Around Oz the First Time - Chapter 75 - Perth Day 4

The others are off to Rottnest today, plus Silver Leader has the Jeep in for a full service, and after then antics of the month of September with throwing a fan belt, blowing a tensioner and killing an alternator, ensuring it is fully serviceable, is not such a bad idea. He will deposit the vehicle with the Jeep dealer, return to the van park, be picked up by the Rottnest people and pick it up first thing in the morning. They will not make it back in time. This will be OK as they open at 7.30am.

Before they leave, I get up and give them the Kwells, the seasick tablets we purchased for the fishing trips. I remember Rosalie thinking of getting some Travacalm but was unsure they had the time or remembered yesterday. They are more than happy that I have made the effort to get up and find them for the trip.

Rottnest doesn’t interest us. Robyn has been previously and I simply don’t think it will interest me for the time and cost, especially since we have a selfie of us with a Quokka in any event, having found a very large portrait of one at the Fremantle markets and snapped a shot with that.

Our idea, is to head to the Swan River Valley, on the advice of Sarah and simply drive around, perhaps investigate a winery or two. Not really having a clue on what to look for I add Swan River Winery to the GPS and the device takes over. Once again, the GPS gets lost for a moment as new roads are encountered, its really annoying that this occurring often given the age of the Cruiser. To think they could not have put a current GPS map in it is beyond belief.

We get to the winery only to find, as are many of the wineries in the valley, only open on Friday through Sunday each week. Not a problem as there are lots of other things to see. We plug in the local information centre for a bit more on the valley. When we get there, its only a car park. Again. no problems, we are here to wander, so we will do. Driving along, I see a sign that piques my interest – Feral Brewing Company – which requires, simply from the name only.

Its much like other breweries we have visited, a large eating area for the different types of fare. A white board describes the brews available. A waiter ushers us to a table asking are we drinking or lunching. Given neither of us a real drinkers we sheepishly suggest both.

We settle on some white bait, chicken liver pate and chips for the repast and being in a brewery we take a tasting saddle of beers named the Brew-up selection. This means we end up with a Watermelon Warhead, a Highball, a Dirty Biggie, a Milk was a Bad Choice, a Karma Citra and Chocolate Porter, in 100ml glasses. From start to finish we are dealing with something light right through to a very dark beer.

No idea what we are doing, we start with the light one, and Robyn will be drinking most as beer generally gives me an instant headache. We sip the light one first, then encountering the others in time, before the food comes. Most are pleasant enough, in very small doses, until we get to the dark end. They are definitely not our cup of tea. 

The food arrives and we tuck in. Having taken some snaps of the saddle, and as Robyn is sampling, I take videos. The darker ales are tough, and Robyn pulls a face which I manage to get on the slow-motion option in the camera – very funny. The dark beers are not able to be finished whereas the lighter ones we are able to consume with lunch. An interesting interlude comes to an end, and its time to wander some more around the valley.

Now, without a plan, we toss a coin and see what comes up in the manner of signs of interest. Whiteman Park looks interesting and we drive in. This is a large flora and fauna reserve, entry is free, and we can drive, which we do. There are kangaroos and wildflowers. At one point we are stopped by a vehicle with park staff travelling along the tram tracks. They wave their approval of our stopping for them.

This land was evidently donated to the public and modifications enhancing the experience are interesting. We wander, stopping to take photos, at one point a large kangaroo is “hiding” behind a bush. Actually it is eating the bush, but the perspective suggests it could be hiding from us, which is impossible through the spindly bush.

Time to wander back, again the GPS is lost and wants us to turn onto a motorway below from the overpass, a fall of at least 6 metres. We get home eventually and look to start on the clean-up process for our pending guests and leaving tomorrow.

The Rottnest visitors are back, with tall tales and truths of the trip. There are snaps of Quokkas as you would expect, as well as tales of the trip, the cool and the day. There is also a picture of a koala that one of Rosalie’s children has sent, as the marsupial had visited their school today. 

The conversation ends as Sarah and Matt arrive. The original plan was to barbeque outside, but it is too cold, so we will cook in the van. They have brought the salad, and we have had enough time in our wanderings to shop, so libations are plentiful. Matt and I are into the bourbon, using the tin mugs as we have done in the past, meaning we will be happy very quickly, especially given my heavy handedness. Just as well Sarah is driving.

We have 2 bags o the blue nose salmon thawed out, the one we got from Forbsy and another Rosalie had in her fridge that they did not attack last night. I go about preparing the fish and manage to put the knife through my index finger. I was using a bread type knife and its serrated edge goes well into my finger.

Robyn and Sarah deal with the first aid and I get back to work. I have a plastic bag full of the flour and lemon pepper seasoning to deal with. The pan I want to use is the largest we have, but not obtrusive, even in the small van area. We have re-arranged the table aspect, which seems to work very well, and may actually leave it that way.  Funny how necessity often becomes the mother of invention or innovation.

The two packets of fish, designed to feed the five travellers for two meals, plus the delicious salad Sarah has contributed, means we are more than sufficiently supped by the end of the meal. The conversation is stimulating, making this type of holidaying the absolute joy our trip should be, not the rushing from place to place, what seems to be all the time, draining everyone.

The stress to include as much as we can in a limited amount of time, impacted by a fixed end date, has taken its toll. Rising of a morning is becoming harder, which probably has been exacerbated by the changes in time zones. The return across a three-hour time difference will make the return even more difficult and taxing. Today, just wandering, as we have done all too little of during the trip, was one of the most pleasurable days in the nine weeks we have been away so far.

Tomorrow we will be at it again, for now Perth all but signifies the turn for home, stressing to get on the road by a time, 10.00am is normal “checkout” at caravan parks. The driving itself with the van pitching from time to time, other drivers and trying to view the countryside all add to the stress levels. 

Sitting back and talking to Matt and Sarah was such a stress reduction exercise, I think we will be looking for more potential opportunities for stress-less periods, as we travel home.