Thursday 6 February 2014 - Alexandra Bridge, southwest WA

Thursday 6 February 2014 - Alexandra Bridge, southwest WA

Today is the one year anniversary of when we officially ‘set off’ on our journey – the date we left Brisbane and camped for our first night (at Hastings Point). It’s been quite an adventure! These last few days have been particularly challenging. We were excited to be leaving Perth (we both find cities to be quite draining, especially navigating around unfamiliar ones), but Sienna has really been testing the limits with us lately. We were initially planning to stop in Bunbury, but decided to shoot straight through for a more natural camp. We spent the night at Sue’s Bridge, a beautiful spot on the Blackwood River,  southeast of the Margaret River township. It was cold, but peaceful.

The following morning, after stopping at Alexandra Bridge (where we are now) to see if we might camp there later on, we made our way through Margaret River, stopping to explore the town and giving the kids a play at the beautiful little park on the river there. Sienna wasn’t in the best form even then, so we tried to choose very carefully where we went after that. We called into the cheese factory (where the girls charmed the ladies – they didn’t believe these two angelic little blondies could be so terrorsome!) and had milkshakes and yoghurt drinks. Next stop was the nuts and cereals shop, where there was another playground. We decided against the icecream and chocolate shops because the girls were getting more and more unbearable at this stage. 

Our next stop was a drive past our friends Mel and Nathan’s property (we met them at Kalumburu and they’re currently in SA – we’re going to try and cross paths with them when we get there) so we could take a quick photo of their front gate for them, then it was on towards Cape Naturaliste, via Meelup Beach. The beaches along here looked absolutely stunning but we were so drained by the kids we could hardly take it in. Also, we couldn’t see the lighthouse properly without paying for a tour and because both girls were asleep at this point, we just turned around and went to find a campsite. This was where it turned to sh*t. 

Yasmin woke up whingeing, which woke Sienna up. I think she went on for about an hour all up, but it felt like an eternity! Glenn and I were looking for a free camp on the eastern side of Busselton and it was a bit of a wild goose chase, exacerbated by the longest toddler tantrum we’ve ever suffered. “Muuummy, Muuummmmyy, get ooouuutt, Mummmmmmy” over and over again. Plus, she pulls her arms through her car seat straps so they sit underneath her shoulders and strains against the buckle, making travelling in the car very unsafe for her. After we finally found the site it looked too exposed and dodgy, so we turned around and headed back to Busselton. We stopped at the first caravan park we came across, another 20 minutes or half an hour later and with Sienna still whingeing and crying. 

Fortunately the caravan park was great. It had a little playground and nice grassy sites. After setting up, we took the kids for a little play and went to slit our wrists. Ok, that last bit wasn’t true, but Glenn was most relieved that he had three beers left in the car fridge, plus the best part of a bottle of wine. We were absolutely shattered and seriously considering whether we should just start driving home. The prospect of another day like that was abhorrent, let alone weeks or even months of it. We’d tried not to do too many things in the one day, but obviously it was still more than the girls could handle. It’s quite disappointing in a way, because we’d been told by so many people that the region is great for kids and that we’d all have fun. We deliberately picked things to do that we thought they’d like, plus gave them lots of time to get their wriggles out on playgrounds. I guess this area is more suited for slightly older kids, or at least kids who haven’t been away from home for over a year. I think we’re all getting a bit tired of the travelling life and very much looking forward to the comfort and convenience of a permanent dwelling with four solid walls again.

After Sienna whingeing at us last thing at night and first thing in the morning (relentless!), I set out for a run. It was over 10km, but I’m not quite sure how far because my phone went flat. I ran down to the waterfront and out along the 1.8km jetty and back again, then had to navigate my way home without the help of iMaps! Fortunately the town is pretty easy to find your way around and I made it back safely. After breakfast, I took off and did my own thing for a glorious six hours. I would have gone insane otherwise. Glenn very heroically managed the girls so that I could have some time to explore the town and take some time to regroup. I went to every op shop in town, looking for some warm clothes in preparation for the south. I’d found some Ugg boots in a Kalamunda op shop (brand new - $4, worth $140 I think!?!) but we all still need trackies, scarf, gloves and beanies. I couldn’t pick up anything for Glenn and the girls but managed to find a few odds and ends for myself. 

I also checked out the art gallery, which is situated in the old court house/police station/holding cells (dating back to 1856). The history in the region is fascinating and I’m looking forward to coming back sometime when the kids are older (or without them!) and delving deeper into it. I spent an hour or so reading my book in the coffee shop (finished it and swap it at the book exchange shop just down the road!) and enjoyed listening to just my own thoughts in my head, rather than constantly responding to the needs of two darling but energy-intensive ankle-biters... I even managed to squeeze in a conversation with the lovely Yvette! During the day, Glenn and the girls went to the foreshore playground and the Golden Arches for some fries and a hot chocolate, then a brief dip in the (cold) pool back at the caravan park. In the afternoon, after the girls had a facetime chat with Nanna and Grandad, we went down to the jetty to do the tour, but it was too late so it was home for a few relaxing beers and bed. 

