Sunday 11^th March, 2012

This night was better than yesterday. Sandra called again the Apollo hotline as had not been called back from them by 9:30am. We learnt that there was no note left from yesterday and on Sunday there is nobody available to have a look at it. We insisted that this was promised us yesterday evening. First he told us we were not allowed to continue, but he also did not want to provide us with a rental car for a day. Our problem that we have a problem in the weekend and we have to wait for next day. We got the repair address and we will go there tomorrow morning. The explained also how we should fasten the roof with a special system. Thanks to the help of the camping manager we realised that it was a clamping set. So we drove to by one. A huge shopping mall for construction material was open even on Sunday. The best thing about the clamping set is that I had told Sandra yesterday that we had got one for Christmas. After we drove about 10 km back as we had seen there a few laying trees. We took pictures of a very beautiful one. This kind of laying trees exist only in Western Australia. After we visited an animal park with local animals. I made a few blurred pictures from the animals and the according sign to know the individual parrots are named correctly.

After a short lunch break we drove to the St. Francis Xaver Cathedral. First we watched the Spanish style cathedral from the outside. An interesting and beautiful building on which many parrots were sitting. We went inside and Sandra asked if it is a catholic one. I told her that I had read in the travel guide something different. But the holy water at the entrance irritated me a bit, but the picture of the pope made clear that it is catholic. It was also interesting from the inside and had many nice windows. The parrots on the roof created a sound as if someone was walking there. Finally we went back to the camping and tried to put the clamping set. We put a washcloth below to avoid scratches on the finish. Shortly before the sunset we walked to the light house and then to the beach. We observed a wonderful sunset.

Saturday 10^th March, 2012

After a night with little sleep, it was loud and could, we went northwards. First we drove a bit back as I had seen a road sign pointing to stromatoliths (living rocks). A sand road leads to Lake Theatis and the stromatoliths and we raised a lot of dust. A short path and boardwalk lead to the stomatoliths. We saw those rocks formed by micro organisms partially in the water and partially on the land. When we arrived a cormorant flew away. We hoped he would return as he would be nice on a photo. How should it be, after a while the bird came back. Our trip led with short photo stops to Jurie Bay. Here we granted our feet a cool bath in the sea. At time there is often a warm wind which makes the temperature more bearable, but we do not feel then how strong the sun is burning. On the way I stopped shortly to take pictures of trees which were partially burned from the last bush fire. When leaving the car I hit a wall of heat. We decided to drive to Geraldton As it was already late afternoon. At the tourist information we realized that the roof of the car was not completely closed. A closer look revealed that a clamp was missing. With the help of a ladder we saw that the moveable strut was bent and thus the roof could not anymore be closed completely. Many bird voices accompanied us on this carpark. In the trees we saw many white parrots. After we went directly to the camping to stay there overnight. The owner gave us the hint to immediately call Apollo and to explain the problem. Sandra called as her English is better. They explained us that it is too late to send someone to have a look. The office would contact us tomorrow. With a fine dinner and Australian wine we finished this evening.

Thursday 8^th March, 2012

Together with Sandra, she joins my trip the next few weeks, I went to another city sightseeing. First we went to London Court, a lane build in English style. At both ends there are iron gratings which were lifted during the day. On one gate the figures of a knight and a dragon should move every quarter of an hour. Unfortunately it seams not to work anymore as we did not see the fight. Then we walked along the different old houses which I visited already before. Our destination was the Kings Park and the Botanic Garden. Here we looked at the great view over Perth and visited an aborigines gallery. We got some information about the park we went to the Botanic Garden and watched different trees and flowers. In springtime it must be even nicer here. In between we stopped at a shadowy place as also today the sky was bright and blue. While walking we saw colourful parrots and a few other birds. Our path went over a glass bridge from where we could watch down to the park at the left and at the right side. At the Jacob's Ladder we went 300 steps downstairs towards Swan River. Along Swan River we walked to the Bell Tower and enjoyed a break nearby in the shadow. After we went on the free bus and looked if there is something we may visit. We took the blue line, but here we did see already everything and thus we went back to the hostel.

Sunday 4^th March, 2012

Konrad hat to be at the airport at 9am as he had to go back to Sydney. The next time when we will see us is when I go to Sydney. With the car I drove to the Swan Valley. My first stop was in Guildford and I informed myself in the information office about what to visit in this area. I already knew that there are many wineries in the Swan Valley. First I walked around in Guildford, then I drove to the Sandalfort Winery, as it can be visited without tasting wine. After I went to Bells Rapid. There I had a great view over the valley and you could also see the skyscrapers of Perth. The next stop was the Honey House. Here they explain how honey is produced and I could tasted many different kinds of honey. With a lovely honey ice and a honey lemon water in the stomach I continued. Passing many vines I went to the Maali Park and walked along Swan River. I had lunch at the Houghton Winery. First I went walking in the big park, after I visited the museum and the gallery. In the gallery they sell glassware and pictures. In a chat with the artists I learned that that Margarete, the photographer, is from Germany. But she understands Swiss dialect very good as she worked for more than 30 years in Basel. She told me that there are not many Swiss in this region. As it was only early afternoon, I was thinking what to visit next. I just continued driving and reached a road sign pointing to the John Forrest National Park. Over a scenic drive it went through the park, but for a long time I did not see a hiking path. At one spot there was a barrier and I had to buy a day pass to enter the park. Also here I went walking. As it was 35° allowed myself something to drink in the bush restaurant. In the garden veranda there were two green parrots walking on the tables. Looking right I saw a few kangaroos which got feed here. There were also some young ones, one I could observe while suckling. As I got slowly tired from the heat, I went back to Perth. Here I will stay the next few days.

Saturday 3^rd March, 2012

In the morning we went to the Shoalwater Bay. Here we boarded the boat and the safari started. Only about 5 minutes out in the sea we already saw a few dolphins. The next hour we followed and watched them. For me it is the first time I saw dolphins swimming in the sea, but not for Konrad. As I had taken my pills against motion sickness I could stand in the front of the boat and take pictures. Konrad could not believe it as he remembered of the opposite in Island were the pills had not helped and I had been very sick. Our ride was not yet over. The boat went to Bird Island were there are cormorants and pelicans nesting. Then we met again a dolphin which was playing with a ray. Next was Seal Island with its seal colony. As it was very warm, they liked more to sunbath than to move around. We often saw flying pelicans. At the end of the tour we left the boat at Penguin Island. Here every hour a ferry goes back to the mainland. First we enjoyed our pick-nick as there is no shop here. We also observed a few of the local lizards. One just walked over the pick-nick area. Then we went onto the two kilometre long path around the island. First we saw a decayed tractor stand in the middle of the nature. Passing nesting pelicans we went to the beach. We enjoyed the refreshing bath and the waves and then we let us dry by the sun. Back at the start we went to see the feeding of the penguins. A few of them live in the visitor centre. They are not able anymore to live in the wild. Four times a day they get fresh fish. After the feeding we went back to the mainland and from there back to the motel next to the airport. As there was still some time left we went to the centre of Perth and walked a bit in the Kings Park. We heard some parrots in the trees and saw them flying away. The evening we closed with a dinner with sight to the city.