20100907 off the Indian Pacific to Mount Barker, WA
(Map Link) (Picture Link – O) (Picture Link – D – a huge file)
We were up early to be ready to arrive in Perth. We partially packed and went to the lounge car, where we chatted and took pictures of the verdant environment we had entered. Nice fields, small towns, all sorts of signs of civilization.
Then we went in to breakfast, sharing a table with Norm Henessey and his wife. Norm was distracted and his wife unhappy; it turned out they couldn't find his wallet. They feared he'd misplaced it on the tour bus in Kalgoorlie last night.
The train crew called back to Kalgoorlie and caused a bus search to be done. The wallet wasn't found. We tried to encourage them that it was probably behind something in their cabin. I also offered help if they couldn't find it.
We finished breakfast and returned to our E5/6 cabin. We finished our packing and sat down (the beds had been converted back to a couch) to wait our arrival. Finally, the train stopped in the East Perth Railway Terminal. We hopped out into a beautiful day and waited for our luggage to be delivered. While doing that, we started looking for Norm.
About the time the luggage appeared, so did Norm. He said his wife had found the wallet in a tiny crevice between the folded down bed and the wall. We were so relieved. I wandered down and told her we were so happy she had a tiny hand and could find it – she hugged me and thanked me for the reassurance that it was there, somewhere. So, all's well that ends well.
We caught a cab and took it to the Hertz counter at Perth Airport Domestic terminal. Hertz said the car was available, but no GPS. I asked the counter person to call the yard to see if one had recently been turned in. One had, so we grabbed it and the car (Camry) and headed south.
We took the Tonkin Hwy (4) to the Albany Hwy (30). Two hundred miles or so later, we pulled into Mount Barker, and then went to the Rayanne Homestead. We checked in there with Ranee and she got us booked for tomorrow's orchid tour in the Stirling Range.
Did I mention it began raining about this time? It was getting on in the afternoon when we arrived at the Banksia House. There, we met the proprietor and expert in Banksias. We paid our fee and received our lecture on these flowers. The rain let up briefly, so we started taking the signed walk. Dolores took pictures like mad, which is why we say above that her picture file is huge.
After a while again, the rain resumed. We finished our walk cool and wet, and returned to the homestead to dry out. We did a little computer work and met a tribe of people from Perth who take long and challenging walks together. They had completed a walk in the Stirling Range this day and were somewhat surprised that they had completed it. Apparently the wind was fierce in several locations.
The tribe (six) headed for dinner in the hotel dining room, so we followed separately. We ordered and paid (Australian method), then had our salad. The main course arrived and we ate heartily. The local red wine – a cabernet/shiraz with house label called Cheeky Red Wine – was quite good.
Then back to the homestead. More computer work. The tribe played cards, then dragged out a bottle of red. We then found out the tribe and the two of us are all booked on the orchid tour. We sipped a glass, then decided we'd best go to bed to arise early for the orchid tour.
Did I mention the room was cold when we arrived? It had a small electric heater and electric blankets. The heater didn't come close to heating the room to our standards while we were at the hotel; so we cranked up the blankets and went to bed.
20100908 Mount Barker, WA
(Picture Link – O) (Picture Link – D – a huge file)
We woke this morning cold and stiff. Each of us had visited the loo in the night. I committed the cardinal sin of closing the door after using the facility – Dolores had a very cold seat when she went in, and told me I would die if I did that again.
But we survived. We went to the common room for the continental breakfast; quite nice and more than adequate. Well armed with various cameras, we headed northeast to the Stirling Range Ecological Tour office site on the other side of Stirling Range National Park.
We got there early for the 0900 tour, paid our fee and waited for the group to assemble. We turned out to be 13, but two couples elected to follow the van, leaving 9 (plus a cute baby girl) in the Toyota mini-van. Snug, but ok.
Brian, our guide, took us to the back of the campground the office is located in, then walked us into a part of the park. He gave us some basics on orchids, then pointed out a few. He notes that orchids grow very nicely at the side of the road, where water and sunlight are frequent. Says he, there's no need to go out into the bush to find them.
Then he proceeded to take us to a half-dozen places at the side of the road and pointed out orchids at each. He told us the details of them and how they propagate. He says he's spent his life in the bush, doesn't know the Latin names, but knows how the orchids grow.
The last site was different. He walked us 300 meters up-hill to a large rock field. He looked up the mountain and pointed out where this rock had fallen from. Then he showed us orchids there that would normally only be found up on the side of the mountain. Neat.
We had tea, coffee, and biscuits (cookies) on the tailgate, then did a couple more stops before putting us back at the car about 1230.
Then we headed south for the Porongorup National Park, another hill range south of Stirling Range, to look around there. On the way south on the Chester Pass Road, we came upon a truck going the other way. Something sticking out from the truck hit our driver's side mirror and destroyed it with a huge bang. I was so flustered I didn't even stop for several hundred yards; by then, the truck was long gone. I guess that's the sort of thing insurance is for, but I was somewhat shaken by the experience. What if it had stuck out farther and hit the car itself?
Then we went to Ironwood Winery. It turned out the proprietor graduated from Michigan Tech in 1970 and immigrated here later. They've owned the winery since 1996 or somesuch. The wine was quite good. We ordered tapas, which came with all sorts of goodies. Cheeses, salami wrapped around asparagus, and other things, with sun-dried tomatoes, chilis, olives, artichokes as accompaniment. We wound up buying a few bottles of wine to use as we go through Western Australia, or to give to friends when we see them.
We tired of fighting the wind (no rain today) and returned to the homestead. We started doing computer chores until Ranee came out and told us of another wildflower place close by. Dolores said go, so we went there. I stayed in the car to listen to the radio, and Dolores walked off into the little park-like place. A while later she came back and asked if I had had an adventure. I said no. She said she had apparently stirred up a pair of kangaroos and watched as they bounded at full speed away into a safer place. She was quite impressed by the way they departed.
Back then to the homestead again. A new couple checked in, and Dolores conversed with them while I tried to get the computer chores done. Dinner time came, so we went down to the hotel dining room again. We had a nice T-bone with chips and salad, and Cheeky Red Wine, and returned to the homestead. There, I nearly got caught up with my computer chores, with this note.
The pictures are being uploaded to be the target of the links above, and I'll fill in later what I don't do tonight.
Off to Albany WA in the morning. Note that WA means Western Australia, not Washingon.