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Ahmet Erkun
Ahmet Erkun

Ahmet Erkun

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  • Adventuring Down Under
    Welcome to Cook, SA.
    Cook is on the world's longest stretch of straight rail track.The engine that is pulling our nearly 1 km long train across the Nullarbor.Indian Pacific — Cook, SA.Town Manager's House — Cook, SA.The old general store/post office/repeater station — Cook, SA.Area School — Cook, SA.Area School — Cook, SA.Mural in Cook, SA.Historic jail cells and out house — Cook, SA.

    IP: Day 2 … Cook

    March 4, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 93 °F

    In the blink of an eye — at 11:00a — the time changed to 1:30p … to put us on South Australia time. We lost 1 hour to the time zone change + 1 hour to Daylight Saving Time (which WA does not follow, but SA does) + 30 minutes to that weird time adjustment around Eucla. Our day, thus, suddenly went from being 24 hours long to 21.5 hours long.

    Nonetheless, we had an off-train experience to enjoy.

    Cook — which once boasted a population of 200 — was established in 1917 to support the maintenance of the Trans Australian Railway. There were several other settlements like Cook — one every 18 miles or so — but none of them have survived to this day.

    Located on the world’s longest straight stretch of rail track — 297 miles give or take a few rounding points — this small outback settlement is more a ghost town than not. That said, there are people living here. According to the brochure included in our info packet, the IP provisions the few residents who call this place home. In turn, they provide the fuel and water the IP needs.

    The plan was for the train to make two stops. The first one would water the cars in the first half of the train. Then, the train would move to do the same for the rest of the cars. At that point, we’d be allowed off the train for about 30 minutes to stretch our legs.

    Well, the watering of the train was taking longer than expected, so we were allowed off before the train was moved. Which meant that we had a longer walk to the head of the train … our main goal being getting a photo of the engine that is pulling our nearly .6-mile long train. We managed to do that … and then wandered around the ruins of the buildings … despite the pesky flies and the drizzle. The flies are apparently the norm; the rain not so much. In fact, a two-year veteran of the IP later told us that this was the first time she has encountered rain in Cook.

    With no public address system available, the town’s fire siren was used to advise us when it was time to re-embark the train. Which we duly did. Then the train moved forward a bit and stopped to water the remaining cars. And here we’ve been sitting for the past hour and a half. Not sure what the delay is all about. At least we have 5G cell signal to entertain us.

    Update: Finally, a little before 5:00p we were on the move again. The reason for the delay? A cryptic “problem with the loco (aka the locomotive).” This means that we’ll be a little late getting into Adelaide tomorrow.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Good morning from the Nullarbor, WA.
    Passed several cattle stations today on the Nullarbor, WA.Cattle loading station ... somewhere on the Nullarbor, WA.Beautiful blue skies ... somewhere on the Nullarbor, WA.Our dining car ... the Queen Adelaide Restaurant on the IP.The lounge car ... good coffee ... on the IP.

    IP: Day 2 … Morning on the Nullarbor

    March 4, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 72 °F

    Got a pretty decent night’s rest as the IP continued its eastward roll … after a lengthy stop in Kalgoorlie for those who went on the late-night outing. It was, in fact, after 1:00a this morning when I felt the gentle movement of the train as we pulled out of Kalgoorlie.

    An early morning wake-up … reading in bed for a bit as the Nullarbor Plain rolled by outside the window … brunch in lieu of breakfast and lunch … a 2.5-hour time loss as we left Western Australia for South Australia around 11:00a.

    A quiet, relaxing day on the train.

    By the way, no ‘Roos … but I did see a small herd of wild horses and a lot of cattle.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Mui taking a pre-lunch nap — aboard the IP ... somewhere in WA.
    Watching the changing scenery outside the window — on the IP ... somewhere in WA.On the IP ... somewhere in WA.On the IP ... somewhere in WA.On the IP ... somewhere in WA.On the IP ... somewhere in WA.On the IP ... somewhere in WA.On the IP ... somewhere in WA.It's raining ... it's pouring — on the IP ... somewhere in WA.Bedtime on the train ... on the IP ... somewhere in WA.

    IP: First Day on the Train

    March 3, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 77 °F

    With today’s off-train experience scheduled for late tonight, today was a relaxing day on the IP as we began the journey east.

    After departing Perth shortly before 10:00a, we whiled away the time watching the scenery passing outside our windows. Having driven from Kalgoorlie to Perth a week ago, the first part of today’s journey took us along the same scenery we saw then. Shortly after noon, however, the tracks started to veer away from the road and all was new to us … though not dissimilar to the bush we’ve seen elsewhere in Western Australia. The scenery was a mix of woodlands, cattle and sheep stations, small settlements … and the occasional salt pans.

    We’ve been making periodic stops as we head east on what is a mostly single-track route. Even though the IP is nearly one kilometer long, we are still shorter — and more maneuverable — than the freight trains that make up the majority of the rail traffic. Zafer, our Journey Manager (and coincidentally a transplant from Türkiye), said that we are the only real passenger service on this line … certainly the only one that makes the transcontinental journey that we have embarked upon.

    Meals on the train are assigned seating to accommodate passengers in their respective dining cars. Not sure how many sleeper cars there are to a lounge and dining car … but at least four in our case since we have to pass through three other sleepers on our way to meals. Tables are shared four-tops. So far we’ve dined with an American from Tennessee; a Kiwi (New Zealander); and a couple from Scotland. Good food … free-flowing drinks … and good company.

