Inside Australia
Now dear reader you might ask why “Inside Australia”. Well this is because we have had a cultural experience out here 51km from Menzies beside and on Lake Ballard. In 2003 the Australian taxpayer (perhaps there were some sponsors as well) appears to have funded Antony Gormley, a renowned British sculptor, to install 51 figures on the salt encrusted lake surface. Now it takes about a day to wander around the lake and see them all. We didn’t do this, saw about 7 of them in an hour or so; they are about 200 metres apart, or so it seems.
Jane
Fred
Now these 51 figures are all derived from laser scans of Menzies inhabitants. They are reduced , cross sectioned and played around with to finish up with what the sculptor has called “insiders”. I suppose they have been reduced to their bones and not much more. Males are distinguishable from females.
Fred again
Jane again
Now for the culture bit:
“The Insider reveals an attitude in a taut abstract shape formed by the passage of the person’s life. Out on the salt lake they become antennae in space in relationship with each other but also with the land and the limit of our perception: the horizon,” says Antony Gormley.
Now that is interesting stuff. Allthego took his camp stool out on the Lake and sat down and had a brief chat with one of these “insiders”. She didn’t have much to say. Went on about how wet it had recently been and how she always got a thrill out of seeing people out here on the Lake. She wondered why I was sitting on a chair. I said this was because she and her 50 mates were all standing up. Maybe Antony should have had one of them sitting down, would have added a talking point to the whole thing.
Allthego explaining the big picture to Bertha
The whole installation left one a bit mesmerised, particularly as away in the distance a mirage gave the appearance of water in the lake. Allthego thinks that maybe the message is about stripping away the trappings of life, engaging with the natural environment, rejuvenating the soul and moving to a higher plane and level of consciousness.
Or something like that.
An interesting day out and a long drive back to Leonora.
Northern Gold and other metals
Since leaving the Great Central Road we have spent our time in Laverton and Leonora, in WA’s north-east goldfields to the north of Kalgoorlie. One of things that is good about this is that we have returned to something like normal diesel prices. Along the GCR the top price paid was at Warakurna, $2.40 l. On the Plenty Highway the Station owners got plenty at $2.00 l. We are now down around $1.40 l.
Allthergo checking the route. It was 4 degrees and he didn’t mind being seen in his Parra Eels’ blanket and Blues’ beanie.
It’s all about gold out here, with nickel thrown in for good measure. Laverton is famous for the Windarra Nickel Mine. For those old enough Windarra is the nickel mine that Poseidon NL promoted in 1969-70 and went from almost nothing to $280 a share within a few weeks. As with a lot off these situations Poseidon did not ultimately develop the mine as it went broke, others did. It is now almost 25 years since the mine closed and the area rehabilitated. Some of the old equipment has been left in place, but the whole site is now returning to a ‘natural state’. Many tons of seeds were planted and the landscape ‘moulded’ back to its ‘original’ form. It does look good. A bit of new exploration is going on in the area, maybe a new mine will emerge.
Poseidon NIckel Mine site
Mt Morgans Council Chambers
Laverton, like Leonora, is a bit of a shadow of its former self. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s there were thousands of people on the gold fields. The town around the nearby old Mt Morgan’s Mine (not to be confused with Mt Morgan in Queensland) had 3,500 people there, only one building remains today, the Council Chambers. The old railway platforms are there also, leading off to Perth 550 km away.
John Aspinal’s grave. The 23 year old New Zealand prospector died from a lightning strike and was buried here in the middle of nowhere in 1896. The grave was discovered and restored in 1980.
The town of Menzies, where we went a couple of days ago had over 10,000 inhabitants in the early 1900s. The whole Shire of Menzies today number a little over 400.
Back in Leonora the main street is very quiet. But there are three pubs to keep the locals amused. In a sister town nearby Gwalia, there is a large gold mine, Sons of Gwalia. This is a famous old mine dating back to the late 1800s. It shut up shop in 1963 a few days before Christmas and the population left almost immediately, several hundred people. They left a ghost town, the remnants of which have been preserved.
