An easy start to the day as we packed up our bags again.  It was time to move on, although we will return to Perth to catch the Indian Pacific Train to Sydney at the end of the month.  However the key action for the day was to meet up with Helen again and pick up the automobile that is to be our transport and, from next week when Helen leaves us again, our home ………

We picked up a taxi to the Apollo car hire company near the airport. We had a very interesting taxi driver from Pittsburg USA (What are you doing here? I wanted to ask?!? Being British I didn’t!) .  It was quite a long way out of town, but when we arrived, there was Helen and a large number of other people all set to roam Western Australia with their homes on their backs…….

We had a bit of a wait but then ‘Ena’ came up with the goods and mini motor caravan 933 was ours and before long we were off.  Helen drove us out of the City suburbs and found how strong the wind was and the fact that driving little Apollo was like driving a brick!  Every gust affected the steering.  Great!

Nevertheless we kept moving south and by just after 1.00 we arrived in Bunbury on the coast and an ideal place to lunch overlooking the water.  The fresh fish was great.  Not quite knowing what to expect from Margaret River and what time we were likely to arrive, we took the opportunity to take on provisions and book a day’s wine and produce of Margaret River tour for Friday before we left Bunbury. Always good to have a plan!    All done, we set off again, this time with me at the wheel.  It was definitely like driving a box, but was equally definitely a feel of being a person of the road.  The start of the next phase of our adventure.  

Helen is with us until Tuesday so we had booked some static accommodation in Margaret River.  It was a bit out of town and definitely at the permaculture end of sophistication….. complete with pigs and chickens and surrounded by Australian Bush. 

Usually when booking accommodation one would look to ensure the right number of bedrooms, bathroom rooms or loos – one would not normally think to enquite whether such accommodation has cooking facilities. We didn’t and it hasn’t.  It has a kitchen – but no cooker.   On closer inspection in a cupboard we have found a small oven (think smaller than Baby Belling) with a rusting electric ring on top.  We are two Km’s out of town so along walk to a restaurant.   Hmmmmm.   We’ll manage.   Keith produced an amazing humous and crudités  with no cooking facilities, no sharp knives and a salt grinder that did not grind. Delicious!

Having said this we do have the wonderful 6 year old Leah living next door  (who is nearly as tall as me – it must be a family thing, the wash basin is about shoulder height on me) who offered to show us round the ‘orchard’ and lovingly shared the dozen raspberries that she really wanted to eat herself, with us.  

The wind whistled around the house, but it was quite cosy, but there was no evidence of the advertised marsupials on the grass outside at dusk. Might be something to do with the high fence between us and the bush……..