    Around 4:00p, the blue skies grew dark … quite ominous. We heard some thunder … and then came the rain. A few lightning strikes in the distance. The wind picked up as well. This was replaced by overcast with patches of blue in fairly short order. There was a lovely sunset behind us … very colorful … but impossible to photograph.

    By the time we returned to our cabins after dinner, the weather had undergone another change. Rain was pouring, thunderclaps were louder and more frequent; lightning was tearing across the night sky.

    It was then that we decided to skip tonight’s off-train experience in Kalgoorlie. Turns out that due to the inclement weather the Super Pit public lookout was going to be closed anyway. So, instead of a late night visit to Hannan’s Tourist Mine, we’re going to just chill on the train. By the time those who partake of the outing return around 1:00a — maybe later — we’ll be fast asleep.

    Not a bad idea to get our beauty sleep tonight anyway … we’ll be losing 2.5 hours tomorrow to put us on South Australia time.

    (By the way … please excuse any wide-angle lens distortions in the photos.)    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Gold Single Cabin on the Indian Pacific ... Perth to Sydney.
    Gold Single Cabin on the Indian Pacific ... Perth to Sydney.Gold Single Cabin on the Indian Pacific ... Perth to Sydney.Brochures and reading material — Indian Pacific from Perth to Sydney.Corridor snaking down the middle of the gold single train car on the Indian Pacific.Shared facilities in the gold single train car on the Indian Pacific.

    IP: Gold Single

    March 3, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 82 °F

    We knew from the get go that we’d be doing a rail journey in Australia as part of our overland trip. Which one and when was the question yet to be answered.

    By the time we got a loose itinerary worked out, the only accommodations available on the only train that fit within our schedule — the Indian Pacific — was the gold single category … what we call roomettes on US trains. C’est la vie. We booked two of the last four cabins and called it good.

    And good it is. Yes, these cabins are “cozy.” Yes, we have to share the facilities — two WCs and two WC/shower combos — with the other passengers in our train car … 16 in all. We’ve done that before, so no worries … being early birds really helps.

    The single cabin train car has accommodations on both sides of a corridor that snakes its way down the center of the car. And I do mean it snakes because there are curves to negotiate as you move about the car on your way to the lounge and dining cars in one direction and the facilities in the other direction.

    (Mui and I are across from each other and if we choose to leave our doors open, we can see what the other sees through the big picture window. So far, the views have consisted of trees interspersed with sheep and cattle stations, and the occasional settlement.)

    Each cabin has a comfy seat and a bench … with a small table between the two. I am, in fact, sitting on the bench as I write this to see the view as we come up to it rather than after we pass it. Every once in a while I can see the engine and the cars in front of us as we go around a curve in the tracks.

    The cabin has a sink in one corner … cabinets and a drawer under it. Next to the seat is a narrow column of cabinets … hanging space in the top half; shelves in the bottom half. A pull out tray below two outlets serves as a nightstand and a handy platform for charging eDevices. Space under the bench serves as extra storage for the carry-on size bag that was suggested we bring aboard … the rest of our bags are in the luggage car.

    I think we’ll be just fine in these cabins for the next few days.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Carousel and city skyline from Elizabeth Quay — Perth, WA.
    "Spanda" by C. De Vietri ... Elizabeth Quay — Perth, WA.Black swan with cygnet on its back ... Elizabeth Quay — Perth, WA.Supreme Court of Western Australia — Perth, WA.Art in Stirling Park — Perth, WA."The Mob (Kangaroos on the Terrace)" by J. Walsh-Smith & C. Smith — Perth, WA.With "The Mob" — Perth, WA.Government House ... built between 1859-1864 — Perth, WA.Panel at ANZAC House ... the Veteran's Centre — Perth, WA.St George's Anglican Cathedral — Perth, WA.Westminster Abbey Cross & "Ascalon" (St George's lance of the legend) @ the cathedral — Perth, WA.St George's Anglican Cathedral — Perth, WA.The Gothic-style town hall was built in 1870 by convicts — Perth, WA.Mural in an alley — Perth, WA."Koorden" ... male indigenous figures by R. Garlett, F. Chaney, & R. Kuhaupt — King's Square, Perth."His Majesty's Theater" is an Edwardian Baroque building ... built b/w 1902-1904 — Perth, WA.Mega mural ... Whadjuk Noongar / Indian Girl / Greek Teenager — Perth, WA.A section of the Laneway Mural by Adnate ... representing a Native American — Perth, WA."Wirin" by Tjyllungoo - Lance Chadd .. Yagan Square — Perth, WA.Mural in the William Arts Precinct — Perth, WA.

    Perth: A Meander Around the City

    March 2, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 88 °F

    Our last day in Perth saw us on a stroll around town.

    It was an aimless sort of meander … with a hidden agenda … to search out some of the public art around the city. Our job was made easy as we had picked up a DIY art trail map from the visitor center a few days ago.

    The trail coincided with some of the landmarks of the city … such as Elizabeth Quay; the Supreme Court of Western Australia; Government House; and St. George’s Anglican Cathedral (in the English Gothic Revival style).

    We wrapped up our meander with lunch at the Belgian Beer Café Westende.

    Then back to the apartment to prepare for the next segment of our Adventures Down Under … a rail journey that we will begin tomorrow.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.
    The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.Stargazing at The Pinnacles Desert — Nambung NP, WA.

    Pinnacles of Nambung NP

    March 1, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 90 °F

    The Pinnacles Desert was on our caravaning itinerary. In fact, it was where we planned to go during the last few days on the road. But the more we researched it, the more we felt like we needed to look for an alternative way of getting there. So, we decided to add those days to extend our time in Perth and do a tour from there instead.

