St.Davids Day - 1st. March 2010 - Perth W.A.

Well here, we are Folks,

6,839 Klicks (3,648 Miles) later and into my 12th and final Month, boy what a 12 months it has been!

Now, on the 1st March (St.Davids Day), we have completed the Nullarbor Plain (See details below), and just come via Bunbury up to Perth, (Where Jackie sadly departed for the UK), staying for a while with Steve and Christina, (Thanks for looking after me) just in time to place adverts (Media & Web) for my personal friend “The Nutcracker Sweet” as “For Sale” but, that is not the end story, lets go back to the beginning.

Firstly, and going back one step with the sale of NCS to “Lenny” at Malaccota (See last blog ending), Lenny needs to be described as the spitting image of “Steptoe” (Wilfred Bramble) to a “T” all he needed was the hat and scarf, he has no teeth and always, always, had a cigarette jutting from his mouth.

His Job? A Rag & Bone Merchant (Scrap Metal Dealer) and boy! could he tell them, (better than me!) He was a Millionaire one minute and a pauper the next, anyway the deal was that he would buy NCS for A$6,500 (A$500 Deposit) and I would deliver NCS to his home, after returning from Tasmania.

So from Paynesville (Visited Raymond Island and a Natural Koala Bear Park, what a show they put on, saw at least 20 Koala’s) we now head for Melbourne and the Ferry for Tasmania via Bairnsdale – Sale- Yarram – Port Albert – Foster - Inverloch – San Remo & Phillip Island, through the Mornington Peninsular.

Must tell you about both San Remo (Large Stingrays in abundance), and Philip Island, having met Tanya, Victor and Little man Anthony at Cool Waters camp in Cairns, this was their Home base, and what a delight, 1st San Remo and then 2nd Phillip Island, where we stayed at Cowes (Yes Cowes!) the weather was glorious, the camp-site (Amaroo) was great and the owners, superb.

The town, and eventually having toured the Island (Penguin Parade – Gran Prix Circuit (Motorbikes) – and Nobbies Point etc), was a tourist paradise, shops, ice-cream bars – restaurants and Beaches that would knock your eyes out!

We met with and were invited to attend a “Rabbie Burns Concert” by a group called “Vivace” who are a number of people involved with the “PIPS” organisation (Phillip Island Preservation Society).

It was a wonderful experience, lots of Tartan, loads of good Choir singing, Rabbie Burns Prose, a great cup of tea and slices of Cake (Dundee Cake) at the end. Thanks Folks enjoyed all thoroughly and I hope you like the photos?

Visited the Annual Food Market day, where lo and behold, a Pipe Band came marching up the street, a superb day.

On towards Melbourne, via the Mornington Peninsula, where we had been invited to stay with “Lenny & Grace” before setting sail for Tasmania, Lenny being the only man I know who can eat a T-Bone Steak without any teeth! In addition, drink like a whale! All the while having a Fag in the left-hand corner of his mouth!!

Then a Tour of Melbourne on the 26th January (Australia Day) a day when all Australian’s debate the value of their Heritage (The British Link) the value of having the Union Jack on their Flag and the angst of weighing the balance between being a Republic and remaining a Colonial outpost with the Queen as head!! but they do wrap themselves up in the Flag and parade their Australian credentials loud and clear, it was a sight to behold, with the centre of Melbourne (Flinders Square) being awash with young, the old, and tourist enjoying the day.

Melbourne is a shopper’s paradise, and being in competition with Sydney, attempts to outdo Sydney in every respect, the longest, shortest, tallest, fattest, and thinnest of everything, overall, a Great City to visit.

Then Tasmania here we come, leaving on the ferry “Spirit of Tasmania I” for a 14 hour crossing to Devonport.

Tasmania upon reflection was and is, a must-do destination, steeped in Convict Historical facts, places to visit and buildings that are preserved with all the trappings of the “Dark History” of what the English did to their own people, after shipping them off and out of sight, to the other side of the World.

Travelling to Port Arthur, via Burnie (Penguin Parade Visit) – Cooee (Camped) – Stanley – Allendale Gardens – Smithton – Marrawah (Also known as The End of the World) - Deloraine (Camped & visited Cheese Factory) – Latrobe – Hagley – Carrick – Launceston (Visited Royal Park/Brass Band & Camped) – Evansdale - Ross (Camped) – Tasmania’s Capital City Hobart (Camped & Visited Botanical Gardens) – Sorrel – Dunalley – Eagles Hawk Viewing Point– Snug (Camped) – Cygnet (Camped) – Middleton (Attended Country Fair Day) – Peppermint Bay – Huonville – Campbell Town (Where there are laid end to end 1,260 House bricks, naming each and every prisoner who had died in the system, stemming from Girls at the age of 7 (Stealing a loaf of bread), to Mutineers who had been sentenced to life imprisonment, or Death, a very visible tragedy laid out for all to remember) – Longford (Camped) – Perth – Lowhead – Georgetown finishing up back at Launceston (Camped) with a tour of the City and a visit to Cataract Falls/Gorge which again was a sight to behold.

Via Port Sorrell (Camped), for Devonport and the Ferry back to Melbourne having covered all the main points of interest in Tasmania over 2 weeks (There were many others, but you cannot do them all).

