12th December 2011

MONDAY 12^th December 2011

Hey there lovely people!

This email is going to be a bit random and all over the place... we are in the outback halfway across the Nullarbor Plain in a little motel in a place called Madura – motel is called The Madura Oasis Motel. There is no signal or reception and wireless internet does not exist!!! The room we are in is huge, clean and has everything one would want, tv, ensuite, fridge, kettle, bed, table and chairs etc... we brought our toaster with us and bread so toasties all around!!!

A lot has happened in the last 7 days- last Monday we went to Perth Zoo. It was awesome but I have to say Dublin Zoo is just as good if not better, Dublin is definitely bigger. We spent ages there so much so we actually got locked into the zoo... unbeknowns to us!! We kinda wondered why is was soooo quiet and why some of the animals had disappeared.... but took no notice as we were enjoying the walk around in the sun. As we were leaving we came across a keeper and she was like- are you guys visiting the zoo... we said yes and she told us that it had been closed the last hour or so and she wasn’t sure how to get us out. Eeekkk. Eventually she decided the best thing to do was to let us out the side entrance and sure then we were sorted. It was a funny adventure!! Got to see all sorts of animals and took loads of pics- see facebook!

Tuesday we headed to Kings Cross Park for a walk around after hitting a gym (yes a gym it was very impressive!!!!)- it had been raining all day and we decided on a whim to chance our arm and head to the park. It was lovely but the breeze was cool. We stayed about an hour and took the randomest photos- I realised after that I didn’t really take much pictures of the plants and its a fecking botanic garden!!!!

Wednesday it’d rained most of the day- thunder and lightening- the works. We hit the gym and mick showed me some weight machines...!!! We met up with Micks mate Dave that evening for dinner and a small pub crawl- went to the Lucky Shag, Rosie OGradys and Black Bettys. Interesting due to the ID checks we had to go through at each pub and it wasn’t very busy but a good laugh all the same.

Thursday spent all day running around getting visa labels and trying to fast track my driving licence and sorting my bankers card as well as hitting the gym. Unfortunately drivers licence will come through by the time I hit Adelaide so ill just do the whole thing again once I reach Sydney- least then ill have at least 3 weeks to get it sorted. I can drive on my current irish licence for three months so I am ok for now. Itd be handy to have the licence to use it as a form of ID. Anywho ill not worry too much about it!!!

Friday we decided to hit  Rottnest Island. It is a ferry ride away from Perth. We got the ferry from fremantle and we rented out bikes. Dave came with us. Ferry ride over was nice and calm. We cycled around Rottnest for about 3 hours up and down hills and it was hard!!! Poor Dave hadn’t been on a bike in about 10years and I think we might have killed him. Hahaha. We had lunch and after that decided drinks would be in order!! The plan had been to go snorkling as it is beautiful and comes highly recommended but there was a helicopter flying over the beaches and that meant one thing... shark spotted so the water was a no go area. We enjoyed beers and wines in the sun and of course I got slightly sunburnt even though I had sun screen on!! But hay its a slight tan.... I say slight cuz mick is black and ill never get that tanned ever!!!! We met some quokkas on the island. It is their natural habitat and they were super friendly. I got pictures of mick petting one. They come out looking for food from the tourists. They are very cute. On the way home on the boat a lady sitting across from us showed us a photo of the shark that was in the water... so im kinda glad we didn’t go snorkling. Friday evening was out last night in Perth, we didn’t do much bar have dinner in the house in Scarbrough- we were knackered. Hahaha. We found out that evening that the girl we were renting the room off was back in the area and was moving back in on Sunday- suited us perfectly. She is the overall owner/renter of the house and gave out to Daniella for letting the plants die.... ooopsie!!!

Saturday, we spent the morning cleaning the apartment and packing. Loading up the car was funny- its jam packed... even now. Yea I don’t travel lightly as you all probably know hahaha. We drove to Cunderin and then the farm to see Micks adopted family Andrew and Tracy, leaving Perth just after 3pm. It was bitter sweet I suppose. The house we were in was very cute and comfy. It was a really lovely place to stay and easy to get around- I was just getting used to Perth but we had done all the touristy stuff... there was nothing else really do to do, except work! Anywho – we got to the farm just after 6- I got to drive the car to the farm once we got off the highway. Never drove an automatic before but so far so good and its easy enough. Just need some practice I suppose. The area is beautiful but really in the middle of nowhere. Saw loads of parrots!!!! When we got to the farm, Tracy had dinner made for us- Green Thai curry, naan bread and sticky toffee pudding.... ALL MADE FROM SCRATCH!!! She is some cook and im glad I don’t live there full time with her!!! Hahaha. We chatted and swapped funny stories all evening- it was a great laugh. The next morning we had a lovely breakfast and headed away around 11am. Next stop Kalgoorlie-Boulder.