    I came up with a couple of daytime tour options. But then I read about the “Pinnacles Sunset Dinner Stargazing Tour” our friends Sonia and Boris did a few weeks ago. We settled on that one as it would allow us to kill two birds with one stone … enjoy The Pinnacles and see a sky full of stars far away from light pollution.

    The Pinnacles of Nambung National Park are one of the state’s most visited natural attractions. It’s an ancient landscape along the Indian Ocean … dotted with limestone formations that were formed some 25,000-30,000 years ago … after the sea receded and left sea shell deposits to the mercy of Mother Nature’s erosive power … and the sand to the vagaries of the wind, thus exposing The Pinnacles.

    Our tour was a long one … requiring a 2-hour+ drive each way from Perth. Since stargazing was an important part of the tour, we started off around 2:00p with a pick-up from the Holiday Inn just down the street from us.

    There were a few stops prior to arriving at The Pinnacles to while away some of the daylight hours. The first one was at the white sand dunes of Lancelin for sand boarding. On a no-wind day, we might have done the boarding, but not today. Instead, we opted for the drop off at the Lancelin Sands Hotel where we enjoyed the coastal views as we sipped beverages and waited for the sand boarders to return. Then a quick 10-minute stop at Hangover Bay for a photo op … and a toe-dip in the Indian Ocean.

    Once we arrived at The Pinnacles, our driver/guide — Skip — maneuvered the midi-bus around the tight curves of the narrow, dirt road that circles the formations. At about the halfway point — away from the crowds — he pulled into a wide spot in the road, shooed us off to explore the amazing landscape, and began to set up for our barbecue dinner and stargazing.

    Mui and I had a lovely wander around the formations … the setting sun in the distance adding a coral/orange hue to the formations in one direction … more of a yellow hue in the other direction. We kept our eyes peeled for kangaroos and emus … but only saw footprints in the sand.

    Dinner was a rather hurried affair as sunset turned to night. We wanted to get the lights turned off so that we could enjoy the display of stars, constellations, and stars in the dark canopy above our heads.

    Skip set up a telescope for us to take a closer look at Jupiter and four of its moons and Orion. In the opposite direction was the Southern Cross. Alas, no good way of getting photos of the amazing sky with the phone … and with the moonrise not scheduled until after we had to leave the park (9:00p deadline), there wasn’t a heavenly body close enough to photograph through the telescope either. But we did see several shooting stars and the satellite train that Skip identified as Skylink.

    The experience was worth the long drive … and the very late return to the city. It was already Saturday by the time we got home.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    An "it's a small world" get together with friends — Claremont, WA.

    Perth: It’s A Small World

    February 29, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 86 °F

    Today, we returned the motorhome and moved into an AirBNB on Hay Street in Perth. Very conveniently located to everything. A good base for our remaining few days in Perth.

    Several of our friends have been touring around Australia this year. But our schedules did not mesh for any meet-ups. Until tonight .. thanks to a happy coincidence.

    Friends Alex and Verity, who live in Toronto, Canada arrived in Perth — Verity’s hometown — just a few days ago. They are leaving tomorrow to go out to the family property in the bush. That we would be crossing paths came as a surprise … pure luck.

    We enjoyed a lovely reunion at Verity’s parents’ house in Claremont tonight. Margie and Alastair are the consummate hosts and we enjoyed getting to know them during the course of the evening.

    “Small world” encounters often make the best memories.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Mui busy packing up our stuff in the motorhome — Forrestfield, WA.
    Little corellas and pink rosellas pay our site a visit — Forresfield, WA.2Little corellas and pink rosellas pay our site a visit — Forresfield, WA.

    Perth: Day Off

    February 28, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    Not that we were idle today. We simply took the day off from sightseeing because tomorrow we return the motorhome to Lets Go.

    After breakfast, I sat down to do some logistics work and catch up on bookkeeping … Mui got busy packing up our personal stuff in preparation for vacating the motorhome. Cramped as our quarters are, this division of labor worked out well. He was done by mid-morning; I was done by 4:00p. A final sweep tomorrow … tanks emptied and cleaned. And we’ll be good to go.

    By the way, while we were busy inside, our noisy neighbors were busy outside. Pink rosellas and little corellas paid our site a visit to munch on seeds and nuts in the trees and bushes. These birds are everywhere around here, and they are not shy about making their presence known.    Read more

  • Fall & Winter 2024
    Another checkmark on our travel plans for later this year.

    Cha-Ching: Viking Paid in Full

    February 27, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    The news in Perth today — as we start to wrap up the RV trip that brought us clear across Australia — was the temperature.

    Not that the temps were above normal ... as they have been on and off during the past few weeks. Quite the opposite, in fact. With just two days left before summer turns to autumn in the Southern Hemisphere, it was five degrees below the norms. That’s a good thing!

    Returning to the campground after today’s sightseeing in Perth, I went online and paid off our river cruise on the longboat Kadlin.

    Yes, that’s slightly earlier than warranted. However, the next couple of days promise to be busy ... what with preparing to return the RV and moving to our AirBNB apartment in the city. It would not do to overlook the payment and lose the booking.

    I already have the new invoice showing the cruise paid in full.

    Another ✓ goes on our fall/winter travel plans.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Pigeons eyeing our plates ... hoping for some crumbs — Picabar in Perth, WA.
    Mui contributing to the art — PICA ... Perth, WA."Falling Towards Another" by D.B. Smith — PICA ... Perth, WA."Paint Like a Snail" by H. Johnson — PICA ... Perth, WA."Crocodile Milk" by H. Johnson — PICA ... Perth, WA.