Typical 1950s/early 60s shanty house at Gwalia.
Kitchen in one of the shanty houses
The butcher in Leonora, Neil Biggs, lived in the early 1950s as a young boy in one of these shanty type houses. He is known as Niggy, it took Allthego a bit of time to work that one out. We spent an hour so wandering around looking at this amazing little human landscape.
Biggs the butcher in Leonora, still uses a wooden chopping block. Lived as a young boy at Gwalia in early 1950s.
Up overlooking the open cut mine is the grand Mine Manager’s House. It was built by Herbert Hoover in 1898 when he was the Mine Manager at Gwalia. He later went on to become the 31 st President of the USA in 1931. Today it is a B & B.
Gwalia open pit
In recent years the mine has reopened. The old open cut mine pit is also one of those postcards you see from time to time. Deep. The mine today goes further underground to a bit over a kilometre, it takes an hour and half for trucks to come to the surface.
We now move on to Sandstone, a little bit further north and west and on the edge of the eastern goldfields, fields and heading for wheat and sheep areas. The wild flowers are also starting to emerge as we come into Spring.
It’s been great on the Great Central Road
All 1100 km of it, along mostly gravel roads, from Yulara to Laverton in Western Australia. We have had two stops along the way at roadhouses and have enjoyed the remoteness of location, the clear night skies and, yes, the rather chilly nights. The hot water bottles have remained in mothballs though. Campfires have warmed the bones before retiring under the donnas.
The road ahead for 1100 km to Laverton
Some steaks on the camp fire
The road has not been nearly as bad as the guide books paint. We have been lucky it seems. A manager at one of the roadhouses says they have never been better, usually not as good as this and certainly a lot better than 5 years ago (when the guide books were written maybe). Long stretches of smooth gravel and clay, not quite a snooker table, some corrugations and wash outs. The Isuzu and van have handled it well. Couple of minor problems with our rear vision mirror camera and the road just shakes the clip on mirrors, making them next to useless. This is not really a problem because there is not exactly a lot of traffic to worry about in these parts.
A little bit of water encountered, got through on the right bank before going to the left bank!
Weather balloon released at the Giles weather station at Warakurna
Have seen some interesting places along the way. Lasseter’s cave, where he holed up for 20 days or so, in the 1930s, before setting out and subsequently dying in the desert. He was still looking for his ‘lost’ gold reef west of Alice Springs and Uluru. He had originally ‘found’ it in the 1890s. The cave was a fascinating spot beside a river bed. Allthego had a dig in the dry river bed sands and about 20 cm down water started to pool. Maybe it was there when Lasseter was , maybe it wasn’t. Who knows now?
Allthego with the tyre changing equipment at Warburton Roadhouse, he could barely pick the hammer up
Lasserter’s cave, Allthego emerging
Our route has taken us through the Gibson and Great Victoria deserts. The landscape though has been awash with vibrant colours, particularly the yellow flowers of cassias. A small patch of Sturts Desert Pea also jumped out at us, these are quite scarce it seems.
Amazing, a clay pan beside the road in the Great Victoria Desert full of water!
The Giles Breakaways, not far from Laverton
The trees and bushes are also looking in great condition following the rains. Spinifex stretches for miles either side of the road, with their seed stems wafting in the breezes.
A camel giving us a good look
Some Sturts Desert Peas giving us the eye
We have spotted a camel and a few lizards, nothing much else.
The red dust though has been a bit of a trial in the house keeping duties. It just gets into everything. We are now in Laverton and will tomorrow head north-west towards Mt Magnet, stopping first at Leonora and then Sandstone for a few days.
