I've Been Everywhere Man!

Lynz adventures in Perth continued. I did not set out once without getting lost, but
am happy to report I have seen most of Perth CBD and environs. Most interesting place I had no idea about was the 'Horseshoe Bridge' which I found when trying to get out of the CBD Thurs morning to pick up the lads on the Gt Eastern Highway!

Woke up in the early hours Thurs to the sound of precipitation in ark building proportions. I tried a few words upstairs, thought 'rain before 7 fine before 11" but no such luck. I started out 3/4 hour early to pick the lads up and got there on time due to the circuitous route I took,(that was the Horseshoe Bridge moment) LOL. We had planned a visit to the zoo which meant heading back into town, only got lost once and took 3 drive bys to get into the zoo carpark. Thinking positively that it would stop raining, I thought my nuclear meltdown orange rain jacket would suffice. Wrong on both counts. After 2 hours of walking round a portion of the zoo trying to see animals that had more sense than to be out in such weather, I gave up, got some dry clothes, changed and waited until the lads had seen their fill. I figured I will go again, in the fine weather. Highlights of the bit I did see would have been the lions and the galapagos turtles which are huge. Perth Zoo looks a very well thought out zoo and I think it will be well worth going back.

We set off back to Tardun, got lost once when I turned onto the Tonkin Highway instead of going through Midland. Got onto the Reid Highway and apart from one more very small wrong turn was pretty much on target for the next 5 hours of driving (in the rain, just in case you thought it may have slackened). Tim was fine with the wrong turns because it meant he got to see a good amount of Perth but I have bought a VERY good map book this morning for our trek north tomorrow. Everyone was blown away with how much wheat they saw growing (did have to mention that they were in the wheat belt of Oz, LOL)

Arrived back at school in time for the end of term, staff, shared dinner (I had made a bacon and egg pie and apple pie at 10.30pm the night before I left for Perth for the occassion). A good time was had by all, the last of us heading to bed, feeling no pain, at 4am. I managed to get 3 hours sleep before one of the boys woke up, and thus started a brand new day!!!

Fortunately it was reasonably fine so after visiting the horses, tidying, and having lunch, we jumped in the ute again and went sight seeing round the farm. First stop was the 'Old Camp', where the school began in tents. Got out and had a good walk around. The wild flowers were still out and were pretty fine. Great excitement as the lads were finding emu and kangaroo tracks, when a large,red kangaroo leapt out of the bushes just up the track from us. It was too quick and unexpected for a photo but did get one or two of some budgies I found. As I drove through a wheat field (along the fenceline) there was an application of the brakes when I spotted a lizard crossing the track. This was a blue tongue lizard but a different variety to what I had seen up to date. It tried to hide in a clump of cape weed flowers and would not budge. After some photos continued and the next cry was 'emu' as three emus shot through to one side of us. I did a bit of four wheel, cross country driving but they were moving apace and so lost them. The lads were beyond happy with all the wildlife they had seen in such a short space of time and felt very much they were getting more of the aussi experience than they hoped for. We stopped at the cemetary and then when I finally was able to get out of the wheat field, I had lost my bearings momentarily but managed to find a dam on the way back to the air strip (and I use the term loosley) to show the lads a wreath flower (they are by now wild flower converts, LOL). This time, two small grey kangaroos bounded out of the scrub - more excitement only to be topped by finding a donkey orchid (Tim spotted it while I was photograhing flowers above it, LOL) Our cup truely overfloweth by the end of the drive.

Had dinner with the WM's family last night followed by a game of balderdash - a crazy game where you are given a word that is marginally harder to crack than the code on the rossetta stone. Everyone writes a meaning for the word down which then gets read out with the real meaning amongst the guesses and you have to guess which meaning is right. The scoring is for guessing right and if someone else guesses your meaning by mistake. Took some time for the game to come to its conclusion and some of the kids fell by the wayside, but there was lots of laughs throughout. Had a realatively early night - back here by 11.30pm.

Am in the library at the moment as we are all here (WM family) with the big TV on the GRAND FINAL between Geelong and Hawthorn. The WM's family are ardent Geelong supporters but it is a bit quiet with the score being 51 - 47 to Hawthorn. Ooops, a Geelong player is just being escorted off the field!!

Have been to Morewa and back this morning for supplies for the trip. Hope to leave early as it is a 5 - 6 hour drive (depending on how easy my directions are, LOL)
Will start packing and sorting after the Grand Final. Saw a fox running off into the scrub on the way back - it just keeps getting better and better and am feeling very "Crikey" with the amount of wildlife we have now seen, LOL.

Special news flash - this is being sent to you via BROADBAND as I took the plunge and got the gizmo I needed last week. I can now use MSN again and downloaded skype. I was able to talk to Phil Mc F in London (a mate from Waiuku for those playing at home)ons kype, with the cameras on while I was talking to him. Talk about the "Jetson's" as far as the technology goes - I cannot get my head around it but it is fantastico (now quoting Dora the Explorer, LOL). So, any of you out there in cyberspace who are on skype, I think you put me in as Lynn.Bidwell - You also need to be aware that NZ is four hours ahead, or possibly 5 hours now if daylight saving started this weekend. One of the things I love about WA is that they are totally against daylight saving so I don't think they have it this year. Will update you about that, but it was a serious election issue, up there with rules about fishing!!!!

Must be half time as everyone is talking and eating so will sign off for now and watch the last half (or maybe see who is out there is skype land, LOL) Will probably take this with me on tour. Have to take the ute as the mini bus died last week as it was dropping kids off for the holidays. Some problem with overheating I think. The lads are more than happy with ute travel - real country experience LOL and so its all good. Having roast dinner (pork and chook) at the WM's again tonight. May go out for a ramble in the bus this afternoon, will depend on happy or depressed everyone is at end score. Score 51/48 to Hawthorn at half time!!!!