friends expressed concern for the safety of Anita Ryan over the Nullarbor Plain from Perth to Sydney (Australia). a woman traveling solo can be a magnet for people in the rugged wilderness, they said. Anita made their trip for posterity, or first hand the obituary should the worst happen.
PART ONE
title south of Perth, I stopped at Bunbury swim with wild dolphins in Koombana Bay. Dolphin Discovery Centre delivered a suit, but swimming with these magnificent creatures forget me cold. I even forgot his own name, it is tragic to see I was the only company I hereon to -. differs from the infinitely boring commercial radio station
My senses still buzzing, I drove inland through the salt bed Lake Grace, turning south again at Lake King. Here, I passed a sign welcoming me in the background, I began to notice other drivers waving at me. It took a while to realize they are not waving with plenty of flies, they just have a decent country drivers.
After an eight-hour drive from Perth, I arrived in Esperance - the city and pretty soon I said goodbye to put your entry through the industrial area. Fortunately I arrived in time to drive a 45-minute Pink Lake Circle to see (you guessed it) pink lake.
set for the last Australian first wind farm in Salmon Beach, and then further Bluehaven meanders past the stunning beach and twilight. Fortunately the speed limit is 60 km / h - the view is so amazing who wants to watch the road
?
I took my time in the past 9 Mile Beach, 10 and 11 Mile Mile Lagoon Resort (no, I'm not joking, they really are the names of beaches). Relaxing at the Pink Lake I hung around for the sunset to see if the lake gets any Pinker. It is not.
I found the accommodation simply by choosing a bed and breakfast a block from the pier. For dinner, I headed off to Esperance is a 30-year-old institution: Beryl was eating - a mobile burger van at the Jetty foreshore. Then I did what every local ne ... I was sitting among fishermen at the pier, ate half a hamburger and threw the rest of the sea-lions game under the pier columns.
On day two, I woke up to breakfast served on Wedgewood china and advice to wear my hair down - "The police, the young darling," my host smiled
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I started with bouncing hair and good mood despite abandon my plan to travel further east along the Cape Le Grande. Undoubtedly Australia's most beautiful coastlines, but with the 4WD-only access to it was an invitation for disaster for my two door coupe.
Instead, I headed north to Norseman - the last town before setting forth across the Nullarbor
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Norseman was named after an old horse that has gone Nullarbor and founded the city. The story got me to wondering if the city is therefore made up of horses and nags.
Barely ten minutes on the Eyre Highway to me about 1200 km, without having to turn the corner, I passed my first casualty. pop-top caravan, which has popped its top. It was a timely reminder that I was embarking on a serious time and my job was to stay alive to enjoy it.
Barely two hours later I whizzed past Belladonia Roadhouse. That's when I realized the dots on the map are cities, but roadhouses. Fortunately for unruly traveler like me (without Jerry can and camping gear), roadhouses are usually no more than two hours, except for fuel and accommodation and facilities. But, unfortunately for unruly traveler like me (no drinking water), showers may cost a dollar and minute attendees laugh requests for fresh water.
to go beyond the roadhouses by, oh, at one million, it was road kill. This is proof positive of traffic signs warning of the presence of kangaroos, emus and camels. Camels? Yes, apparently so, although I have not seen any. I just saw dozens of kangaroos and emus, and needless to say, treat them with enormous respect.
One emu we are particularly impressed when he crossed the highway at what seemed like a pedestrian crossing. I learned later that the White Stripes are markers for the emergency landing strip for the Royal Flying Doctor Service. So now I have been watching out for kangaroos, emus, camels and airplanes.
At about half way from my days driving, I hit the start of Australia's longest straight road. The map is called 90 Mile Highway, but I think it was built during the imperial measurements. In addition, "144 km Road" has the same ring to it.
The second clock and the surrounding area began like Leunig cartoons. bleak landscape with only a thin tree to break the horizon.
road kill now compete for space among an amazing array of inanimate objects, such as blown tires, half the Ute, the rudder of the ship, and a yellow Hi-Ace converted message board: "Hi, Pam, and children, I saw a Yowie." I I thought they were only found near the cashier.
In spite of the barrenness of the terrain, it is perfectly fair, especially when viewed from the lookout Madura take another two hours. I was almost out of the car to photograph, but the heat melted off my lip gloss.
Madura Pass, marked the beginning of the rounded hills so long and still the same I think the air has to look like a giant carpet snake. It extends all the way to Eucla, 200 kilometers.
big white Christians' cross over the highway on the approach to Eucla. After ten hours in the car, I was so glad to see him almost converted. No, but it was a narrow escape.
Upon arrival at the greatest roadhouse on the Eyre Highway, I did some stretching my leg muscles to activate and again went straight to the bistro for some hot food and cold beer.
a very cheerful waitress told me about me: "oh we have both kinds - chicken and beef !"