Uluru
We have now been at Uluru for a couple of days. After leaving Gemtree we made a quick stop in Alice Springs to replenish the pantry before moving a further 90 km south to stay the night at Stuarts Wells. This place has been around a while but is clean and neat. There were a couple of emus locked up in a cage around one of the wells, a few ducks and chickens as well. We made a reasonably quick getaway from here the next morning after having breaky in the road house, a big plate of bacon and eggs for Allthego and a likewise big plate of scrambled eggs for Homealone. Have to keep our energy up somehow.
Stuarts Wells camp site
Old man emu at Stuarts Wells
Arrived at Uluru around 3 pm and set up camp. The next day was pretty easy, basically wandering around the campsite area and catching sunset over the Rock.
Its a rock slide
Sunset at Uluru
The stop over here was really to see the Field of Light in the evening. This is an installation of light bulbs on stems. The Field was designed by a Englishman, Bruce Munro who has put together a number of these things in Europe and the USA. He visited Australia 25 years ago and from there the idea sprung. It took till now to do it. His biggest one so far. It sits in a shallow depression about 7 km from The Rock. There are 50,000 of these lights which are computer controlled and periodically change colour. It is spread over an area equivalent to nearly seven football fields and is solar powered. Amazing, we wandered around the field for about an hour. There is no particular pattern to it. Makes you wonder about the Min Min Lights.
Field of Light
Tomorrow we head for Western Australia down the Great Central Road 1100 km of mostly gravel to Laverton. This is going to take us three days and we will be off the air for this time.
Plenty to see on the Plenty Highway
Leaving Bouila we headed off down the Donohue Highway to Tobermorey.
Just a short drive to our destination.
The road was written up as a pretty terrible, full of corrugations, bull dust holes and other perils. Disappointingly, there were very few of these. It seems that things have been on the improve. There was plenty of bitumen.
Its down this way.
And along here……….
But it was still a long and dusty drive to Tobermorey. Here the facilities were a little basic, when the station generator was going the lights were on and the shower water pumped plenty nice and hot. When the generator wasn’t on none of this happened. Allthego was caught short all lathered up when bingo, the generator went out. 10 minutes later it came on again and all was well for Allthego. Now there is a Tobermorey on the Isle of Mull in Scotland. Nothing like this cattle station in western Queensland! But, like in Scotland, there was plenty of green grass to set up on so it was a very pleasant stopover.
At rest at Tobermorey
Next morning we were off down the road to Jervois cattle station. We crossed into the Northern Territory and joined the Plenty Highway for the 220 km journey. Now this was all gravel with plenty of corrugations, but again not too bad. Wouldn’t like to have the family sedan on it though. A highlight along this stretch was stopping at a turkey mound (hope I have this right) beside the road. Now, in the natural world these so called turkey mounds occur where the water ‘leaks’ out of the artesian basin to the surface and forms ponds.. Graziers have humped these up above the surrounding plain to form mounds, these days adding pumps to assist the natural flow. They are havens for birds. We saw plenty of finches and a few parrots and ducks.
The Turkey Mound
This is a large Termite mound.
Jervois Station was a little more basic than Tobermorey. How much? Well it was a 300 metre walk to the facilities. And it was plenty dark too! But the showers were plenty hot and there were no generator issues. The highlight here was completing the Census and handing our paper copy to the station people for later collection by census staff moving along the Plenty Highway. Plenty of room for issues here.
Jervois facilities
Camp site at Jervois
The country side has really been great, the bush in plenty good shape but still needing plenty more rain this coming spring/summer.
Next morning, we were off on the final 200 km leg along the Plenty to Gemtree. This took us past the Harts Range community, famous for its annual race day. It also has the only police station along this 800 km stretch of road. Two officers are stationed here to keep control. Enough said!
Gemtree is a camping ground, plenty of facilities. It specialises as a venue for gem fossikers. No grass, just that lovely red dirt surrounded by mulga trees. We were there for two nights. On our first night we enjoyed an absolutely tremendous camp oven dinner put on by our hosts. Plenty of roast beef, potato, pumpkin, onion, cauliflower, brocoli and gravy. Bit of cheese sauce in there too.