    Perth: PICA

    February 27, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 79 °F

    We wrapped up our second day of sightseeing in Perth at PICA (Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts) … stopping off first to grab some pub grub at the Picabar next door. Good food … with pigeons standing by for any crumbs we might leave on our plates.

    In our travels, we’ve visited many, shall we say, interesting museums and galleries. But this one … well, it falls into a category of its own. The pieces on exhibit didn’t really speak to us at all. I snapped a few photos — mostly for the heck of it — and we left … happy that no admission was charged to enter the gallery

    A quick stop at the Coles supermarket for some fruit, and then back on bus 270 to return to the campground for a relaxing evening.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    City skyline from Kings Park — Perth, WA.
    City skyline from Kings Park — Perth, WA.Lemon-scented gum trees ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.State War Memorial ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.State War Memorial ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.State War Memorial ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.State War Memorial ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.Atatürk's "Letter to the Mothers" at the State War Memorial ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.Entrance to the WA Botanic Garden ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.Eucalyptus krueseana (aka book-leaf mallee) ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.Pinyuru ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.Eucalyptus oxymitra x sessilis ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.This Boab Tree was transported nearly 2,000 miles from Telegraph Creek to Kings Park.City skyline from Kings Park — Perth, WA.South Perth from Kings Park — Perth, WA.Glass Bridge at the WA Botanic Garden ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.WA Botanic Garden ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.Australian wood ducks @ the WA Botanic Garden ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.Variegated Peppermint ... WA Botanic Garden ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.Pioneer Women's Memorial at the WA Botanic Garden ... Kings Park — Perth, WA.

    Perth: Kings Park

    February 27, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 72 °F

    The news in Perth today was the temperature.

    Not that the temps were above normal as they have been on and off during the past few weeks. The opposite. With just two days left before summer turns to autumn, it was five degrees below the norms. Just 80F for a high today.

    I’m sure this is a temporary respite. But we were happy to take advantage of it to spend part of the day at Kings Park … billed as “… one of the world’s largest and most beautiful inner city parks …” with a rich cultural heritage.

    Once again, we took bus 270 from the campground into the city … this time staying on until the end of the route at the Elizabeth Quay Bus Station. From there we hopped on the green CAT, one of the four free bus routes within the CBD, to get to the Park.

    The walk into the park was a long one … but pleasant … with a light breeze keeping us comfy. A local woman helped guide us down to the area of the park we wanted to visit … the area that is home to the State War Memorial and the WA Botanic Garden. Even though colorful blooms were minimal, we enjoyed a lovely stroll through the garden, which is home to 3,000 of the state’s unique flora.

    Indeed a wonderful park overlooking the Swan River from high on up … with skyline views to add to our pleasure in this outing.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    "First Contact" by L. Nannup ... represents the arrival of Europeans in Perth, WA.
    "Wild Baby Hippo" by Gillie & Marc ... Elizabeth Quay — Perth, WA.Elizabeth Quay Bridge — Perth, WA.South Perth from Elizabeth Quay — Perth, WA.City skyline from Elizabeth Quay Bridge — Perth, WA.City skyline from Elizabeth Quay Bridge — Perth, WA.Bell Tower @ Elizabeth Quay — Perth, WA.

    Perth: Elizabeth Quay

    February 26, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 84 °F

    Between visiting the two museums at Perth’s Cultural Centre, we took a stroll down to Elizabeth Quay. It is an artificial inlet overlooking the Swan River.

    This mixed-use development — parts of it still under construction — was named in honor of Queen Elizabeth II during her Diamond Jubilee. Our visit included a stroll around the quay and lunch at one of the restaurants … decent food, but overpriced.Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    At the AGWA — Perth, WA.
    "Reclining Figure" ... by H. Moore ... AGWA — Perth, WA."May 2014 Alighiero e Boetti" ... by H. Smith ... AGWA — Perth, WA."Hot Bunuroo & Twisting Breeze" ... by M.S. Pickett ... AGWA — Perth, WA.Little Mermaid" ... by L. Hansal ... AGWA — Perth, WA.From Sandra Hill's "Home-Maker" series revisiting the era of intense assimilation."The Bathers" ... by M. Tansey ... AGWA — Perth, WA."Aalingoon (Rainbow Serpent)" ... by G. Sibosado ... AGWA — Perth, WA."Possum Dreaming" ... by Poulson/Poulson/Sims (Warlpiri people) ... AGWA — Perth, WA."Warburton Mission - Church Time" ... by J.Y. Chambers ... AGWA — Perth, WA.AGWA — Perth, WA.WA Museum Boola Bordip — Perth, WA.Eocene (35 MYA) Period Banksia Leaf fossil ... WA Museum Boola Bordip — Perth, WA.Crescent Nailtail Wallaby ... by J. Gould ... WA Museum Boola Bordip — Perth, WA.Bobtail ... a common lizard around Perth and southern WA — WA Museum Boola Bordip — Perth, WA.Tawny Frogmouth — WA Museum Boola Bordip — Perth, WA.Underwater Art by R. Swainston — WA Museum Boola Bordip — Perth, WA."Portrait of Diversity" ... photograph by R. James; embelished by an Aboriginal artist.WA Museum Boola Bordip — Perth, WA."Target 3" by C. Pease ... WA Museum Boola Bordip — Perth, WA."Wildflower Dreaming" by J. Lister ...WA Museum Boola Bordip — Perth, WA.