Back in Melbourne and having rung Lenny to announce our imminent arrival, but was unable to contact!! (A clear warning me thought!) into Melbourne and a storm that dumped 30cm of rain within 30 minutes onto the City.

Spent the Saturday cleaning and preparing NCS, for her pending new owner, after attempting to contact Lenny by various means, 6 times during the day, eventually getting contact with his wife Grace (Poor Wives! why do men have no balls to front-up, I do not know) at 9am on the Sunday Morning, who then informed me that Lenny had fled (My word) to a place called Portland, and would be there for 3 weeks, that meant of course, says I, that he had lost his deposit and good luck. (NCS did not want to be sold to him anyway!)

On the basis of that, the plan altered from Flying to Perth from Melbourne, to undertaking the arduous task of tackling the Nullarbor (Treeless) Plain, one of the Planets last challenges (20 odd years ago, people trembled at the thought of doing the Nullarbor due to the heat, unsealed road surface, lack of facilities, and very expensive petrol et al).

So having NCS checked over and getting a clear bill of health, loaded with Water and essential Food for the trip, we set off.

Boy what a trip, they have now sealed the road surface and that made it easier, 1771 Klicks (650 miles) in a straight line, across what was the most desolate place on earth, heat between 38-46° day after day, travelling via the Start of the Nullarbor (Ceduna) to the finish (Norseman) took 3 days, but the entire trip Adelaide to Bunbury via Ballarat – Horsham (Camped) - Bordertown – TinTinar – Keith – Tailem Bend – Port Wakefield (Camped) Poochera – Port Augusta – Kimba – Koongawa – Wudinna – Pygery – Minnipa – Ceduna – Penong – Yalata – Balladonia (Camped) – Gaiguna – Eucla – Esperance (Camped) – Albany (Camped) – Hopetoun – Ravensthorpe – Jerramungup – Bunbury took 9 days and 3,747 Klicks (2,200 Miles).

In addition, enroute travelled Australia’s longest and straightest road – 146.4 Klicks (90 Miles) in a very ruler straight line, was a bore!

We took the opportunity to visit the “Great Australian Bight” a remarkable sight, next stop Antarctica.

Endured 3 Time Changes in that time, between Melbourne, Adelaide and Bunbury a total of 3 Hours.

Boy what a Trek, Thank God that Jackie shared the driving!

We then spent and indeed needed a rest at Bunbury, Ron & Gloria (Friends) really went out of their way to make us welcome, and as I said in my 1st Blog, Boy! Can Gloria Cook!

Flora & Fauna:

Seen Large Stingrays, Emu’s, Deer, Squid, Sea-Lions.

As I have described before, and coming towards the end of this adventure, the varying Flora and Fauna that one beholds is immense, absolutely beautiful and stunning, one can use an amount of suitable words, but Folks, one day they will build a vast Bubble over Australia and name it the “Worlds Wonderland of Nature” and it will be in pristine condition and available for the World to enjoy!

Travel & Transport:

Petrol Mike has now jumped from an average of A$1.29 (£0.65p) per Litre to nigh on A$1.78 (£0.89p) per Litre, reflecting tax increases and the move towards improving the environment through resource taxation.

Travelling across the Nullarbor was just as I reflected in my earlier Blogs, from North Western Australia and The Northern Territories, huge Road-Trains, with the vehicle in front of you now about to enter London 300 miles ahead, how could you drive for 90 miles without seeing another vehicle?

The Nutcracker Sweet!

I have now to say “Goodbye” to “Nutcracker”, which will be a very sad affair, she has performed like a Lady, we have, on occasions, struggled a bit, but come out on top at the end, the very hard bit of this trip, was the Nullarbor and she was as sweet as a nut all the way.

Like all “Good Girls”, she has been a “Gordon Blue Chef” in the Kitchen, a “Friend and Companion” on the Road and a “Total Whore” in Bed!

The adverts I have placed, with the help of Ron and Christina, in and onto 3 Major Newspapers, a local newspaper and 2 websites (See: www.gumtree.com.au under Campervans as a reflection of the magic that is “The Nutcracker Sweet”.

They have had an immediate effect and I have seen 3 people in 2 days, posted asking price: A$8,000 (£4,000) but open to negotiations, if you want to tackle Australia in an excellent quality Camper-Van, make a bid now!

Funnies:

Whilst staying at one Campsite we were bothered by a barking dog, which went on all night, being unable to determine where the dog was located, the next morning went hunting for it, and then espied what I thought was the right Caravan.

Asking pointedly whether they had a dog that had been barking all night, the Owners explained that it was not them but a Very Large Owl that hooted like a dog and then proceeded to show us all (The whole Camp had by now congregated) 3 very large owls that started to hoot/bark like dogs in the branches overhead.

Embarrassed? Certainly!!

Health:

Now down to 11 Stone 3 lbs, WOW! I am fading fast, please send food parcels!!

Thanks:

I have to express my appreciation to both Ron & Gloria and Steven & Christina, for being so kind to me and affording me (Like all good Australians I have met) their kind hospitality, I hope when they come home to Blighty, I can repay their kindness.

There will be another and possibly final Blog before I end this saga, I hope you have, like me. Enjoyed the Adventure, but watch this space Folks I shall do my best to ensure you are up-to-date with the Future, which at this time is viewed from an Australian perspective.

Keep smiling.

Love you all Folks.

Nigel J Gauder
1st March 2010