Monday 26^th March, 2012

Punctually at 8:45am we sat at a pelican feeding. Unfortunately only one pelican came. First all children could throw a fish to the animal. Then the ranger asked who else would also like to do it. I wanted and thus held out a fish. It is interesting how fast they can snap. After we drove to the Rainbow Jungle Bird Park. Here we could see many different parrots and cockatoos. There were many beautiful ones. From the bird park we changed to the cliffs of the Kalbarri National Park. First we drove to Red Bluff and got an impression of the cliffs. After we drove to Mushroom Rock, here we hiked down to the sea. The cliffs look here like mushrooms. Further we went to the Island Rock, a rock standing in the sea. Then we continued driving to the Natural Bride which was eroded into the rocks by the sea. With this view we left the National Park and continued southwards. We followed partially the same road as at the beginning our our trip. We left out the minute's silence at the place of the breakdown. In Northhamption we wanted to get some cash, but the ATMs did not want to. The first one did not know about Swiss cards and second one was out of order. So we continued and could withdraw some cash a bit outside of Geraldton. With a few stops to photographically capture the landscape we drove to Eneabba. Our map told that there should be a camping, but that was not true. So we switched on the navi and were looking for the next one. There should be one in Leeman which is 31 km away. As it was already 5:30pm we had to rush as they usually close reception at 6pm. We passed Lake Loque National Park and the Beekeepers Nature Reserve. Here a huge salt lake was sparkling in the evening sun. As we did not have time to stop we will return tomorrow. A bit after 6pm we reached Leeman and found a place to stay. We parked the camper and went to the sea to watch the sunset. In the evening we walked again to the sea and enjoyed an enchanting sky full of stars.

Sunday 25^th March 2012

The alarm clock did not yet get of as early as today. It should ring on 5:45, but I realized it only on 6 o'clock. We hoped to see the sun through the Nature's Window. Unfortunately this did not happen until 8 am, so we went to the Z Bend viewpoint. On our morning drive through the national park we saw an emu and kangaroos. At the Z Bend we enjoyed the view over the gorge of the Murchison River, the biggest river of the region. To move a bit we walked and climbed down to the river. The way is 2.6 km long and very step and demanding. But it was worth it. The only thing disturbing are the flies. Next we drove to the Nature's Window. We realized that the sun is already too high. I looked at the path leading to the ridge. It looked difficult and we decided not to hike here. Then we left the park and returned into it a few kilometer in the north. We stopped at the viewpoint at Hawk's Head, but it was only a not so spectacular view to the river. Thus we drove further to the Ross Graham Lookout. Here we saw the river and the width of the park. We hiked down to the river and enjoyed the different colors of the rocks. To recover from the heat we went back to Kalbarri. On the way we made a short stop at the Meanarra Hill Lookout and joyed the endless vastness of Australia. On one side we could only see the national park, on the other we saw Murchison River flowing into the sea.

The afternoon we slept and recovered from the last days. As the temperature got a bit more bearable we walked along the river shore to Chinamans Rock. From here we could see the river hitting the sea. It happens that waves from both sides met each other. We looked at the sunset, but it was Unfortunately behind the clouds. As it was Sunday, we enjoyed the dinner with wine.

Saturday 24^th March, 2012

In the morning we got up early and thus we also started early. In Meekatharra I had a problem with the key of the camping as I lost it somehow after the last toilet visit. So I had to leave back the key deposit, but fortunately it was not very high. As we started driving the sky was covered by black clouds and it was not very warm. After a short time we stopped and changed to long trousers. Thinking about hot chocolate we drove to Cue and were looking for it in the sleepy village. Thanks to a hint we drove to the road house. Here we could prepare the chocolate by ourselves, but it was only one with water. In the rain we drove to Lake Austin. Here I wanted to take a picture and Sandra parked the car a the side of the road. As the car stood inclined and I opened the window, the water flowed into the car like a waterfall. With wet trousers we drive to Yalgoo to refuel. Unfortunately the machine did not accept my credit card. But we saw a church built by Monsignor John Hawes, the architect of the cathedral of Geraldton. This one we just watched from the outside and continued over the granary of Western Australia. In the interior we saw may harvested grain fields. We arrived at uur destination Kalbarri a bit after 4pm and found soon a camping. This time we got to Kalbarri without breakdown. As there was still some time left, we went to Nature's Window. Here the nature etched a window into a rock. We had to hurry as it was already late afternoon and it starts to get dark already after 6pm. On the way we met two kangaroos which left the road only after we took sufficient pictures. More picture stops followed and we reached the main road as it was already quite dark, but the the many stops were worth it.

Wednesday 14^th March, 2012

We got up already at 6am as a long day was waiting for us. First I called my travel agency in Sydney to tell them about our problem with Apollo. Allegedly we were unfortunate. They look now how Apollo may compensate us for the lost time. We just passed Kalbarri as we had already booked the camping in Monkey Mia. We will come back later. We drove a never-ending road through the outback to the Hamelin Pool and visited the stromatoliths. At the rocks there was an emu accompanying us. As we watched the shore we observed tourists walking on these living rocks which is forbidden. I think they also do not like to be kicked in the face! On the way back to the camper I saw a kangaroo jumping away, but not without shortly stopping for a picture. It was 40° C in the shadow and the heat made us tired. So we decided to drive without stop to Monkey Mia. There arrived we made first a break and drunk litres of water. In the resort emus were walking around. Towards the later afternoon we drove to the Francois Peron National Park. Only 4WDs are allowed on this road and the it got more and more sandy. We got a bad feeling and turned. As soon as we had turned the car we became stuck in the sand. Luckily there are saving angels. Two kind Australians explained us, that we should have let off air from the tires. Somehow we did not consider a sign at the entrance. They helped us and then they followed us until the park entrance. Somehow we cannot do it without adventures.