    Perth: Cultural Centre

    February 26, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 82 °F

    Hopping on bus 270 from the stop across the street from the caravan park that is serving as our home base for a few days, we set off for the Perth CBD … a ride of about 35-40 minutes.

    On arriving in the city, we first took care of a few logistical to-do’s — went to the Visitor Center to pick up a map and get a few questions answered; located the apartment we’ll be moving into after we return the motorhome on the 29th; walked over to the underground station to ask about public transportation passes. All that taken care of, it was time to do some sightseeing.

    Our initial plan had been to go for a wander in King’s Park. As it had grown quite warm by the time we were done with our chores, we decided to go to Perth’s Cultural Centre in Northbridge instead … home to several museums. Since PICA (Perth Institute of Contemporary Arts) was closed today, we focused on AGWA (Art Gallery of Western Australia) and WA Museum Boola Bordip.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    We are in "Lucky 13" — Discovery Park in Forrestfield, WA.

    Hub & Spoke Camping in Forrestfield

    February 25, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 77 °F

    Being off the road doesn’t mean that we are out of the motorhome. Not yet.

    Having jiggled our road plans, we have arrived in the Perth area 4 days before we are scheduled to return the motorhome. Two options to consider then — stay in a campground and use public transportation to get in and out Perth for sightseeing; or turn in the motorhome early and extend our AirBNB stay in Perth. We settled on the first option … no sense burning any of the money we paid out for this house on wheels.

    We would have preferred a campground closer to Perth … but they were all booked up. The Discovery Park that we are in has the advantage of being close to the return location for Lets Go Motorhomes … near the airport. And the bus stop for transportation into the city is right across the street. Good enough for hub & spoke sightseeing from a stationary base.

    We have a pull-through end site with bushes on either side giving us plenty of privacy. We have the usual amenities … power, water, sullage … dump point a few streets over but easy walking. The laundry is across the road from our site … took care of that earlier.

    We are settled in and relaxing this afternoon.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Mural by Jackson Harvey in Northam, WA.
    Part of the farm scene mural by A. Ashman & Northam Town Team — Northam, WA.The new generation painting the old generation of students ... by J. Harvey — Northam, WA.Amok Island's swan mural covers the facade of the flour mill — Northam, WA.Mural in Northam, WA.Sculpture in front of the visitor center — Northam, WA."Infinity" by E. Moody — Northam Visitor Center, WA."Spherical Thoughts" by K. Schonell — Northam Visitor Center, WA.Part of a mural by K. Ferguson & N. Cowie — Northam, WA.Silo Art by Phlegm — Northam, WA.Silo Art by Phlegm — Northam, WA.

    Off-the-Road: Caravaning … Day 16

    February 25, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌧 66 °F

    Northam to Forrestfield
    Distance Traveled: 63 Miles

    Traveling the last little bit from Northam to Perth, we are now off the road!

    If you want to be technical about it, we are in Forrestfield, a suburb of Kalamunda … about 15 miles southeast of Perth. Regardless, we are done caravaning … having driven 2,770 miles to get here from Melbourne, Victoria.

    Before leaving Northam this morning for the wet drive — plenty of rain from ex-Cyclone Lincoln — to get us here, we took a detour into the Northam CBD. Quiet … everything closed down. Sunday after all. But we did find some of the public art I had read about. We even picked up a map from the Visitor Center to walk around and look for more art, but the sprinkling of rain turned into a soaker and put paid to that plan.

    Thus we called our sightseeing quits and moved on, hoping to find dry weather near Perth. We did … for a while. Now it is raining again … on and off. No worries. The rest of today is supposed to be R&R anyway.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Comfy in site 47 at the Northam Caravan Park — Northam, WA.
    1Pretty fancy ladies room ... next door to our site — Northam Caravan Park, WA.

    Campground Camping in Northam

    February 24, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 82 °F

    We’re parked up and settled into site 47 at the Northam Caravan Park … a last minute booking made on the road after we finally decided where to overnight.

    Very nice, quiet, and with all the typical amenities of caravan parks in Australia.

    The on-and-off rain is on again … continuous, but so light that we can’t hear the drops falling on the roof of the motorhome. I guess we won’t be falling to sleep to the sound of the rain on the roof tonight.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    "Have Cassette ... Will Travel" ... Mui dumping the black waste before we get on the road
    Passing a 175-foot (53.5 m) long road train — on the Great Eastern Highway, WA.The water pipeline that runs along the Great Eastern Hwy reminds me of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.It takes 5 days for the water to travel 351 miles through the Golden Pipeline.Memorial Cemetery preserving some of the original headstones — Southern Cross, WA.Memorial Cemetery preserving some of the original headstones — Southern Cross, WA.Memorial Cemetery preserving some of the original headstones — Southern Cross, WA.The brown signs list the names of those buried in the original cemetery — Southern Cross, WA.Oversized indeed ... carrying a dumpster truck to one of the mines — on the Great Eastern Hwy, WA.The fence that was built to keep rabbits (and emus later) out of WA's agricultural regions.Silo Art ... part of the 620-mile+ long Silo Art Trail — Merredin, WA.Photography Museum in Meckering, WA.

    OTR: Caravaning … Day 15

    February 24, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 84 °F

    Kalgoorlie-Boulder to Northam
    Distance Traveled: 305 Miles

    Rain bands from ex-Cyclone Lincoln reached us on the road today. Not the deluge on the state’s Gascoyne Coast, where the storm came ashore, but enough raindrops for the auto-sensored windshield wipers to work … on and off.

    We are now on the final leg of our RV trip … heading to Perth. We still have several days in the motorhome, but once we reach Perth tomorrow, we will be off the road.

