A Western Australian saga.

[drron]

We are now cruising to the Abrolhos Islands. No WiFi on-board but phone reception so I will give an abbreviated version of the cruise and when home I will fill in the gaps.
So after breakfast I will start.

 

[UP4014]

Would you believe the private infrastructure business ARC closed the rail freight network in Kalgoorlie as the winds hit Geraldton.

 

[drron]

Though Kalgoorlie was on the north of the ex cyclones path and the winds could have been severe. It also rapidly went Southwest and crossed into the Bight near Esperance on Monday night.

PS. Reception poor and intermittent.Can't upload photos so nothing pictorial before Monday.

 

[drron]

Really enjoying the trip. Good snorkelling with sea lion interaction as well as walks and history. Still not had enough crayfish. Though on that subject a fellow on board who did his PHD thesis on the Western Rock Lobster.
Pictures still unable to be uploaded.

Bad news for those that want to book this trip. It is booked out for the next 2 years.

 

[JohnM]

Bad news for those that want to book this trip. It is booked out for the next 2 years.

Just as well you didn't spit the dummy and go home!

Just think - when I went in March last year, I booked on a whim at fairly short notice in mid-January and Sonia just straight up gave me a discount because they were not full. I remember being taken aback and thinking at the time whether there was something wrong for her to offer the discount spontaneously.

Happy days!

 

[drron]

Well there were a a couple of other twists to.to the saga.
First my new phone decided not to work. At first not connecting to WiFi. Then not to the 4G network
finally yesterday the camera wouldn't work.

But arriving in Geraldton went to check in for tomorrow's flights to find both GET PER and PER BNE have been cancelled. Only 1 flight to Brisbane and no connections from Geraldton.
So on the phone to QF and it looks like the evening flight to Perth, overnight flight to Melbourne then on to Brisbane early Wednesday morning.

 

[Daver6]

Well there were a a couple of other twists to.to the saga.
First my new phone decided not to work. At first not connecting to WiFi. Then not to the 4G network
finally yesterday the camera wouldn't work.

You know you're not meant to use your phone as cray bait?

 

[cove]

Why fly direct when you can connect is not always a win.

 

[drron]

But at least the QF agent was excellent. She had to work hard to get us home still in J.

 

[drron]

So just a little more drama today but mainly for others. We only had to wait 40 minutes for a taxi which then took the scenic route to the airport.

But arriving at the airport a VA plane was just pushing back.One of the agents exclaimed there are a couple more bags. They then were sent on their way. I wonder how many people will arrive in Perth without bags.

Then there are the locals not wearing masks and drinking beer at 11 am.

Our Fokker has just arrived.

 

[Daver6]

Then there are the locals not wearing masks and drinking beer at 11 am.

I apologise on behalf of the locals. That's remiss of them. They should have been drinking beer since 8am. Slackers!

 

[drron]

Apologies accepted.
Now let's try to go back to the beginning.After our 14 days of penance in Sydney it was off to PER in style on 8/4.


Now to the food.I had what was supposedly a spicy pork dish.


Whilst mrsdrron was lamb and potatoes.


And a chocolate thingy for dessert.


There was IFE but no wifi.We didn't have earphones so mrsdrron watched the movie with sub titles and I read some OS news site that you could read offline.
Otherwise uneventful and arrived into PER on time.

Mrsdrron got through with no problems but the police officer I had couldn't scan my G2G pass.Wild thoughts went through my mind but another officer had no problems so off to Avis to pick up our hybrid Camry and off north we went.

 

[drron]

Our original plan was to stop in Cervantes that night so we kept that option as not a long drive.We stayed at the Pinnacles Edge resort next to the Pinnacles Edge motel.Resort was stretching it a little.
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And the views!
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[drron]

So now it was time to go and see the sun set over the Indian Ocean.
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[drron]

Now you know I don't stop at just 1 post with sunsets.And I did like this one.
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[drron]

And some more.
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The next morning a beach on the south side of Cervantes.Amazing numbers of willie wagtails.
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[drron]

Next to Lake Thetis and the stromatolites.
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You approach the lake on a raised walkway as the ground is actually a microbial mat.Unfortunately in several places footprints showing that some people find it hard to follow directions.
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[drron]

More of the stromatolites.
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[drron]

And thanks to 11sjw for taking the time to come out and say hello.Unfortunately we had been kicked out of the lounge at 1800.Got back in at 1950.One of the regrets was having to cancel a Perth dinner due to our enforced extra 7 days in Sydney.So it was great to see a WA AFFer.

But back to the story.You can't go to Cervantes without seeing the Pinnacles so a slight back track to see them.
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[drron]

We had got there before the visitor centre opened so not many cars doing the drive.
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