From Esperance to Perth

April 4th to Esperance 745 km

Today we had set the clock at 06.00. Cecilia lit the lamp when the bell rang. Raoul went into the shower. Then the power went and it became pitch dark! The shower worked anyway. We got our morning shower. But there was no tea and Cecilia had to paint her eyes with the help of a flashlight!. Little cereal and milk with cheese and biscuits for breakfast.

The outage occurred when the chef switched on the stove in the kitchen, the big generator should start but the damp night had settled in the switchgear so there was an electrical short. The small generator that supplied the hotel with electricity at night was also knocked out. We left at 0700 hrs. It was a bit hazy and foggy before the sun really warmed.

We nearly made some roadkill. A large kangaroo was standing on the highway. We slowed down to await what it was going to do. It turned around and jumped back across the road just in front of our car! A little cool. Since most did not eat breakfast because of the power outage, we stopped in Cocklebiddy 91 km.

They had no problems with power that morning so got coffee and cake. But one car was missing. Given that there was a lot of kangaroos on the road both alive and dead, Raoul, with Noel as a passenger and scout, turned back in our car to see if something happened. Mobile coverage was only available at the Madura Pass hotel and at Cocklebiddy and not in between. Raoul and Noel met the missing car after a few kilometers and turned around. Then we had to brake hard for a large kangaroo. It was the only time on the whole trip we were close to run over an animal. Peter and Jan Cowen had turned around to retrieve a forgotten toilet bag.

Got to the longest straight stretch in OZ which is 90 miles, ie 145 km. Cecilia drove that route! Hotel for the day was booked and paid in Esperance on the south coast. In Norseman it meant turning left. There is no paved road to Perth, which is due west. One road goes north and one south from Norseman. We went on to Esperance, to be there early evening in order to have a look around the place. After checking in at four o'clock, we took a walk along the waterfront. We didn't Walk very far as it looked like it was going to rain. Once back to the motel it was the Sundowner. A reservation was made at a Chinese restaurant about 300 meters away, so we walked there. Nice and good dinner!

_{A part of the 90 mile straight.
Harbour gardens and the Esperance Yacht Club WA.}

April 5th to Perth 716 km

7th day and last day to Perth. We got off last of all and got a little panicked about not arriving in Perth on time so we missed driving the Twilight Beach Road and have a look at the Pink Lake. The others did it and "cost" them only a quarter of an hour or so. At lunchtime when we thought we were last, we were almost first. Well we stopped and had lunch, first alone then a few more cars arrived.

We were recommended to go back a few km and look at a rock formation in the form of a wave. It cost a few dollars to park but we borrowed a ticket to put in the car. It was an interesting rock formation that looks like a wave that is breaking at a beach.

_{Noel in his car. But is this the way you drive a car?
The wave is really breaking!}

Noel's car has problems with the overdrive. It does not work. As a result, he cannot drive more than 80-85 km/h. This part of Australia has also large grain fields. Rolling landscapes and large plains about each other. Alternating and nice to drive. Came to Perth in time for the welcome drink and buffet where we recognized a number of old friends. It was tiring with the high noise level in the hall the buffet was in. We went to bed early.

Total from the Gold Coast 4635 km in 7 days. Actually only 660 km per day. 7 hours out of 24hrs in the car. Equivalent to a short working day. New impressions every second/hour/day. An amazing time in a car. Just driving in the same direction for 7 days. ie: in a west direction and still in Australia. We had the sun back of us in the morning and did not drive late so we never had the sun in front of us in before we reached the hotel in the afternoon.