Campsites, Road Trains and Australians

This could be described as David’s Drivel on the trip so far (Ed)

Campsites

Pros:

• ·       Flexibility of sitting in the shade or sunshine (after you have asked to move twice! We are learning to check the site first now)
• ·        Hearing the waves crash against the beach (not in all camps but great when it does)
• ·        Flexibility of turning up whenever you like and paying about 30% of a cheap motel room
• ·      Having a fridge, microwave, kettle and toaster! – we can make tea and coffee with our biscuits (how British)
• ·   Generally very quiet but school holidays don’t start till the 15^th!! We are desperately trying to book non children campsites but this could be a challenge – tip look at pictures of sites, if it says pool, family friendly or has pictures of children in brochure go somewhere else. Trouble with this sort of tactic is that the better campsites usually include all the above three!
• ·        Australians – far too friendly for their own good (see below comments on Australians)
• ·        BBQ’s – they are everywhere including most beaches and just about every scenic car park! – A great place to meet people and in some places are very posh

 Cons

• ·       Loud neighbours, talking after 21:30!!
• ·        Children are allowed!!
• ·        Getting up early – usually 6.00-6.30 (but at least you can have a swim before it gets too hot!)
• ·        David wants a big 4WD V8 Turbo Intercooled vehicle that he can fit fishing rods and all general camping ‘stuff’ into as well as Jerry cans of fuel on the roof rack to travel around places – by the way it must have alloy side panels and the exhaust pipe coming out by the windscreen – snorkel style.

Questions – Replies to any of these would be very useful via the comments section the bottom of this blog.

• Why do men think that whilst being on a camp site it is acceptable to regularly wear either just their boxer shorts or occasionally mix and match with a tee shirt? (picture not included on decency grounds)
• Why do campers regularly not wear shoes/flip flops to the toilet?
• Why do men leave the shower door open whilst I am trying to clean my teeth (David’s comment by the way) – it has a door, use it!
• Why do people live in decaying old caravans (they could at least paint them pretty colours)? By the way the ones below are for sale £35,000!

• Why do 95% of campers have to read all the time (don’t they get bored)?
• Why do campers have every gadget under the sun that can allow them to survive months not only in the Australian desert but also probably the Antarctic and the Amazon (probably trailing the same caravan as well)!
• Why does it take 2 bottles of beer to put up a tent (unfortunately we do not have a tent and this is purely observational)?
• Why can’t our electricity cable lead be long enough to fit every pitch?

Road Trains

Well what can we say about these things other than they are scary!

Travelling in our little van which swerves enough in the coastal winds (we only have little thin tires) we regularly pass the large road trains carrying 3 or 4 containers on two trailers, as we pass them our little van shakes from the back draft coming in the other direction.

From now on though we have been advised we will start seeing more of the larger vehicles – these are the ones with three trailers. Lorry weighs 220 tonnes and the trailer is then filled with 220 tonnes of ore! This is then hurtling towards us at 70 mph and not always on its side of the road or alternatively coming up behind us to overtake!

The interesting part of all this comes down to the time we were chatting to a driver of these vehicles. He explains that if and when the back trailer starts to wiggle then the best way to keep it under control is go faster! This becomes quite interesting when one of these comes charging up behind you – we tend to find the next park stop and decide to have a 5 minute break!

Australians

Generally very nice people! –

Generous - we have already been given fish from someone for supper and on another night the local handyman provided us with a small lobster – cooked and ready to go as he had too many!

Amusing – Met an old couple of guys just coming back with their boat from fishing as we were walking along the beach so we asked if they had caught much – the answer in an Australian accent ‘nothing - not even a good looking piece of seaweed!’

Helpful – Advice is always provided freely – Don’t forget to ‘Slip Slap Slop’ this is all about suntan cream and hats etc – everyone keeps telling us this which is always amusing linked probably into our white legs! – another question we ask relates to ‘should we go to certain places?’ one person says ’go for it you may never come back and it is amazing’ the next ‘its too bloody hot up there and the midges wee on you and you come up in nasty blisters’

Well Travelled – Especially the ‘Grey Nomads’ They have been everywhere so if you want some advice just ask – please note above though.

Grey Nomads – Met a number of these already – basically retired, sold up most things and are just travelling around Australia for the fun of it. Sounds very interesting and we must follow up on this one.

This weeks travels

More beaches including some excellent snorkelling on a small marine reserve off Kalbarri with numerous different coloured fish.

Went into a lovely Canyon and hiked down to the Murchison River where we saw our first bouncing Kangaroos (seen a few before but they have been stationary!)

I appreciate this is not the best picture in the world but it was taken by the passenger whilst trying to slow down!

Went to the biggest Parrot Aviary in Australia with a huge open fly zone for over 100 parrots to fly around you freely – a fantastic time. Dawn now wants a talking parrot!

Sat on the beach eating fish and chips watching an amazing sunset. By the way the sunset got much better than this picture shows but we had finished the food by then!

Off to Denham and Carnavon for the next week where there should be some more amazing beaches, Dolphins that come up to the beach and another superb national park.

Koala Korner

Look no Hands!

Only a few more shopping days till Christmas – have you got everything yet?

By the way just to let you know there is no proper beach shot this week as the Jersey Tourist Board (a very little Island between England and France) has placed an injunction on our site complaining that their beaches are as good as the ones we have shown. This is still in dispute and I am sure we will be able to show you more next week (Neil – the beaches here are better, lovely white sand, no one on them and it is 30C – Jersey if you are lucky is just cold!)

Love

David and Dawn