    This morning, we left Kalgoorlie-Boulder a little after 8:00a. All we knew at the time was that this would be a driving day … no particular mid-point overnight stop in mind. The interesting — sometimes quirky photo ops — were all along the highway, requiring no detours. Thus, we actually made more progress than expected.

    What was it that made the decision to stop in Northam tonight? An article that mentioned there was public art in the city. I guess we’ll see what all that entails tomorrow.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Super Pit Public Lookout — Kalgoorlie, WA.
    Old tires from mine machinery repurposed as planters ... Super Pit Public Lookout — Kalgoorlie, WA.PC800 Face Shovel Bucket ... a popular photo op at the Super Pit Public Lookout — Kalgoorlie, WA.PC800 Face Shovel Bucket ... a popular photo op at the Super Pit Public Lookout — Kalgoorlie, WA.Painted pink in support of breast cancer care ... and still in operation at the mine.The Pink Blast ... in celebration of International Women's Day in 2019.HeArtWalk Mural — Kalgoorlie, WA.HeArtWalk Mural — Kalgoorlie, WA.HeArtWalk Mural — Kalgoorlie, WA.HeArtWalk Mural — Kalgoorlie, WA.HeArtWalk Mural — Kalgoorlie, WA.HeArtWalk Mural — Kalgoorlie, WA.HeArtWalk Mural — Kalgoorlie, WA.HeArtWalk Mural — Kalgoorlie, WA.Patrick Hannan Memorial Fountain ... to honor the discovery of gold at Kalgoorlie in 1893.Lunch spot ... on the terrace at the historic York Hotel — Kalgoorlie, WA.A nice place for an al fresco meal — York Hotel in Kalgoorlie, WA.Wide roads ... historically so that camel caravans could make a u-turn since they could not back up.Kalgoorlie Train Station ... we'll be back here on the Indian-Pacific on March 3 — Kalgoorlie, WA.

    Kalgoorlie: The Rest of the Story

    February 23, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 84 °F

    After our interesting insider tour of the Super Pit, we were free to do as we wished in town. My haircut appointment was at 3:20, so we had plenty of time to while away.

    First up … lunch at the historic York Hotel. It was just opening up when we arrived at 11:30a. We placed our order for food at the bar and headed upstairs to the terrace to have lunch with a view.

    Afterwards, we hopped in the motorhome and drove the 2 miles or so to the Super Pit Public Lookout. A different perspective across the big hole from where we had gotten out of the tour bus. Lots of information and a shovel bucket for a photo op. There is a nice place from which to look out over the pit that doesn’t have a mesh safety fence.

    Returning to town, we stopped at Coles to pick up some more water. And then meandered a bit, finding a few more of the murals from the now-defunct HeArtWalk program. We also checked out the Kalgoorlie train station where we will stop on the Indian-Pacific for our off-train experience on 3 April.

    We still had some time on our hands, but there was nowhere else for us to go. So, we found the barbershop I spotted yesterday, and while Mui got a haircut, I sat in the shade outside on the sidewalk. Then we reversed positions. I went to the salon for my haircut and he sat outside on the sidewalk … comfy thanks to a nice breeze.

    It’s interesting how amidst the rundown or closed shops there are new, modern ones. The salon — Ahead of Time — fit the latter description. The hairstylist, a young woman who has lived in Kalgoorlie all her life and has no desire to move anywhere else, did a great job cutting and styling my hair.

    A pretty busy day overall.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Super Pit — Kalgoorlie, WA.
    Super Pit — Kalgoorlie, WA.Super Pit — Kalgoorlie, WA.Super Pit — Kalgoorlie, WA.In full safety attire at the Super Pit — Kalgoorlie, WA.Super Pit — Kalgoorlie, WA.Super Pit — Kalgoorlie, WA.Super Pit — Kalgoorlie, WA.SAG (semi-autogenous grinding) mill ... the first stage grinder of the ore — Super Pit, Kalgoorlie.Crushed ore is transported to a coarse ore stockpile before being treated at the processing plant.Small section of the 2.5-mile long conveyor belt that takes the crushed ore to the proccessing plantHigh grade ore ... these rocks are filled with gold — Super Pit ... Kalgoorlie, WA.A Komatsu PC8000 shovel scoops 80 tons of ore in one scoop — Super Pit ... Kalgoorlie, WA.The ore is so hard that you can see how it erodes the teeth of the scoop — Super Pit.It takes 3 scoops to fill a truck, which can carry 230 tons of rock.Headframe at the only operational underground mine at the Super Pit ... Mt Charlotte — Kalgoorlie.

    Kalgoorlie: Super Pit Tour

    February 23, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 75 °F

    The Super Pit along the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Golden Mile is one of Australia’s largest open pit gold mines.

    To get the insider’s perspective, we had to take a tour … the only one in the area that actually takes visitors around the operation. Not into the pit itself, mind you, since this is still an active mine operation. But we did get to see the dump trucks and other equipment working the operation … looking like tiny Tonka trucks way down in the deepest part of the pit. While blasting prep work was underway in the pit today, there was no actual blasting done.

    Before we set out, I wanted to have a comparison picture in my mind. Many moons ago, we had visited the Kennecott Mine — a super pit outside Salt Lake City, Utah and remembered that it was, to put it in a single word, immense. So, I Googled the 10 deepest open pit mines. According to a 2021 article in “Science & Technology,” this one — also known as the Fimiston Open Pit — is the sixth deepest in the world (600 m deep/3.2 km wide). Kennecott is still the deepest pit in the world (1,200m deep/4 km wide). Of course, both have grown since the article was written.