Among the Mulgas at Gemtree
The next day Allthego undertook a strenuous walk examining the various flora of the region. Homealone was holed up at the van immersed in a cross stitch. The walk took a little longer than estimated. Homealone became concerned as the return time passed, so she called out a posse to search for the lone explorer. The quad bike posse found Allthego striding up the final stages of the walk and transported him to the campsite, despite various minor protestations that it wasn’t really necessary. There was a bit of discussion after this about the necessity of it all. All’s well that ends well, someone said!
The night concluded over a camp fire with some tasty BBQ chicken kebabs and rice.
Homealone reckons there is plenty to see on the Plenty Highway!
As the night descended we reflected on the plenty of things we had seen on the Plenty Highway. One of the great Australian road trips. We now head for Uluru.
Bouila bound
We have arrived in Bouila. It was a great drive up the Kennedy Development Road. Not the one laned snake we were led to believe, plenty of double laned sections and wide verges. Country was looking good with green grasses and cattle enjoying the sun. They were unaware of their ultimate destination.
A long way to Bouila
Along the Kennedy Development Road
Along the way we stopped for lunch at the Middleton Hotel, steak sandwiches and chips. This is the last standing staging stop on the Cobb & Co route between Winton and Bouila. A movie has recently been made here, Goldstone, with Jacqui Weaver among the cast. Lots of sets were set up here , including a brothel next to the pub. All have now gone. Not sure about the movie.
Middleton Hotel
Lilleyvalle Hills from the Cawnpore Look out
Further along we stopped briefly at the Hamilton Hotel ruins site. A thought had been given to staying overnight here. We didn’t, it was a bit too far out there. Concerns were also had for the Min Min lights. One could sense their presence in the place. Although, later at the Min Min Centre in Bouila we learnt that we couldn’t sense them…………. they could sense us. So we could have stayed there after all!
In Bouila, we have gone to the two attractions the town has to offer. Firstly, the Stonehouse Museum which holds the usual collection of historical memorabilia that country towns have. Its major collection though is fossils from the ancient inland sea. Quite a good display. Secondly, the Min Min Centre. Now this was seriously good. A bit tongue in cheek. Tells the story of the Min Min lights, or Jack O’lanterns. Mysterious orbs that appear as if out of nowhere and follow you around, disappearing as quickly as they appear. We haven’t seen any yet. We keep being told that there is no point looking for them, because they find you!
Bouila campground
Bourke River at Bouila
Bouila is situated on the banks of the Burke River, named by Burke (of Bourke & Wills fame) when he travelled through these parts. Tradition suggests he filled his water bags in the river not far from our camp ground. It is a small town of about 300 people. There seems to be plenty of community energy around with some good facilities, only one pub though……….. the appropriately named Australian Hotel. No banks.
Racing camels at leisure
Abba are coming to Bouila
Tomorrow, we leave Bouila and head down the Donohue Highway to the Northern Territory border. There it becomes the Plenty Highway. Near the border we plan to stop for the night at Tobermoray, a cattle station with camping facilities. A further 200 km on is Jervois Station for our next night and then a camp ground at Gem Tree, not far from the Stuart Highway. All gravel it seems.
There is no internet for the next few days. So there will be big update to come.
The Adventure begins
It is 9 o’clock pm and we are here in Winton, 3 days out from Brisbane and on our way tomorrow to Bouila. It is the start of the meandering over to Western Australia. It is 350km to Bouila along the Kennedy Development Road. This is a highly technical description of a one lane sealed road. We have had an uneventful 3 days so far. Stopping overnight in Roma, Blackall and here in Winton. A rather chilly first day has been followed by clear sunny skies with a little nippy wind from the south. The sun disappears and the temperature drops. Wandering off to the loo at 4 in the morning has been problematic and has required some diligence.
Giant meat ant at Augathella up a pole. You have to be careful of these chaps.