"How about the wine-by-the-glass?" I wonder.
"Oh, the best barrel of wine money can buy !"
I really love their enthusiasm - we were, after all, in midfield very sharp miles from the bountiful fresh water and internet connection, and these girls can still smile
.
and then went to book the room, but the motel was booked out. (And it was not even school holidays!) I had an option, but that is a rudimentary cabin in a caravan park. It was comfortable enough, but the constant stream of people flip-flopping past my door to block benefits to curse me double-plugger. Just as I thought it was safe to go to sleep at 03:00, I wake up my neighbor's alarm through the thin walls. It is not unusual, except that it was his cell phone, and it was set to vibrate.
Since then, the sounds of travelers hitting the road is filled with air, and I found it was impossible to get back to sleep.
tired and cranky at the beginning of my third day, I took a gentle trip to the Old Telegraph Station 4 km south of Eucla establishment. Seeing how our remote and rugged settlers had me count my blessings, and I pointed my car east in a much better mood.
minutes later, I stopped. I'd reached the Western Australian and South Australian border and there were obstacles, and the guards searched cars for fruit and vegetable matter. I ate all the fruit, then I could have handed over the rest, along with the Margaret River grape vine cutting is supposed to be a gift for my brother.
Unfortunately, the border police were not forthcoming with hot coffee to follow my breakfast, despite the fluttering eyelashes and a threat to put my hair down.
never mind. For the next 180 km have been on treatment for the most beautiful coastline I could imagine.
harmless "Photo Opportunity" signs dotted along the way pointed to the car park 600 yards to shore, and each was worth the detour.
There is no fence along the cliff edges, so be careful not to get blown off. Furthermore, if you suffer from dizziness, to go with a friend - they can hold on you and stop you from jumping off. water is so clear and amazing, it really entered my mind as a good thing to fly off the edge. I do not know how far down it, but I'm reasonably draw away before I could learn.
Two hours later I got what I came to refer to as "zones" -. Treeless Nullarbor Plain
Light vegetation, the country's incredible desert wilderness, its wild beauty, offering an hour of spiritual space. As it was merged into the National Park, and then Yalata Aboriginal land, I was so moved I decided to do a mobile disco Nullarbor as a gesture of gratitude. I sang the only song I know about "rain" in an effort to influence the Universe to nurture spraying trees, although I'm not quite sure what to do if the tree is really beginning to rain men.
emerging from the "zone", I felt a real sense of loss as I have found commercial signage trade advertising and e-mail. Ah, civilization. I use the term very loosely mind - my senses were assaulted with the sight of cleared land that looked brutalized the untamed beauty of the desert. I did not enjoy this section and for the first time in this whole adventure, I felt tired while driving.
Although I thought it was mid-afternoon, I had missed the time-zone change, and it is now, in fact, late afternoon. Fortunately, Ceduna is only 30 minutes down the road. lag time in combination with the deflation of re-entering civilization has taken its toll. I fell into bed after gorging on the Smoky Bay oysters, and this time slept like a baby. (No, I did not wake up every two hours with pooey diaper screaming for bosoms. I mean, I slept well .)
By my fourth day, I'd just about enough. I was starting to suffer from the disease rrrrr - named after the sound of the relentless sound of tires on the road that permeates every waking thought. I took a shortcut across the desolate wasteland at the top of Eyre Peninsula in Port Augusta, but it's hard slog. Only one city, Kimba, the effort to welcome tourists, reminding them that they are now "half-way across Australia ."
the best thing to happen to me this day, I was fortunate diversion through the southern Flinders ranges. After the monotony of the dead straight road, it was wonderful to be able to drive the car again and I vowed to never take for granted the curvy road after that. interior road weaving its way south through picturesque historic towns and across the Clare Valley wine region.
I headed straight for my favorite Clare winery, only to discover that they close early. This disappointment caused fatigue so profound I fell on the grass and sooked. By now I was totally sun-smacked, broken roads, Val-whacked, white-lined, sign-swiped and travel thick. thought of getting back into the car sent me into a panic, and it was the only patient at the urging of a friend via cell phone that convinced me to get back in the saddle to ride the last time in Adelaide, which I did, just took me two hours, including periodic road rests solve nerves.
After cleaning my dribble, I went to bed in search of sleep. Unfortunately, the perplexing question of "Where's the rabbit proof fence?" keeps me awake while I watched it on the map just to find a few hundred miles north from where I was driving. Ooops. Just goes to show how good I am with maps! - I am probably very lucky to have even found Adelaide
Even so, the fact that I got this far certainly was honest enough to say "thank-you" to my guardian angel.
PART TWO
For part two of this article: "How long Howlong ', and' Tips for Travelers' go to
