Part One - Home to Hyden
8th August, 1998
9th August, 1998
10th August, 1998
Saturday , 8th August, 1998
In the Airport Parkroyal Hotel, Sydney
am tempted to reproduce the first entry in this book (my travel notebook) as the situation is pretty much the same. We are sitting on the 9th floor of the Airport Parkroyal again preparatory to leaving for Perth at 0925 tomorrow morning. The view is slightly different but the room is practically identical. They have given us a bear in a Biggles flying jacket and helmet, which they didn't last year.
e are looking directly at the skyscrapers of Sydney in the distance and Mac can see his office. He is pulling faces at it. It has begun to rain again but so far today it has been much better than the wild weather of yesterday and the past week. Hope it is fine in the West.
Sunday, 9th August, 1998
t was fine in Sydney this morning as we shuttled off to the shemozzle of the Domestic terminal. It was seething with people and looked like a construction site. (for the Olympics, of course). However, our plane took off on time and we had an uneventful five-hour flight to Perth. We had brunch (vegetable quiche, sausage and mushrooms, fruit, juice, roll, cheese and bikkies). Very nice too, though I kept my Old Bitey and crackers for later.
Going on Board for our cruise
rriving in Perth to find it glorious weather, warm and sunny, we went off to cruise the Swan River to Fremantle and back. It was a lovely day to be on the water and Perth is a very attractive city. We enjoyed ourselves, even tasting some WA wines on the way back.
Skyline of Perth from the Swan River
he Novotel Langley is a nice hotel, very full with tour groups. We are having welcome drinks in the Fenian's Bar (all harps and shamrocks) then dinner. More later.
e had our drinks in the Lobby Bar instead (far less smoke in the air) and a very good buffet meal in the Gazebo Cafe with good company. We are a mixed bag, but I think we are all Aussies. There is a young girl travelling alone, quite a lot of other singles of both sexes and couples from our age up to decrepitude.
Back to organise cases, as they have to be out early. We have a long day tomorrow.
Monday, 10th August, 1998
Town Hall, York WA
great breakfast after an early start this morning led to our heading out of Perth to York, an historic town. It was very cute with lots of old pubs and houses.
Fire Engine in York Motor Museum
e stopped long enough to go to the York Vintage Motor Museum. This was very interesting with lots of old cars from a Model T Ford to a Jag E-Type. Old motor cycles and a Dennis Fire Engine as well. I had to drag Mac out of the place as the bus was leaving.
Looking out over York, WA
fter this we drove to the top of a local hill for a panoramic view over the area. This country is very flat and the fields are badly affected by salt erosion. We saw an emu and a small mob of kangaroos. We had lunch in a Shell Roadhouse and walked in Rotary Park.
fter lunch we proceeded on for a long time until we reached Hyden and passed through to the Wave Rock area. It's funny, I expected Wave Rock to tower over the surrounding country like a desert monolith but it is quite unobtrusive until you actually reach it. Before we reached it, however, we visited Mulka's Cave, an aboriginal site full of hand stencils and a couple of linear drawings. It has a horrible legend attached to it and is taboo to Aboriginals.
Postcard of Wave Rock, near Hyden WA
hen we visited a formation called the Hippo's Yawn, for obvious reasons, then Elephant Rock and Turtle Rock. Then , at last, to Wave Rock. It was raining, unfortunately, so I don't know how the photos will be but it was quite spectacular, rearing up from the ground, striated in various colours. Very interesting.
e came back to Hyden to Wave Rock Motel, for a sumptuous buffet dinner. Lovely open fires and nice lounge. We played Chinese checkers in front of the fire then went to bed.
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