Our route is taking us from Bouila, a bit to the south-west of Winton, across the Donohue and Plenty Highways to the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory; about 650 km of gravel road and no doubt with the odd corrugation or two. From there we head down to Alice Springs and Uluru. From Uluru we head to Waverton in WA across the Great Central Road, another 1,100km of gravel. We should be there about the 18th August. It is then off around the southern half of WA before returning across the Nullarbor to Brisbane.
All up its 91 days, now 88 before we return to Brisbane at the end of October. Homealone is not yet counting.
We have just returned from dinner, splashed out at the Tatts Hotel on a chicken parmie and kiev, absolutely full of nomads spilling out onto the footpath. The publican was having a great night, not to mention the violet haired bux0m bar maid/wench (should’t call her that should I…….perhaps waitress) keeping up with the food orders from the milling nomads. Back at the campground we have had an hour of great bush poetry, plenty of Banjo Patterson as you would expect in Winton.
The countryside out here is showing great signs of recovery from drought, following a rainy 6 months. One suspects follow on summer rains will be needed though to do the job properly. It is green everywhere and the dams are full.
Winton countryside
Dam near Barcaldine
On the way to Bouila we may stop for the night at the Hamilton Hotel ruins. The mysterious and chilling Min Min lights have been seen in these parts. It is one of the compelling reasons to stop there, 80 km short of Bouila, to get a glimpse of them. But. I have been told that ‘one does not go looking and find the Min Min lights, the Min Min lights find you.’
Until Bouila…….
Cape Wickham calling
Cape Wickham is the northern most tip of the Island, 48 km from Currie. It’s a mostly sealed road with about 7 km of smooth gravel to reach the Lighthouse and golf course. Before settlement King Island was a heavily timbered island with thick tea tree scrub. There are remnants of this in the south-east, but in the north it has been largely cleared. It is now covered with beef and dairy cattle grazing on very rich pastures, many head to the acre.
KI all bull here
KI beef on the foot
Along the way we stopped off at a few of the beaches and rocky outcrops. One of the touristy things to do on KI is to visit the cairns and plaques that have been placed on the shoreline marking the areas where numerous ship wrecks occurred in the 1800 and early 1900s. Many of these occurred due to the lack of a lighthouse on KI. Ships coming through Bass Strait sailed too far south and, particularly during the frequent storms, ran into the numerous reefs off KI. The loss of the Cataraqui in 1845 prompted the building of the lighthouse at Cape Wickham in 1861. Over 400 free immigrants, half of them children, aboard the Cataraqui died. Many are buried in unmarked mass graves near the beach. There were only 9 survivors from the Cataraqui and to this day it is Australia’s worst ever peacetime disaster.
Porky’s Beach
Cape Wickham Lighthouse
At 52 metres the Lighthouse is the tallest in the southern hemisphere and is constructed of KI granite with 3 metre thick walls at the base. Quite a spectacular backdrop to the new links golf course which runs along the shoreline. The beach here is actually in play at one hole and serves as a bunker. The course is attracting golfers from all over the world, with charter groups flying in for lunch and a round of golf.
Cape Wickham Golf Course, with Lighthouse at back
Cape Wickham Golf Course
The eastern side of KI is more protected from the prevailing westerlies and the bays and beaches are long and sandy. We dropped in on Disappointment Bay, not a soul to be seen anywhere. There were large granite boulders strewn along the shore, crystal clear water and rolling waves would make this a good surfing spot in warmer months.
Disappointment Bay
Currie was calling and we needed to head back to Craypot Cottage for dinner. A lobster was in the fridge for dinner.
Splashed out on half a lobster each
Next day we are headed home to Brisbane. It’s been a great few days on KI. The food has lived up to expectations. Particularly, the melt in the mouth filet steak (with garlic butter sauce, Leanne had an equally good pepper sauce) at Admiral Benbow’s Restaurant in the Currie Golf Club. If you are ever on KI don’t miss it!
