AUSTRALIA – BEACHES, HEAT AND FLIES!

Can you guess where we are yet?

G’day – after xx number of years I have finally returned and David is having his first experience of Oz life.

To set this scene we write this blog whilst sipping cold drinks from our deckchairs on the beach, the warm Indian Ocean gently lapping at our feet!  Well for those of you who didn’t just swear very loudly and switch off your computers – we will continue but do not apologise for the photos which follow as they are sure to make your English winter only colder and more miserable – still time to catch a flight for Christmas!!

We spent a couple of days in Perth adjusting to the time difference before hitting the road in our home for the next five weeks.  Whilst David was hoping for the rig on the left of the picture below, the more astute of you will notice the very small Apollo van by the petrol pump on the right – yes that’s us, I prefer compact and bijou as opposed to small and cramped but both descriptions fit just as well.

Competition Time – We are looking for a suitable name for our vans throughout our trip so get naming and there will be a prize for the winner.  Recognition of your name hereafter in this internationally read blog!

The first part of our journey is up the west coast of Australia from Perth to Exmouth (where we will be spending Christmas). Basically it is a slow meander up the coast visiting beaches and National Parks as we go.

To date we have been to Yanchep NP which gave us our first fix of Koalas, Roos, Ghalas and Kookaburras!

As the Koalas were so cute and very obliging for photos (excellent models as they don’t move much) on a designated Koala Walk this has given rise to our first new regular feature – KOALOA KORNER – each week we will bring you a photo or two of these cuddly locals and rest assured we will still have photos of them that you won’t have seen when we get home!  Dawn had full use of both cameras on this day so needless to say there are hundreds of shots.

For the Castells in particular we include our initial shot of a Kookaburra, despite what you might think this is not stuffed, nor in a zoo, but was captured in the wild – all those previous years of stalking them have finally paid off!!

For the last couple of days we have been within the Namburg National Park which contains the Pinnacles Desert.  An amazing place with a lunar like landscape, which has a huge number of rock pinnacles.  Please note none of the photos below have been digitally enhanced – would we have left our legs that white if we had altered the images??

We continue our travels up the coast tomorrow to Dongara, no doubt we will have more great beaches to show you next time.

Stay warm (Steph (who is kindly babysitting our house) – for you that means putting on an extra jumper, everyone else can switch up their heating!!) and only 20 more Christmas shopping days left.

Love to you all

Dawn and David xx