonaly hot this weekend until today when it has been raining, but this has not stopped us getting out.

We are staying at "The Lily" a reproduction of a traditional 16th century Dutch Windmill, but a completely functional one, Pleun (who built it) grinds flour for sale in the mill, and he and Hennie also provide excellent accommodation. He is also a talented musician and Hennie is an exceptional cook, providing a beautiful meal on Saturday night, it is worth coming to Albany just for her cooking!.

Today we travelled to Albany Windfarm, an excellent and very picturesque walk passing underneath the huge wind powered generators (they are quite elegant) the walk offers spectacular views of the coast, and even though it was rather wet and cold today it was well worth the effort.

Yesterday was spent in Mount Barker at the Police Station Museum, a quite extraordinary collection of buildings, machinery, tools and general items from the historic past of the region, it is quite enlightening to see how difficult it was to survive in those days We have it very easy these days!) the worst thing we need to worry about is being out of mobile range!!.

Were we are staying at the Lily is within easy driving distance of thr Stirling Ranges. They rise out of the surrounding, relatively flat, countryside in a very abrupt manner and then dissapear again as you pass through to Albany via the Porongorups (another beautiful Range) Walks abound in these ranges, from quite easy 1-2 hour walks to half day, quite rigourous walks, the area is a mecca for wildflowers in season, but is a beautiful area any time of year.

Last Saturday we left our car at Middleton Beach and walked into Albany via the coastal Boardwalk (approx 3kms) but what is not mentioned is that is the distance to the end of the walk, if you want to go into Albany it is about another 3k,s!! So as the temp. was aroun 28degC that day we quite tired by the end and not looking forward to walking back, but Rose started chatting with a very nice lady who offered to drive us back to Middleton ( a saviour!) We then drove back to Albany and had lunch and visited the new Performing Arts Centre and the Amity.
Tomorrow we are back to Perth and back to work on Wednesday, ah well nothing ever lasts forever!!

Back in Mandurah

Well I have not written my account of our holiday in France/Italy (Sep/Oct 2010) but will do so after this more recent escapade.

It is summer here in Perth WA and it seems most of the population has gone to Mandurah after the finish of the Christmas extravaganza to relax and get away from it all!! However this is very difficult as the crowds in the shops are huge, the traffic jams are long, the parking is non existent and the coffee is not great! However the weather has been terrific.

We arrived on Tuesday, checked into our hotel and went to drive to Preston beach, but did not realise it was most of the way to Bunbury so never actually got there (I did not want to spend the few days here driving!), so turned around and had a nanny-sleep at our hotel instead.

In the evening we did the passagero or at least the Mandurah version of it, bought some fish and chips (plus 4 steamed dim sims, yummy) on the way back and had dinner on our balcony with a bottle of Lambrusco overlooking the Estuary, very nice.

This morning was spent at Samphire Cove Wetlands and boardwalk studying the birdlife and later catching up with some friends, who have a house here, over coffee.

Subway for lunch, in the park, then a couple of hours on the beach before returning to the hotel, our son is dropping by this afternoon, so will continue this tomorrow!

Setting Off again!

Well Rose and I are off to France and Italy on Thursday morning (our excuse is we are catching up with a bunch of friends who are also travelling Europe and we will all come together in Fanjeaux, France to celebrate a very important birthday for one of the party). But the truth is we just wanted an excuse to fly to Europe!

First stop is Paris and after that? (well you can check out the attached itinerary).

And I will keep updating this Blog whenever I can with pithy comments and spectacular photos!

Cheers

Am sitting at Melbourne Airport waiting for my flight back to Perth after spending the weekend with my father (who is getting on a bit).

It has been a while since visiting Melbourne and I remember that people used to say that if you were not wearing black, you must be  a tourist! It has not changed!

The food is still excellent and the service what it ought to be in other parts. The weather was overcast but not really cold, wet at times (but then it is May) cant expect beach weather (at least it did not rain whilst out and about.)