King Island time
The day after the Long Table we were a little sluggish. We also had to move house, so it was to be a quiet day.
We were off to Craypot Cottage, which sits on the hillside among the native vegetation overlooking the Southern Ocean. On a clear day one could see South America, if it wasn’t so far away. The local mayor has cornered the market and is bottling ‘Cloud Juice’, the clear unpolluted water from the skies. It is brought to the Island from across the sea by the roaring forties. He sends it all over the world. Much like the local lady who evaporates sea water and flavours the resultant sea salt with garlic, dried celery and seaweed. It is served at Parliament House in Canberra and is also sent all over the world.
Craypot Cottage
Nearby Craypot Cottage is Currie Harbour and the local Lighthouse. Beneath it sits the Boathouse Cafe. It is ‘owned’ by Caroline, our landlord at the Craypot Cottage. It is open to one and all for lunch and dinner. The only trick is that you bring your own food and use the BBQ and other facilities. It seems to do a roaring trade with someone in it most days. We took some Fish n Chips there for lunch.
Currie Lighthouse and BYO food restaurant
Inside BYO food restaurant
The Cottage is a great little spot surrounded as it is by the native vegetation, as well as resident wallabies perching themselves on the verandah looking in expectantly for their weet-bix.
In front of the fire at the Cottage
Sunset at Craypot Cottage
Resident Wallaby
Off tomorrow for Cape Wickham and the famous Lighthouse.
King Island Festival ‘Long Table’
We have previously heard about this event, not sure where, and had thought that it was one of things one should do. If the opportunity arose. One of the advantages of the Green Ponds cottage is that it is only a short walk to where the long lunch is held. In the morning we had gone out for a short drive over to Grassy on the other side of the Island, about 30 km away. Grassy was previously the main population centre but it is now fairly thinly populated. It had a scheelite (used in steel making) mine which had been closed a few years ago, throwing 700 or so out of work. Many houses abandoned. Anyway we rushed back to Currie so we wouldn’t be late. After sharpening ourselves up we set off on the short walk to the location of the Long Table.
Arriving right on time at 12.30 pm. It seemed a bit quiet. Anyway we eagerly climbed the stairs and burst through the doors to be met by puzzled looks from some wait staff mingling near the door way. They said we were early. And they were right, we Queenslanders hadn’t put our clocks back for the end of daylight saving. They didn’t kick us out, just sent to the verandah to sit it out with a glass of wine.
Soon the masses were arriving, about 160. Three long tables. The guest of honour was Martin Clunes, of Men Behaving Badly and Doc Martin fame. He was on the Island doing a documentary on Australia’s Islands.
It was a great afternoon of eating and chatting with one and all. All life long buddies by days end. There were 6 courses (modest sizes) showcasing seasonal Island produce, followed by a KI cheese plate. All rather good.
A few snaps tell it all.
First course,fish and abalone
2nd, KI smoked eel and lobster tail chowder
3rd, KI beef tataki with KI seaweed salt
4th, KI lamb balls with tomato and red pepper salsa, roasted almonds
5th, KI milk braised pork, gnocchi, roasted pear, walnut and blue cheese
The 6th course featured a desert of Cinnamon bread pudding with local poached quince and clotted cream. This was followed by a plate of KI cheeses.
It was a great lunch. Maybe something to do again. It also makes one thankful to be able to enjoy such great food. It was a long slow walk back to Green Ponds.
King Island
We have been here on King Island now for a few days. For those loyal readers who don’t know where King Island is, it is at the western edge of Bass Strait which separates the mainland of Australia from the island state of Tasmania.
It’s a wild and woolly place with very variable weather; sunny one moment, rainy the next, super windy one day, calm the next. We are staying in a small cottage, Green Ponds, in the middle of Currie, the largest town on the island.
Green Ponds cottage
The main reason for popping down here from Brisbane was to attend the annual Long Table Festival. This 3 day event has as its main attraction a ‘long table dinner’, which runs from 12.30 pm to 4.30 pm (technically). We actually finished about 6pm. But more of that later.
