Witchwae breakdown

When we woke up this morning the sun was shining, blue skies & just a touch of wind. Decided to go for a drive out of town to Porongurup National park. Packed a picnic & went out to van. OOOOOPs guess who had left the headlights on since Xmas day.............Dead flat battery. After finding the jumper leads Bob was able to kick start the van from the house batteries. So off we went looking forward to a day in country. 25kms into our trip the dreaded sound BANG !!!!! blown an inside back tyre. BUGGER. Managed to pull over into a farm driveway so Bob could change the tyre. Luckily he had some practice at this only 5 weeks ago, but this time van was a lot lighter as we had unpacked into the garage of where we are staying. Couple guys stopped to see if he needed help. 1/2 way through changing the tyre the farmer came home & had to squeeze past the van to get to his front gate.

 

 

 

Love the name of the farm

 

 

 

This is the 2nd tyre that has blown from the set that Bullara station put on our van for helping out at the station last year. Only 14 months old & heaps of tread left. Must be cheap & nasty tyres!!!!!

 

 

Well done BOB !!!

Banjos House

This is where Banjo lives, lovely house across the road from a lake & park.

 

 

Banjo our cute little dog we are looking after at this housesit in Albany. Banjo is full of personality & just loves chasing his stuff toy around the yard.

 

 

 

 

 

Xmas day lunch

What to do for Xmas day lunch, weather too cold & rainy, definitely not beach weather. Our plans of few coldies & prawns on beach went by the wayside.

 

Saw this ad in local newspaper & talked Bob into going along. Off we went to the "Sad & Lonely" luncheon run by the Grace & Glory Ministries. The look of surprise on their faces when we turned up in the motorhome. They made us feel very welcome. Even sung some Xmas carols in full voice (don't think we will make it on X Factor). Lunch was very nice spread, pork, chicken, roast tatties, peas, salads, cold meats & pavlova & fresh cherries & strawberries. YUM.
On the way out the door after lunch they must have thought we were "Desperate & Dateless" as they sent us on our way with a "Doggie bag" of meat & salad!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

All dressed up for Xmas lunch

 

MERRY XMAS FOR 2010

 

Wishing all our family & friends a wonderful festive season
&
all the best for 2011

Jan @ Coral bay near Exmouth WA

"Happy Feet" Bob @ Wharton beach @ Duke Orleans bay , South east coast WA

Out & About in Albany

 

Jan @ Blowholes

 

Love this sign on the fence @ Middleton beach. Some years ago a Singaporian syndicate bought the wonderful old hotel (early 1900's) that took up the whole block. Within days of purchase they had the demolition mob in & flatten it, all that's left is a vacant block

 

I just love the bright orange colour of the West Australian Xmas bush

 

 

Welcome walk, just opened up recently, naming all the family names of migrants that passed through the port of Albany at turn of century

 

Whalers cove another beach with very flat rocks that were used to slice up whales that were hunted & killed

 

Love these road signs, reminding us to buckle up

 

Fishermen @ Kalgan river & the ever hopeful Pelican!!!!~

 

Xmas decorations on the wire fence around the old hotel @ Middleton beach

 

Baudin explored these shores 1803 -1806

 

Bob @ blowholes

 

Residency house, home of Major Edmund Lockyer who brought the first soldiers & settlers to Albany on Xmas day 1826 on brig Amity

 

Albany's brand new mini "Opera House" entertainment centre

 

Bob inside the Opera house

 

Bob inspecting the Welcome Walk

 

Brig "Amity"

Whale world in Albany

These rocks were used to drag the whale up onto the deck where they cut all the blubber etc. Makes you feel really sad when you think of all the whales that were processed here.


Skeleton of a very large whale

Bob & harpoon used on the last whaling ship that was used here in Albany