Steve and Karen’s Road Trip- Perth -Albany- Margaret River
Photies show Perth skyline, Steve and Jo’s house Albany, Steve on balcony Albany, The BRIDGE Albany sea scape Close up of a REDBACK SPIDER, and me tunnelling in Fremantle prison – dressed as one of the Village People
Steve the super fit triathlon runer ( at the age of 70 ) kindly invited me to visit his and Jo’s other house in Albany . Only a short trip around 500 plus k.
In the same lovely politically correct hire car we set out on the fantastic drive to Albany. The scenery here is just so different to what I’d seen before. Lush green fields, forests, , farmland and so very very flat. It reminded me alot of Wales and the cool weather was a relief.
Albany- swimming with the locals
This little town is so quaint and the house of Steve and Jo is a wonderful old, charismatic rambling affair . Overlooking the bay and at the back a field( practically ) a garden of fruit trees and lovely lush plants and trees. It didnt feel like Australia at all, but it was bloody cold I can tell you.
Part of the deal with Steve was that he would introduce me to his swimming club pals. Aged between 50 – 70-plus and some younger people with special needs, these people could swim. The club meets regularly and organise a series of little races – in various styles of swimming. Steve I discovered had entered me into nearly every race .I came LAST every time. How mortifying.
Next day was spent exploring at a fast pace, the local gorgeous – isolated beaches, the fort,. the Monument Hill ( a fast jog up there ), and the Old Converted whaling station that is now thankfully a museum.
Other highlights included seeing the very daunting GAP a huge cliff face – narrow inlet where the sea comes crashing through . Terrifying to watch and where recently two young travellers met their deaths. Plus the BRIDGE an amazing rock monolith that forms a natural bridge.
That night was a wonderful time in the company of Bruce ( yes BRUCE ) and Barbara friends of Steve – drinking wine on a yacht club boardwalk , then steak and more wine at the house. A great laugh and great company.
This whole area around Albany is where the book Dirt Music- by Tim Winton is based. A small community that originally relied on the whaleing and fishing industry within the area. I read this book about two years ago , and fell in love with the sound and description of the place. Albany did not disappoint me.
Pemberton and Margaret River
On the 31st August was the long drive back to Perth via Pemberton and Margaret River.
On the way back we took in the GIANT TREE TOPS WALK
-a walkway through the tops trees as high as 60 metres. I also climbed the GLOUCESTER TREE. Now that seemed easy going up – very high indeed at around 60 metres, but I didn’t suffer the consequences until the next days – dear God I had thighs like I’d been in a fight with Mike Tyson.
We stopped for coffee in Margaret River which is another quaint town , but coz I was driving we could not sample the fame of area ie. the famous wines in the numerous vineyards around there.
Arriving back at Perth we worked out we had done around 800 km in a day. It felt like it I can tell you.
Back in Perth my last couple of days were spent looking at Kings Park – the views and going into the old prison tunnels in Fremantle.
POISONOUS SPIDERS In Tunnels
Here was my first encounter with a poisonous spider – the REDBACK- luckily the guide I was with spotted it first before I put my hand out on the wall…DEAR GOD. See picture of spider plus me garrbed up like one of the Village People – the construction worker..hey ho…
Tags: Travel
wanderingyoz