Our first day was fully occupied by a tour of various farms and agricultural pursuits. A biodynamic organic farm operation that produced some great little carrots and just the sweetest beetroot and tomatoes. Then onto the KI Cheese factory, little needs to be said about this, just some great cheese. Next was the seafood processor where we saw some fresh southern rock lobsters and giant crabs that had not long been brought in by the fishing fleet. One significant lobster specimen was about 3.5-4 kg and would bring close to $400 when it hit the end consumer. Octopus and eels are also a bi product of the catch.
Giant Crab
Big Lobster
Other spots along the way were at a beef cattle property. A stop at a wool, possum hair spinner, cum feral cat skin processor establishment in the forest. She was an interesting lady to say the least. Leanne subsequently acquired some of her wool for a scarf project, would not come at a cat skin though.
Robyn Eades, spinner. An icon of the Island
Also learnt something of the abalone industry on the island and the difference between black lipped and green lipped abalone. And, yes the difference is that one has black lips and the other green lips. The green ones though seem to be more sought after.
Green Lip and Black Lip abalone
Cows looking at us in the bus
In between all this we fitted in a lunch, which show cased a selection of these various products. A long day ended with ‘welcome drinks’ and canapes at an art gallery. Unfortunately, we missed out on the crayfish sliders which were gobbled up fairly quickly while we were outside admiring the view.
Next morning we set off for a drive down to Stokes Point which is the most southern point on KI. The road gets progressively worse all the way to the end. Starts with bitumen, then gravel, then a sandy type track, then stones. It winds it way along the coast, in some sections it would seem that the sea would come across it in a storm.
Leanne at 40 south
Turkey
The main attractions along this route include the cliff top look out at Seal Rocks and the nearby calcified ‘forest’ of tree roots that date back about 7000 years.
Seal Rocks
Calcified roots
Closer to Stokes Point is the Sealers Wall, constructed in the early 1800s by sealers to herd seal up against to assist in the slaughter. We couldn’t quite get to Stokes Point, as there is a small watery causeway to cross.
Sealer’s Wall
Stokes Point
The road back didn’t seem quite as arduous and we arrived back in Currie in time for a KI scotch filet at the local hotel. Not a bad end to the day!
Zoo time
We are about to leave from LA for Oz and here are some snaps from our time at the Houston Zoo. It’s not a big zoo but has most of the main beasts and a few unusual ones. The new gorilla display is particularly good with a few of them wandering around in a jungle / savanah type environment. Only 2 Aussies, a couple of tired looking kookaburras and a cassowary.
Elephant
Can’t remember its name
But its an easy place to get around and Piper enjoys it greatly. We had a good time and enjoyed some cup cakes over dinner while we waited for the zoo lights to come on. These were really tremendous. An enormous amount of work must have gone into lighting the place up with fairy lights. Not sure what the animals thought about it.
Can’t remember it’s name either
This is a gorilla
Indeed that is one of the things I wonder about zoos. Who is looking at who. The animals at us or us at them? The lions look regally disinterested, the gorillas nonchalant, and the giraffes just seem above all the fuss. Who cares anyway, the animals don’t seem to.
A lion
Fake zebra under lights
We are now not far away from boarding, Piper had her picture with Santa today, quite calm and composed! Not a bad effort!
Under lights
Until next time………..
Not many turkeys survive
Thanksgiving has passed and not many turkeys survived this year’s festivities. A few on special in the stores but by now most have passed into various turkey left over dishes, along with the remnants of the pumpkin and sweet potato pies.
We were invited over to one of Mitchell’s friend’s friend’s place for the festivities and it was great time for the gathering of various overseas visitors. As well as us, there was a couple from the UK visiting family and they would soon be off to NZ to see some grand children there. Others present were well traveled (including to various parts of Australia) and we all had some interesting tales to tell.
