Kalgoorlie and onto Esperance - Perth, Australia
Perth, Australia
Hi...what was I thinking...camping in Australia...after the last time was 12 years ago in our own trailer. I mean really...can I get up there to swing myself into to this van...can I get down...and who needs cooking on 2 burners. Seriously...the last time it was terrific it was in January 2000 in New Zealand. Who can see the pots on the bottom shelf (Gary)...so tonight it was butter chicken...fast stir fry...OMG where is Emerald Princess...along way away on its way to Melbourne. Where am I...in somewhere called Merredin (the Merredin Tourist Park) ... Somewhere between Perth and Kalgoorlie....I mean only Juanita and Jim know where it is...but I forgot...they know how to camp. Help. November 9th, Kalgoorlie...Trump Day...if only that was a bridge bid not reality So all of the above is immaterial. This blog should have a black edge around it, given the results of the US Election today. It is very difficult to write a chirpy informative blog about Kalgoorlie after this result. Every Aussie we ran into today said explain it to us...we said we can't. If it is any consolation they are as upset as Canadians are. And of course the world's stock markets took a big hit with news of the results. We are wondering how real estate in Arizona is going to fare. One positive thing I heard today was that Sheriff Joe from Phoenix was defeated. Oh and that marijuana was voted legal in California (maybe they too have red about Portugal...hint if you don't google the country's drug policy and social outcomes) ...what have I missed out here in the outback? So here we are 590 km inland from Perth in Kalgoorlie...where the gold rush began in 1893...and the largest open pit gold mine in the world is slowly...or not so slowly...eating its way into the city. I have never seen an open pit mine 10 minutes from the centre of a city...or 2 minutes to Boulder, which is the next door neighbour to Kalgoorlie. We drove up to the mine site of the "Super Pit"...no kidding that is its name...google it. We watched them drilling to set the dynamite...which they do all day everyday...and we could have come back at 5:00 pm...and watched the big blast. It is an attraction the locals told us they take their visitors to witness. Have you heard of Kalgoorlie? It really is a GOLD TOWN. It was the gold rush that resulted from an accidental discovery of gold by Patrick Hannan, a "no hoper" Irishman that ended up putting Western Australia on the map. The Super Pit is continuing the legacy and for Canadians has a Canadian partner...guess who Jim...like not a challenge. Anyhow Garth I kept away from the edge. But I am not sure I would be comfortable having blasts go off less than a few kms from my dining room table...but big bucks to the owners and I assume the workers driving these huge $10 million dollar trucks and loaders. Bert would love to walk both main streets...they both have gorgeous Goldrush architecture..Kalgoorlie and Boulder are by far the best preserved early gold rush towns I have run across. In Kalgoorlie there are the City Markets (1901), the Government Buildings (1899) and especially the town hall (1908)...but it is the number of hotels dating from that era that stand out. For example, we had lunch at the bar of the York Hotel (1901) ...cried into our beers...but could also have stopped into the Palace or Exchange Hotels...both also still in operation. Kalgoorlie definitely has Bisbee, Arizona beat. We are staying overnight at the Prospector Holiday Park, conveniently located on the Great Eastern Highway as you drive into town from Perth. It has all the good Aussi facilities...kitchen, laundry and small pool, beside which we were parked. I later checked Juanita's notes...she and Jim stayed here in 2011! I meant to mention on the Great Eastern Highway (love the names) the two different features were we drove through the Australian wheat belt...oceans of wheat...and we discovered what road trains were. A very long truck with 2, 3 or 4 trailers which make passing on a two lane highway really interesting for the photographer....the driver has no problem apparently. November 10th...Kalgoorlie south for 400 km to Esperance. How lovely to escape the heat, the flies and Trump and land in the lovely town of only 14,000 of Esperance on the Southern Ocean. All the way here on the cruise ship the Aussie's said go to Esperance...the beaches and views are beyond description...most beautiful area in Australia. Well it turns out they were right. They didn't mention the gorgeous Norfolk pine trees that line the Harbour. It is the perfect little Australian town perched on the southern coast. The sun shone and we did the 40 km ocean drive which has the Great Ocean Drive south of Melbourne beat. We are in between tourist seasons so we were one of a handful of folks stopping at the beaches. White sand, crashing surf, glistening rocks, a few spring flowers left and then we ran into a sole hang glider...who flew back in forth in front of us...called down good day...lovely afternoon isn't it. I have of course a hundred photos of him...one though he was leaning right and flying off over the coastline into the blue yonder...made me think of USA...it will be quite a ride...hopefully with a smooth landing. Good night...we are off to walk to town, dinner and wi-fi. Somehow we didn't check if this Caravan Camp had wi-if...lesson for always...never make assumptions. Love Doreen Ps the dinner was delicious and wifi strong...all in all as good a day as it gets...now to wrestle the van into a bed!