Yesterday we packed up and hit the playground first thing, while we waited for the first tour of the day at the jetty (at 9am). Unfortunately, even this turned into a debacle! While Glenn drove to Woolies to pick up a few basics, I stayed with the girls at the playground. They were playing happily and I managed to catch up with our touring friend Nathan to discuss when and where we might cross paths in SA. Of course, while my attention was diverted, disaster struck! Yasmin had just acquired new thongs in Bunbury because Sienna had commandeered her old ones (understandably as Sienna’s were getting a bit tight on her). But at sand-based the playground, Yasmin decided to ‘hide’ her thongs from Sienna and buried them under the climbing frame. She found one, but less than half an hour before our tour was due to leave, we still couldn’t find the other!

Anyway, we set off for the Busselton Jetty tour, which was great. The train ambles out along the jetty and at the very end is an underwater observatory. We saw a few fish, a bit of coral and learnt a few things, but my highlight was the octopus that posed for us, almost like it was blowing kisses at the girls through the window! We’d heard there were a few around and all the other people on the tour had left, so we were pretty thrilled to see him/her make an appearance. After returning to the carpark, I did one last check for Yasmin’s thong, looking in a different area to where she said it was buried... and found it! Next we hit the road and checked out Yallingup Beach (just for a photo) before continuing south to the Cheeky Monkey Brewery for lunch, selected because it has a big playground for the kids. 

The food was satisfactory (whiting salad for me, Sicilian pizza for Glenn) and the beer and cider (tasting paddle of five 100mL drinks was $15) nothing to write home about, but the experience was fairly pleasant. The brewery grounds are beautiful and the restaurant/outdoor area stunning. All the wineries in the area look pretty spectacular, but apart from one, we just drive straight past them – don’t want a repeat of the previous day! Just after the Cheeky Monkey is a little winery called Juniper Estate, which Nathan had recommended to me earlier in the day. We tasted a white and a red, bought both and continued on our way. Tensions rose again when we tried to check out few camps near the karri forest, but we decided to just continue on to Alex Bridge because we knew it was nice.

This is a beautiful campsite. It’s been cloudy and even a little drizzly since yesterday afternoon, but it’s not wet and it keeps the temperature from dropping (I think it was 18-23 degrees today). This morning I woke up feeling pretty horrible, as a throat infection that was threatening yesterday finally took hold, but after a few hours and a couple of Panadol I felt half-human. We drove down to Augusta, which would have looked much prettier in sunny weather, but was still very beautiful. The waterwheel was pretty cool (an old wooden one that’s been calficied) and the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse was pretty spectacular. Yasmin really wanted to go up, so she and I did the tour (under 4s weren’t allowed) while Glenn and Sienna did the ground level audio tour. 

Yasmin loved it – she climbed the 176 stairs without complaint and grinned at the wind up top. It was so fierce I came back with a new hairstyle! The history was fascinating – it’s the tallest mainland lighthouse, it was commissioned in 1896 and only automated in 1996, so there’s been lighthouse keepers there for a hundred years. Afterwards we grabbed a few treats from the bakery – an awesome pumpkin, sweet potato and ginger soup for me (just what the doctor ordered!), tasty chilli pie for Glenn and poorly-selected meringue worms for the girls (powdery white stuff everywhere in the car!). Then it was off to the IGA for a restock and back to camp. Glenn had bought some meat from the Augusta butcher and had big plans for a stew. Our last stop before home was the Christmas in Karridale boutique, which the girls loved (Sienna wasn’t impressed about being held, but I couldn’t let her run free in there!).

On our return, I ate a quick lunch and then crashed in bed for a few hours while Glenn continued to be wonderful and took care of the girls. He got his stew going and put them down for their naps as well. I woke up before them and got some time to catch up on this and then when they got up we all went to the river to feed the ducks and do some exploring. Some crazy kids were swimming while we’re all rugged up! Then it was time for the awesome stew, which was nourishing, tasty and again, just what the doctor ordered! Of course, Yasmin didn’t have any (she opted for baked beans and toast fingers). After the dishes were done, we took a celebratory photo and Glenn and I opened the Juniper red we bought yesterday, but only had a very small glass each. Yasmin watched a movie on the laptop as a special treat and Sienna drifted in and out of the tent, between us and Mary Poppins. Now she’s tantrumming again because she wants the iPad... Happy One Year on the Road to Us!