Busselton - the day that teh Rains came Down
Trip Start
Oct 12, 2005
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15
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Trip End
Apr 23, 2006
Busselton, Australia
Saturday, December 10, 2005
Busselton-our week of sun in the rain!
MOST OF OUR WEEK HERE IT HAS BEEN BLOWING A GALE AND RAINING SO WE HAVE NOT DONE VERY MUCH. HOWEVER, I WENT FOR A WALK ONE DAY AROUND A LITTLE HARBOUR AND RIGHT CLOSE TO THE SHORE THERE WAS A BOTTLE NOSED DOLPHIN. SEE IF YOU CAN FIND A PICTURE OF WHAT I SAW?
WHEN WE WENT ON COACH TRIP WE SAW A KOOKABURRA. WHAT IS THIS? I ATE SOME WITCHETY GRUB PATE. SEE WHAT YOU CAN FIND OUT ABOUT A WITCHETY GRUB? I THINK THEY CALL IT BUSH TUCKER!
THE NEXT TRIP WE WENT ON WE WENT TO A LITTLE ZOO WHERE THEY HAD ALL SORTS OF AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS. THERE WERE THREE LITTLE ORPHANED BABY KANGAROOS, YOU CAN SEE THIER PICTURE WITH SCRUFF. WHAT ARE BABY KANGAROOS CALLED IN AUSTRALIA? WE ALSO SAW SOME WOMBATS AND DINGOES. SEE IF YOU CAN FIND OUT WHAT THESE TWO ANIMALS ARE AND FIND SOME PICTURES. WE ALSO WENT TO A CRAZY BEER FACTORY WHERE I TRIED SOME BEERS WHICH TASTED OF CHOCOLATE - UGH! - AND CHILLI - NOT BAD !
NOW IT IS SATURDAY AND WE ARE BACK IN PERTH WITH A BIT OF SUNSHINE AND THIS EVENING WE ARE GOING TO A BIG CHRISTMAS PARADE IN THE CITY. IT IS REALLY FUNNY SEEING ALL THE CHRISTMAS LIGHTS WHEN IT IS SUMMER.
Well, would you believe it, we come all the way to Australia and travel 4 hours down the coast to a Beach Resort for a bit of sun and sea and its blowing a gale and pouring with rain and the locals are saying they have never had weather like it! We walked along the coastal path to Busselton. They have just had a big iron Man contest and the path was covered with some very funny messages for the runners. The pier, the longest wooden pier in the Southern Hemisphere is certainly spectacular at nearly 2 Kms long but not very inviting in a gale so we gave it a miss. Small town Australia is very pleasant. No high rises and lovely shops on broad roadways with very little traffic. We felt very much at ease. You also get a lot of house for your money. I think you could fit all of Beam Ends into just the living room of a Bungalow here!
It was so nice to here some familiar voices from home. We are not homesick yet but it has been a while now since we left. It was a pity you were up in London, Beth and John, but hopefully we will we speaking to you on Sunday. I am sending you an email with the details.
The weather is still not very nice but I finally got out for a bit of fresh air and while I was walking round the posh area of Port Geographe where they have boats moored right outside thier houses a Bottle Nose Dolphin appeared right in front of me and I didn't have the damn camera. Even so it was a great experience and another memoryo add to the ever growing things I will never forget.
I suppose the bad weather is not too bad for us since we will have plenty more opportunities to get some sun but it has been really sad seeing the families who are only down here for the week trying to enjoy a BBQ in the pouring rain.
We booked a Winery Tour today. Right up your mother's street. It turned out to be a very good day with a chance to try some Australian Food like Witchety Grub Pate and Roo Meat. By the time we had tasted at 5 Wineries the whole group was very happy!!! Some very nice wines in Margaret River but I did have a hangover the next day.
On Thursday, our last Day we took a scenic tour and it rained on us again! However, we did get the opportunity to see a lot moreof r the countryside, partly because I was sober this time, and I think one of the highlights has to be a visit to a small wildlife park. They had three orphaned baby kangaroos called Joey's they were nursing before releasing them back into the bush and they were adorable as you can see from the pictures. There were also Wombats and a couple of Dingoes that came and licked you hand and of course you could get quite close to Kangaroos, so a lot of firsts for us.
They also took us to a specialist beer maker where they did all sorts of wierd flavours. Would you believe chocolate - not to my taste- and chilli which I quite liked.
Well, it is Saturday morning (10th) and I am typing this up before heading for the Cyber Cafe.The weather is much nicer here in Perth and our hotel is right close to the Swan River with lovely walks along the Esplanade. This evening we are going to watch the Christmas Parade. I still can't get used to to the idea of Christmas in the summer!! Oh, and another of those coincidences, we met a Brit at the bus stop who used to be a teacher at Deyes Lane in the 60's. Before your time, I know , but stiil spooky. Well thats it up to date for now. The next bit will be all about our adventures in Perth coming up to Christmas. Then it's Ayers Rock and onward to Sydney.
