Across a Continent - on the road again...

The Indian Ocean - fall in Perth

Four hours in the air from Melbourne to Perth - and no small Saskatoon type plane.  This is one large continent for a relatively small population.  We said our goodbyes to Melbourne on Thursday, and are now in Perth.  Because of luggage restrictions on domestic flights ( ok - not quite true - for $15 a kilo, you can take all sorts of extra luggage.....or....buy a seat at twice the cost), we are down to one suitcase each.  That would have easy enough for us except that Rich's suitcase included a small barbecue....can't leave home without that....and Joan's held a printer...hmmmm...today's essentials have morphed a bit.

Port Melbourne City Hall

Our farewell tour of Melbourne the evening before we left included a two walk walk by some of our favourite sites and happenings, including:

A municipal City Hall with great pressence

Some 'run of the mill' Victorian architecture

The South Melbourne market - where produce and meat/fish were always fresh and generally cheaper than the grocery stores.

Some great old building - perhaps a theatre at one time, nearby our apartment on Victoria street

Add caption

 

Theatre ?

The market

 

Just another building

We had grown to really like Melbourne, but are thinking we will say the same of Perth - for different reasons.  Perth is a sprawling city.  Fortunately, we are close to downtown - but separated by King's Park and the river.  We are on the edge of King's Park, which is hectares and hectares big.  There are many bike trails, and parks everywhere.  The campus of Western Australia is beautiful, and has a number of great old architecturally interesting buildings.  Our apartment is reminiscent of Paris - in size only - back to about 400 square feet - though this one has a lovely little outdoor patio.

Home sweet temporary home

baseball of sorts.....

Added feature - we can watch cricket everyday in the park across from the apartment - or play tennis on the multiple grass courts a block away, or swim, or bike ( Rich couldn't stand not having wheels, so managed to find a used bike to buy today).




We are a distance from the ocean - well - about a ten minute drive....so won't be by it every day, however had a colleague of Rich's from the U of WA drive us around on Sunday - the water is so warm and clean.  It was - well - just what we hoped the Indian Ocean would be.  We had  a tour of Freemantle -an extension of Perth - architecture inspired by a gold rush and similar to Melbourne.

Flying

Beach scenery

Freemantle buildings

Sea to sky to sea again

Port Campbell Coastline

outside Grampians National Park

One last tour through Victoria.  With only two weeks to go in Melbourne, we have been attempting to see just a wee bit more of this beautiful state.  Last week we headed northwest three hours to Horsham to tour two farms.  It seemed appropriate to Rich and Eric - and Joan ended up in lengthy conversations with an education student home for the weekend at one farm, and a highschool teacher/farmer/wife at the other farm.  Australian education seems to share many of the same challenges we have back home.  The countryside was incredibly lush - wet and cool summer.

grazing

The farm tours were great - so many similarities to home - the machinery, the crops, the flooded fields....  One thing we hadn't had at home recently - locusts -  the sky was thick - and only one sign that made us go 'hmmmmm' ----"If locusts are blinding you, pull over"---good sign -of course, if you can read it....

The following day, we headed south through the Grampians National Park.  We had hoped to do a fair bit of touring, however the main road through the park was closed due to flooding - so we fond a small hike trail - about 2 km - to a small but pretty waterfall - and made it - stroller and all - until the last climb up rocks...

We took turns from there.  Along the way, we managed to see some grey kangaroos ( as in, the large variety).  They raced along beside our car - what a blast!

what are you looking at?

It was a real highlight to see these hoppers in action.  Eric managed a great video - they kept pace with the car for a kilometer or so - and he showed a steady hand and entertaining dialogue to accompany.  Sidebar:  Eric, Richard, and Randi decided to try some kanga for supper when we got home.  It is available in stores - apparently there is a quota for the beasts in the wild - they are not 'farmed' like cattle.  They went for the steak - looked a lot like rare beef when cooked.  They said it was like an excellent steak....Joan chose to be vegetarian that meal.

Coast near Port Fairy

The Great Ocean Road was interesting - beautiful landscape for the first part, before we became lulled into a state of scenery numbness by the incredible winding road.  The 12 Apostles were fantastic, and in spite of cool, cloudy weather, we did a fair bit of walking around Port Campbell at the coast.

some of the 12 Apostles

Randi, Eric & Kylie - enjoy Aus

 Eric even managed a swim at Apollo Bay - we were hoping to see some surfers - this is prime surf area, but they seem to pick fairer weather as well.  The few that we saw were definitely in 'learning mode'.

along the Great Ocean Road

Kylie is having a blast

And Kylie smiled throughout.  ....They sure make strollers more versatile than they used to!  This one did beaches, rocky paths, and wooden bridges - no problem.

 A few last bits of fun - a visit to the zoo - and Melbourne has a great zoo...  Incredibly well laid out.  We were there for the entire afternoon.....and saw some family - or relatives....or something.

Rich's next ag tour

village architecture

water everywhere - like home

The kids left on Friday & Rich had one last rural tour over the weekend while we are in Melbourne.  Joan stayed 'home' for a bit of r & r ( research and reflection this time) - catch up time for the classes.  We are now down to our last week - hard to believe it will soon be spring at home - and our year speeding by so rapidly.  We have just begun thinking about our return to Europe in June - with tent this time.