50. Singapore again and home!

I left Perth after 3 fabulous weeks with Ben, and flew to Singapore on my first leg home. I had met Kay on my way to Yangon in December, and she had invited me to visit her in Singapore. So I did.... I got the MRT to her flat and met her parents and flat mate. Her mum cooked a wonderful Burmese meal, and we had a lovely evening...

Then I caught the bus back to the airport and checked in. I passed these beautiful daffodils in the airport.... probably the only ones I'll see this spring as I've missed them at home 

And then 14 hours (including 6 hours sleep and two films) later I'm back in UK.... To a fabulous welcome back!

It's good to be home! Until the next time, adieu!

49. Our road trip south

We set off south toward the Margaret River area in the far south west of Australia. About a 2 hour drive brought us to Bunbury, a little town on the coast with an inlet with white mangroves. 

It is the most southerly mangrove colony in Australia and has a boardwalk built especially to enable a better view, and it is a haven for wildlife.... Beautiful!

We travelled on to Margaret River itself and stayed the night. It is a small town just inland, so of course we had to go to the coast for the obligatory sunset... 

Not a red sunset this time.... And you can tell we were further south.... It was cold! Jumpers on! Coats still not needed.... It was the end of April so Australian autumn

The next day we went to Cape Leeuwin and the lighthouse, the furthest south western point in Australia

Just along the coast was this petrified water wheel

Where we stopped for a coffee

We drove through some amazing woodland... Such beautiful trees and so tall...

Where the fairies dwell...

We carried northwards along the coast road to a bay near Cape Naturaliste lighthouse where we watched the surfers

Then on to Busselton and a stop for some wine tasting at a small vinery. They don't sell to shops or restaurants, just from their own outlet on site where they also make the wine.

The lady was very helpful and gaves us tastings through all the whites, then the reds, then onto the ports.... Beautiful! We did spit a lot out into the bowl provided.... Honest! 

I bought some to take home for friends and family..... And myself of course! The a chill on the beach to enjoy the taste of the wine, and watch the fishing....

before arriving at the last campsite before home

A thoroughly enjoyable adventure....

48. Our road trip north

Ben took me north along the coast for a few days..... Exploring..... 

First we went to Lancelin where he had been before. We walked along the beach

Then settled down to have a barbie and watch the sunset...

We had parked in the beach car park and we decided to stay overnight. You're not meant to but we were on our way well before the rangers arrived. 

The sand dunes in the background of the photo above were our next stop... Inland dunes used for four wheel drive off-road adventures. We didn't have a four wheel drive tho....

Ben got his Go-Pro camera out with his aerial drone to fly above the dunes, using a towel for takeoff so the sand didn't fly everywhere with the down draught!

Unfortunately as we left the dunes the camper got stuck in the sand..... And we weren't even off the track of the road! Luckily some well-equipped Aussies were nearby and they towed us out.... They only towed us about 3 feet but it had been enough for us to get stuck up to the axle in sand..... Phew! Made it.... So easily done...

Driving north from Lancelin we headed to the Pinnacles, a fabulous limestone stalagmite landscape and national park

And then on to Jurien Bay, a beautiful spot famous for its sky diving.... We went to a campsite and checked in, then explored the beautiful coastline

The next day we continued north along the coast to Kalbarri.... By this time we were about 7 hours drive north of Perth..... But a mere dot on the whole map of Australia. It's a big place! By now the landscape was changing from the beautiful sand dune coastlines to a more rugged and red sandstone scenery

Kalbarri itself is sheltered from the westerly swell and surf by an isthmus of land creating a beautiful lagoon

You can see how rough it is outside the protected lagoon

And inside.... Tranquility 

We met some of the locals

We stayed two nights here it was so beautiful. The second day we headed inland into the national park. There are still a lot of dirt track roads in WA once you get out of the city (city not cities as there is only one city in WA...!)

The scenery was what I imagine the Grand Canyon to be like.... Only smaller. This is Nature's Window.....

It was so hot..... And the flies..... Well I can see why Crocodile Dundee had a hat with corks hanging from it! We only had a scarf each, and on all the photos of us we just took them off for the photo very quickly then put them straight back on again..... Nightmare! 

And with the head scarf!

Then we finally got off the dirt roads and back onto Tarmac again...

And back to the coast where we snorkelled and enjoyed the escape from the flies and the heat. But the snorkelling was quite surreal as we were in a lagoon protected from the huge surf pounding just a few feet away..... 

That's me in the water....

The next morning we drove back to Perth.... Had a lovely few days away and there is so much more to explore. Next time....