    We met up with our group at the downtown offices of Kalgoorlie Tours & Charters. Here we were issued safety glasses and orange high-visibility vests. Our attire — long sleeves; long pants; shoes and socks — passed inspection, so we did not need to purchase coveralls. As we drove to the mine, we watched a safety briefing. All entry requirements to the mine thus satisfied, we began our tour.

    It was an immensely interesting tour that took us everywhere but down into the pit. Our driver/guide was a former mine employee who knew the operation intimately and gave us lots of information. Wish I had thought to record her.

    The tour took us to see — in no particular order — the grinder; the coarse ore stockpiles; the processing plant; the conveyor belt (2.5 miles in length); the high grade ore filled with gold … waiting to be pulverized; carbon-in leaching tanks; the floatation tanks; and the elution columns. Nope, didn’t see the gold pour, but our guide did point out the warehouse where the gold ingots are made and stored until the armored cars take them away to the mint.

    A few take aways from the tour and the material I have read online or on the panels at the public lookout …

    * Annually, about 900,000 ounces of gold is taken out of the mine. (I’ll let you figure out the value of that based on current market prices.)

    * Though gold was first found here in 1893 (nuggets free for the taking back then … referred to as free gold), the mine has been in operation since 1989 … with 50,000,000 ounces of gold harvested during that period.

    * The Golden Mile, which marks the location where Paddy Hannan first struck gold … which brought on the gold rush of the late 1800s, is now part of the Super Pit.

    * The operation here includes the Super Pit, the Mt Charlotte underground mine (the only remaining one still in operation); and the processing plants.

    * A growth project is being undertaken at present that will extend the life of the mine to 2034 (and perhaps beyond).

    * Reclamation of the waste rock piles is already underway, though it will take many years for the plantings to take hold and grow since the area receives very little rain.

    * President Herbert Hoover, briefly worked at the Hannans Brown Hill Mine (where the inside overlook is located).    Read more

  • Fall & Winter 2024
    A late-in-the-year westbound TransAtlantic ... shorter, too.

    NCL TransAtlantic Back Home

    February 22, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 88 °F

    Moved north from Esperance to Kalgoorlie today ... still in Western Australia. What a difference 235 miles makes.

    Where Esperance is known for its turquoise waters on the coast of the Great Australian Bight, Kalgoorlie is known for its gold ... specifically for its Super Pit mining operation. We'll be touring the mine tomorrow.

    In the meantime, we put another logistics ✓ on our fall/winter travel plans ... this time to get us back to the USA.

    Fly or cruise? Quick or slow? We prefer to do a TransAtlantic cruise when possible, so slow is our usual modus operandi.

    But I had a dilemma this time.

    We had already stolen time away from our family visit in Türkiye by booking a river cruise in mid-October. Would we be able to find a westbound TransAtlantic leaving later than the usual October-November time frame?

    As it turns out, there were several from which to choose.

    After a lengthy debate, we settled on Norwegian Cruise Line's [NCL] 12-day sailing on Encore ... from Southampton, England to Miami, Florida … departing on 3 December.

    The ship is much bigger than what we prefer for cruising port-intensive itineraries. But it will work for a TransAtlantic with just a few ports of call. This particular itinerary has just three stops — Vigo, Spain; Lisbon, Portugal; Ponta Delgada, Azores (Portugal).

    It’s been ages since we were last on an NCL ship, so I really don’t know what to expect … except perhaps that there will be a lot of nickel and dimeing. Anyway, we booked a category BB veranda, so we’ll have someplace to hunker down if all the activities around the ship get to be too much.

    The bonus to this TransAtlantic is the price. Less than airfare in economy ... and much, much less than business class tickets. Yes, it will take longer to cruise back than it would to fly. But we are retired … we have the time to dally.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Discovery Parks Kalgoorlie Goldfields Campground — Boulder, WA.
    Campsite with ensuite ... Discovery Parks Kalgoorlie Goldfields Campground — Boulder, WA.Tired-looking en suite, but clean ... Discovery Parks Kalgoorlie Goldfields Campground — Boulder, WA

    En Suite Camping in Kalgoorlie

    February 22, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 86 °F

    We’re at the Discovery Parks Kalgoorlie Goldfields Campground … here for two nights.

    This is an older campground with amenities similar to the other caravan parks we’ve stayed in during this trip … spacious; power, water, sullage point at the site; central black tank dump point. But our site has something extra. Something they call an en suite … a small building that encloses a toilet and shower. I imagine this comes in handy for long-term campers … of which there looks to be quite a number. They don’t have to worry about dumping tanks every few days.

    The en suites look big from the outside. Until you open the door and realize that you only have half the building … the other half belongs to the site behind you. The facilities are a little tired-looking … reminds me of the bathrooms of the old motels along highways. But they are clean, and they come with amenities like washcloths, soap, shampoo, etc.