Tuesday 13th April 2010 - Rottnest Island

It is Tuesday here on Rottnest Island WA and it is blowing a gale! The weather bureau has posted a severe weather warning and we hope that it eases by Thursday morning because that is the day we are taking the ferry back to Perth (or at least it is taking us). It has been getting progressively more windy in the past two days, but this afternoon it really blew in - so we are having to stay in and work through our supplies of chardonney and nibbly things (cannot be bad!) so we will not have to carry too much back to the mainland.

Sunday was a good day, sussed out the museum in the morning (and if this weather clears up will make our way back to there again). Our youngest son came over from the mainland and seeing as he arrived at lunchtime first thing to do was lunch at the Pub. Beautiful sunny weather again and sitting in the beer garden overlooking Thomson Bay with some fish and chips and a couple of beers is a terrific way to spend a couple of hours.

I am writing this post at the window of our chalet overlooking the beach and there is blue sky so tomorrow may be better.

Monday we spent on the bus around the island and went up the Wadjemup Lighthouse. It was constructed in 1851 and there are 155 steps to climb to get to the top. The lighthouse is only 30m high but when you are at the top it feels a lot higher (probably because of the spectacular views and its height above sea level).

Our son left on the 4pm ferry and after the boat pulled out we walked to Bathurst Lighthouse (which is not open to the public and is much smaller).

This morning was a bit of a disappointment, we headed off to Kingston Barracks on the 11.25am Shuttle as per the guide book, for a tour of the complex and gun emplacements, but on arrival the place was deserted! Wandered around a bit and got the next Shuttle back to Thomson bay, apparantley that tour is no longer operating and should have been removed from the guide book, oh well it was a nice ride out there anyway!.

And this afternoon the storm settled in.

Tomorrow (weather permitting!) we are off to Guns and Tunnels at Oliver Hill and will be taking the train (tram?) there. Also tomorrow evening (again weather permitting) we will be heading out to West End with a bottle of wine and some nibblies to watch the sun set over the ocean (West End is the furthest point from the settlement) Hope the weather improves!

I have almost forgotten to mention why Rottnest Island is called Rottnest Island. Basically, the early Dutch explorer de Vlamingh arrived here in the early 1600's and noted that the island appeared to be infested with a form of large rat, hence the name Rottnest (nest of rats) what he actually saw was the Quokka (which is not a rat but a small marsupial).



- and they are very cute.


de Vlamingh also visited the mainland but apparentley did not praise it very highly! (obviously did not sit on the beach at Cotteloe on a Summer evening with a picnic, some wine and a few friends!)

Saturday 10th April 2010 - Rottnest Island WA

Well the scenery here may be spectacular, but the coffee is not!! will try somewhere else tomorrow - and hope it improves!

Walked to the Settlement from Geordie Bay this morning, had coffee (ugh!) and explored the area, lunch at the pub (used to be the Governors residence in days gone by, but put to a much better purpose now), great, could have stayed all day but probably would have gotten  drunk and had to sleep on the beach, so instead went on the Heritage tour. These tours are great, run by volunteers and free and last approx 1 to 1 1/2hrs (so not too long).

Back at Geordie Bay for evening drinks and Sunset and basically that is how Rottnest days go, laid back and relaxing, food and walks on the beach, it is a little cool for swimming at this time of year, but the weather is fantastic for walking and exploring the island.


Sleeping again to the sound of breaking waves on the beach, wonderful.

Friday 9th April 2010 - Rottnest Island WA

Set off today for a week on Rottnest Island ( rottnestisland.com.au ), approx a 25min ferry trip from Fremantle. Did not start off too well, the taxi got lost but when he realised his mistake graciously offered to turn off the meter till we found our destination (there are still nice people around!).
The trip over was uneventful except that there was a strong sea breeze blowing and it was rough!.

Rottnest is very relaxed and we got into the mood straight away, purchased the dip and wine so that we could appreciate the sunset over the beach sitting on our balcony properly (sunsets over the water must be seen through a glass of chardonney.



Early night and a restful sleep.