A Taxi takes us back to where we have both our vehicles stored and on our return there, I connect up both batteries that we disconnected before leaving for Bali. Both engines start at first go. Hurray! We park at two parrallel sites. Our Fridges are both empty, mine requiring a good internal wipe with a bit of bleach. We settle for hot Tomato soup from a packet and have a cracker with it before turning in for the night.
The following morning we book in, me for two nights and Jo for three, as she wants to head west for a few days while I am going south. On Wednesday morning its time for me to leave after collecting my mail and I leave a sad Jo to pursue her own travels for a few days, me feeling the same way.
Travelling on my own again after many weeks together with Jo, its like a new, different experience all over again, somehow lacking now, as there is no-one nearby to share and experience what I see… I very much miss the laugh and the banter going on as well.
I am spending my first night in a Park by the weir, just outside Waroona, about 100km south of Perth, where we both spent a night before going to Perth for our Bali adventure. I am amazed just how much the water level has dropped since our last visit there. Today, the place is deserted and very quiet. There was a little rain this afternoon, the smell of grass and Eucalypts, sweet and pleasing. I have a few slices of toast and some cheese before turning in on a very dark night.
The next morning, after coffee and breakfast I am on my way, heading south. I stay on the Western Highway until south of Roelands, where I turn to the East onto the Coalfields Highway towards Collie. The plan is to check out a campsite called Honeymoon Pool, about 25km west of Collie. The first 8km in toward Honeymoon Pool is sealed and in good condition, the final 5km in are gravel and quite badly corrugated, most times only allowing slow progress at snails pace, although constantly going downhill into a deep valley. Coming into the Park area, the road is sealed again. I am very glad I have come down as this is a truly magnificent spot. Located on the banks of a fast-flowing river, clear water and, although quite cold, about half a dozen kids seem to enjoy jumping in and having a swim.
Honeymoon Pool
I intend to do a bit of exploring, drive back out of the camp area to check whats ahead. After crossing the river there is a sealed road rising sharply out of the valley. I follow it to the top and after about 5km come to a T-intersection where my GPS tells me to turn left in order to get to Collie. As it turns out, I should have turned right but ended up driving about 50km on very dusty dirt tracks through the bush. When I finally get to a sealed road again, I find that I am almost 60km from Collie, where I need to go to the local Centrelink Office.
While I am in Collie, I discover a large Camping Store where I look to discover a nice new chair to replace the broken one I threw out at Perth, a much more solidly built one than the previous model. I now head back to Honeymoon Pool.
I have brought some minced meat, so decide to cook some german "Fleischpflanzl" and cook some spuds for a potato salad to go with it. The beer tastes good too and I share a bottle with my neighbor Jeffrey while sitting at his campfire. With our torches we also check on the crabs that come close to the shore, some of them quite a decent size too. By the time I call it a day its about 10.30.
In the morning, after consulting my maps, I decide to head further south for the coast again and try to stay at the Anglican Camp again on the "Holy Mile", just south of Busselton. Its such a lovely spot, right on the water, the view absolutely spectacular. I decide to spend a week here.
The Beach at the Anglican Camp
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