Whyalla safe and sound
Dec. 20th, 2003 02:17 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gemfyreWell we crossed the Nullabor and survived.
I barely even read or slept during the whole drive, I was too interested in seeing what was outside the car. I love being on the road. I feel complete and in my element out there, instead of being bored inside in front of a computer *yawns*. I adore travelling and camping and stuff, can't wait till we get on the move again from here or explore some more. It's kinda boring just sitting in a house all day.
Lots of nice roo skeletons, but not many fresh roos on the stretch from Coolgardie to Norseman. There was one really fast running lizard that I don't know if we hit or not. I wonder what it was, certainly not a bobtail!
Balladonia was nice but dusty. The showers were good except the heads sprayed the water a bit hard, kinda painful. It cooled down nicely for nighttime and the stars came out and it was all beautiful. We woke around 4:30am with the sun and were on the road by 6. Did the "90 mile stretch", which is the longest straight section of road in Australia. It was uneventful but then around Caiguna the roos started moving. One was standing on our side of the road so Matt slowed right down and went into the other lane to go around it and the daft animal decided to move TOWARDS the car, causing Matt to have to hit the gravel. It was okay though, we didn't hit the roo or skid and continued on our way. The wind came in around Eucla and didn't let up, so Matt had to fight it the whole way to Ceduna. By the time we got there he was exhausted and the weather didn't seem conducive to tenting, so we got a cheap (REAL cheap and dodgy) cabin to stay at. The place stunk of stale old smoke, you had to PAY 20c for the electricity to power the air-con, TV and stove (and kettle and toaster). Got about an hour for 20c. You couldn't open the windows either or lock the fly wire door so the place had little ventilation. Ah well, we ate at the hotel and slept there. We discovered that the bus stop there has moved and the old stop has changed hands. No wonder we couldn't find the restaurant we were looking for. Ceduna is nice however, we wandered along the jetty in the morning before we left for Whyalla.
On that stretch we saw a few wedgetailed eagles, which was a goal, and a bunch of "non-descript birds of prey". Some falcons and hawks and probably kestrels as well. They must love the rodents in the wheat fields and the roadkill. Also notice the prescence of starlings and sparrows over here which haven't managed to get to Perth yet. There are also alot of miners which are native unlike the sparrows and starlings.
Today we spotted some other birds. 28 parrots, but over here they are Port Lincoln Ringnecks. They're slightly bluer and I know there are other differences too, just can't think of what they are. Hit a shrike of some sort, saw lots of them, they are pale grey. Also noticed the black faced cuckoo shrikes over here are a lighter colour. There was another parrot too but I couldn't get a close enough look at them to have any clue what they were. Also spotted about 5 bobtails and 3 blue tongues.
Other stuff happened too but I can't be stuffed writing it. I may later. I'm taking down important stuff in a notebook.
I barely even read or slept during the whole drive, I was too interested in seeing what was outside the car. I love being on the road. I feel complete and in my element out there, instead of being bored inside in front of a computer *yawns*. I adore travelling and camping and stuff, can't wait till we get on the move again from here or explore some more. It's kinda boring just sitting in a house all day.
Lots of nice roo skeletons, but not many fresh roos on the stretch from Coolgardie to Norseman. There was one really fast running lizard that I don't know if we hit or not. I wonder what it was, certainly not a bobtail!
Balladonia was nice but dusty. The showers were good except the heads sprayed the water a bit hard, kinda painful. It cooled down nicely for nighttime and the stars came out and it was all beautiful. We woke around 4:30am with the sun and were on the road by 6. Did the "90 mile stretch", which is the longest straight section of road in Australia. It was uneventful but then around Caiguna the roos started moving. One was standing on our side of the road so Matt slowed right down and went into the other lane to go around it and the daft animal decided to move TOWARDS the car, causing Matt to have to hit the gravel. It was okay though, we didn't hit the roo or skid and continued on our way. The wind came in around Eucla and didn't let up, so Matt had to fight it the whole way to Ceduna. By the time we got there he was exhausted and the weather didn't seem conducive to tenting, so we got a cheap (REAL cheap and dodgy) cabin to stay at. The place stunk of stale old smoke, you had to PAY 20c for the electricity to power the air-con, TV and stove (and kettle and toaster). Got about an hour for 20c. You couldn't open the windows either or lock the fly wire door so the place had little ventilation. Ah well, we ate at the hotel and slept there. We discovered that the bus stop there has moved and the old stop has changed hands. No wonder we couldn't find the restaurant we were looking for. Ceduna is nice however, we wandered along the jetty in the morning before we left for Whyalla.
On that stretch we saw a few wedgetailed eagles, which was a goal, and a bunch of "non-descript birds of prey". Some falcons and hawks and probably kestrels as well. They must love the rodents in the wheat fields and the roadkill. Also notice the prescence of starlings and sparrows over here which haven't managed to get to Perth yet. There are also alot of miners which are native unlike the sparrows and starlings.
Today we spotted some other birds. 28 parrots, but over here they are Port Lincoln Ringnecks. They're slightly bluer and I know there are other differences too, just can't think of what they are. Hit a shrike of some sort, saw lots of them, they are pale grey. Also noticed the black faced cuckoo shrikes over here are a lighter colour. There was another parrot too but I couldn't get a close enough look at them to have any clue what they were. Also spotted about 5 bobtails and 3 blue tongues.
Other stuff happened too but I can't be stuffed writing it. I may later. I'm taking down important stuff in a notebook.
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no subject
Date: 2003-12-19 10:59 pm (UTC)You mean sweet FA? Some shrubs, the occasional hill. The only good part of the trip is when you see the bite.
no subject
Date: 2003-12-20 12:45 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-20 08:14 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-12-20 09:08 pm (UTC)And it is when you have done the trip four times!