I drove the whole way to Kalgoorlie-Boulder. It was long- 5 hours but cool!!! When we got there we booked into the Palace Hotel- a really old refurbished hotel- id say it was the same as is was back in 1894 when the town was founded!!! Hahaha. We went and seen the Super Pit- I hope to stick photos up on facebook. It was AWESOME!!!! They mine for gold and nickel and granite. It was some pit. Most of the shops and pubs were shut- after all it was a Sunday, day of rest and all that!!!! Haha.

Monday,  TODAY- we began our real journey.... across the Nullarbor Plain on the Eyre Highway- seemingly it is a rite of passage so to speak- we met loads of camper vans and cars just like ours jam packed!!  We started off in Woolworths to buy some water, food and bread for the trip and of course takeaway coffees... which took ages... mick has decided that WA does not stand for Western Australia but in fact stands for WAITING AGES... cuz we were waiting ten minutes for the takeaway coffee... but I have to say it was good coffee. We drove for 8 hours and have landed here in Madura for the night- halfway across the plain. It was some drive and we have taken a few photos which dont really fully show the plain or its vastness– one needs to drive it to understand how vast it is.... roll on tomorrow I say!!! So far we have seen lots of dead kangaroos, one live kangaroo in the distance, an eagle and a load of hawks. Micks thinks he saw an emu... but we cant be sure and we were not stopping to check it out!!! We will nearly be in Adelaide tomorrow or at least we will be in South Australia and we have initially given ourselves 10 days to get to Sydney... and now its looking like we will get to spend a few days in Adelaide and Melbourne or go and see more bits and bobs!!! I cant wait!!! Wooo!! However for now I will sign off... the motel bed looks inviting. Driving, even when taking turns- is tiring!!! Peace out and ill write again soon!!!

WEDNESDAY 14^th

 Well... WE HAVE ARRIVED in Adelaide....!!! 2767kms completed already from Perth... and possibly another 2000 to go to reach Sydney depending on if we take the coast road from Melbourne... which I think is a must!!! Bring it on!! Wooooo!!!! To say that the drive on Monday from Kalgoorlie to Port Augusta was vast is possibly the biggest understatement of the year. The pictures I have DO NOT do the place justice – check out facebook. There are towns marked on the map every 200km along the way... but they are not towns... but petrol stations and that’s about it and there is nothing else after or in between but tress and bushes and then there is nothing... and I mean NOTHING!!

Tuesday we drove again all day. I found this day the hardest so far as my back was broken and really sore for some reason- sitting down is not good for you and we were solidly driving and I had leg cramps all night- not fun but they are gone now thank god. We arrived in Ceduna South Australia late and had some fun trying to book a room in a motel. The reception was shut and so you had to ring a place far way and book and then get a code and a key dropped out of a box... very very strange I must say but it was a nice motel- best we have been in so far and we got breakfast included. We have been living on ham rolls and chicken rolls and the likes for the past few days so yesterday we went mental and bought pizza!!! Haha. I wont even go into the drama that happened when we had to check out.... the motel didn’t even realise we were there... as we had checked in so late the night before. Gas is all I can say!!!

Today, Wednesday, we arrived in Adelaide and got really lucky with a hotel- called the Rydges- its like a Jurys Inn. I had my first experience of a drive through bottle shop about an hour ago... I kid you not. You drive through, get your order, pay and away you go. Very novel!!! We drove a good distance again today, across the wheatfields. We plan to stay here for two nights, tomorrow we explore and Friday we head off in the direction of Melbourne. So far since we have left Perth the weather has been cool and over cast. Tomorrow its meant to pick up again and hit 30degrees... bring it on!!! I might just get some colour... hopefully not red!!!

And.... for now that is all the newses and stories from Karen and Mick here in OZ, I hope the snow is not sticking and that it doesn’t get too bad.

Send me your newses as I now have coverage again and can reply!!

From k