    Oh, and we were welcomed to the campground with a box of chocolates … a sweet treat.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    The Ivanhoe headframe serves as the entrance to the Museum of the Goldfields — Kalgoorlie, WA.
    View from the top of the Ivanhoe headframe ... super pit in the distance — Kalgoorlie, WA.Irregular masses of gold and spongy gold in fractured quarts ... from the Munarra Gold Mine.An interesting factoid ... Museum of the Goldfields — Kalgoorlie, WA.Camel water tank & saddle frame ... Museum of the Goldfields — Kalgoorlie, WA.Skull of a dromedary ... a "ship of the desert" in Australia ... Museum of the Goldfields.A Vajen-Bader gas mask (used b/w 1890-1932 to rescue men overcome by carbon monoxide fumes).Wooden plaque; Drone tube; carved rabbit ... Museum of the Goldfields — Kalgoorlie, WA.A trade union banner ... Museum of the Goldfields — Kalgoorlie, WA.A trade union banner ... Museum of the Goldfields — Kalgoorlie, WA.Miner's cottage (c. 1933) ... Museum of the Goldfields — Kalgoorlie, WA.Interior of the miner's cottage ... Museum of the Goldfields — Kalgoorlie, WA.De Bernales Building ... Museum of the Goldfields — Kalgoorlie, WA.Police wagon ... mounted on a railway flatcar for easy transportation with the moving settlements.The York Hotel ... one of the beautiful historic buildings — Kalgoorlie, WA.Streetscape ... the tower is the Town Hall/Info Center — Kalgoorlie, WA.

    OTR: Caravaning … Day 13 👉🏻 Kalgoorlie

    February 22, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 86 °F

    We arrived at today’s destination — Kalgoorlie-Boulder — around 12:30p. By 1:00p, we knew where our campground was located in Boulder … knew which site we’d been assigned to. But as early as it was, we decided to do a bit of sightseeing first and then get settled in.

    Kalgoorlie is a city in the heart of Western Australia’s goldfields. It is referred to as Kalgoorlie-Boulder, because the urban area includes the historic townsite of Boulder.

    Our train trip on the Indian-Pacific, is going to bring us to Kalgoorlie. But the stop is going to be late at night. We expect that except for what Journey Beyond Rail has planned for our off-train experience here, everything will be closed up for the day. Hence our decision to come up this way to see what we will be missing then.

    The town, which was established during the Western Australian gold rushes of 1893 has a definite old-west vibe. A number of buildings dating back to that period line the streets. Sadly, they are all covered in advertisements and sign boards for the shops and such they now house.

    Since the temperature was getting on towards 90F, we decided to head to the Museum of the Goldfields where there was much appreciated A/C to keep us cool. We arrived to find the 128-foot high Ivanhoe headframe serving as the gateway to the museum. We used the elevator to access the platform at the top for an aerial view, which included the Super Pit we’ll be visiting tomorrow.

    Inside we found exhibits covering the “… rich Aboriginal culture and glittering history of the Eastern goldfields.” In the basement we visited the vault … “it’s real gold,” the volunteer greeter told us. On the grounds, we found a number of buildings dating back to the gold rush period … still a work in progress was our impression.

    Though small in size, the museum’s exhibits were interesting and informative. A good introduction.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Rigs parked up ... waiting for the Eyre Highway to open — Norseman, WA.
    Bushfire emergency warning and aerial view of the gas station where we fueled up — Norseman, WA.

    OTR: Caravaning … Day 13 👉🏻 Bushfire

    February 22, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    As we were leaving Esperance, we saw an electric sign board indicating that the Eyre Highway was closed due to a bushfire. Since, we weren’t planning on driving on the Eyre today, we made note of the sign and kept going.

    It wasn’t until we arrived in Norseman, the mid-way point for today’s drive, to top off our diesel that we understood the serious nature of the closure.

    The clerk at the cash register explained that the highway was closed from Caiguna all the way west to Norseman … some 225+ miles … the section we crossed on our last day on the Nullarbor … the area covered with the trees of the Great Western Woodland. The closure is expected to last at least three days. That news explained why there were so many road trains parked up in Norseman … the Eyre is the main east-went road in and out of Western Australia … really, the only feasible one for these road trains.

    We have since learned that, the bush fire was initially reported on 7 February. In fact, we sensed the distinct burnt wood smell as we were passing the area on the 18th. We were told then that the fire had been contained. Unfortunately, the extreme heat and winds of the past couple of days caused it to flare up. The fire has now jumped the Eyre Highway and both sides have gone up in flames. The Balladonia Roadhouse, where we visited the museum, is under threat. The order has been given to “act immediately to survive.

    This is not the only bushfire in Australia at the moment … the news tonight reported major fires in the states of Victoria and Tasmania as well.

    Being fire-aware in Australia — especially at this time of the year — is the key to safety.    Read more

  • Adventuring Down Under
    Pioneer Park — Scaddan, WA.
    Pioneer Park — Scaddan, WA.Pioneer Park — Scaddan, WA.Pioneer Park — Scaddan, WA.Pioneer Park — Scaddan, WA.Pioneer Park — Scaddan, WA.A few of the mosaic panels embedded in the walk path @ the Pioneer Park — Scaddan, WA.

    OTR: Caravaning … Day 13 👉🏻 Scaddan

    February 22, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 66 °F

    Esperance to Kalgoorlie-Boulder
    Distance Traveled: 250 Miles

    Yes, eagle-eyed readers, I’m jumping from Day 10 on the road to Day 13. That’s because we took a few days off from driving to enjoy the lovely beaches and scenery around Esperance. Today, we left the coast behind for the interior … heading up north.

    Planned as a day of driving to get us from Point A to Point B, we were on the road by 7:15a. Even with the temps dropping from 3-digits, the high at our destination was forecasted to be in the 90F range … better than the 113F they experienced yesterday!!! Still, hot is hot and we wanted to get off the road early.

    The first half of the road — from Esperance to Norseman — was a retracing of the same route we followed on our way south to reach the coast on the 19th. The only “sightseeing stop” we made was in Scaddan. Specifically, at the Pioneer Park where I had spotted murals (by artists Irene Osborne and Elaine Morcombe) on the way down. Mui delivered on his promise to stop there today on the way up.    Read more

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