This is the way, not hard
The removalists
As always the deep-fried turkey was good and Allthego is learning the technique, apparently the secret is to drop it in when the oil hits 350 degrees F. Allthego was subject to some eating supervision and partook of modest portions only, leaving the party as fit as a fiddle. A new man!
Ready to go!
Not the best look
David, our host, had not long ago constructed a herb box on wheels. A very interesting build and one that we might try to recreate back in Oz. It is pretty heavy and could do with larger wheels to move it around, but a good idea and should help us beat the possums as well as make it easy to pick the herbs.
Herb box
Today was also Piper’s 3rd birthday and before heading off to Thanksgiving we had a parcel opening. She was quite excited with big smiles. Particularly when watching the video, which Libby had emailed to Mitchell, of her Australian cousins singing ‘Happy Birthday Piper’.
Birthday girl
Birthday girl
There will be more birthday celebrations tomorrow when we head to the Houston Zoo. It seems Piper thinks birthdays go on for a week!
Holed up in Houston
Here we are in Houston with Mitchell and Piper. After a couple of days hanging around recuperating from a hectic trip along Interstate 15 from Bryce Canyon down to Las Vegas and then peak hour traffic in the city where the party never stops we are now ready to continue the adventure. Piper has helped decorate the Christmas tree with Grandma (aka Homealone) and is all excited because it is her 3rd birthday tomorrow. It is also Thanksgiving and we are off to the celebration at one of Mitchell’s friends places.
Near Zion NP Camp Ground
Piper dressing the tree
Today we have been down towards Galveston to visit the San Jacinto Monument and the old WW1 battleship USS Texas, which is moored on the river nearby. San Jacinto is where Sam Houston leading an ‘army’ of all sorts……..Texas rangers, farmers, mercenaries, adventurers as well as the Texas Army finally defeated Santa Anna the leader of the Mexican forces who were trying to recapture Texas. Santa Anna and his troops were the chaps who slaughtered the inhabitants of the Alamo, in San Antonio, which we visited about 4 years ago. After Texas’ independence from Mexico it later joined the United States. The city of Houston is named after Sam Houston. So much for the potted history.
San Jacinto Monument
USS Texas
The USS Texas, built in 1914, was nearby and we spent an hour or so wandering around its decks, playing on the guns. The deck of the ship is wooden planks and Sopwith Camels were launched from a couple of its gun turrets. A massive ship for its time, it was decommissioned after WW2 and has been resting here in Houston ever since.
USS Texas 14″ guns were the biggest at the time
Gunners Mitch and Piper, Homealone in support
Piper’s birthday and Thanksgiving are tomorrow. An early night is needed to cope with the turkey and condiments.
Bryce Canyon NP
There was a major blunder in the last blog! Homealone spotted the error and it is now corrected. You get into Zion NP at the bottom of the canyon not the top! At Bryce Canyon you come in at the top and look down a long way! It is cold at Bryce, snow still on the ground and below zero at night. Parts of Bryce are at about 8000′ whereas Zion is more like 6000′. Today was a good day with clear blue sunny skies, crisp air no wind about 14/16 for most of the day.
Smokey Bear was warning of a small chance of fires, Allthego thought there was zero chance.
Big photography day as we drove up and back down the rim. The rim stretches about 20 miles with 19 stop off points to catch the views. These stops are simply fabulous look outs over the canyon and formations. The dusting of snow they have had provides great highlight to the underlying rock colours. Various walks run away down the canyon from these spots. We did not have the time to wander off, tempting as it was. Half way through we enjoyed a sandwich at the picnic tables under the conifers, snow under feet.
Returned to the motel rather tired, ready for dinner and an early night in preparation for the drive back to Vegas. The next day we fly down to Houston for a week with Mitchell and Piper.
PS There have been only 2 brother & sister singing acts. Donny and Marie and the other one (according to D & M) was Richard & Karen Carpenter.
Allthegobro 