. . . and gave me a vegemite sandwich (part one of many)
and I said "oh, do you come from land down under?"
Actually, I think I stifled an "Ewwww" and replaced it with "not bad", in order to please my hosts, but I digress.
This post is public for now. That status is subject to change.
I got back to the house from Australia around 10:30 PM on the 30th after traveling to Perth to see Bev again, and to meet the rest of her family for the first time. It was quite an experience, and if there's a place on earth that can possibly persuade me to move from Atlanta, Perth might just be the spot. I caught a break with the weather. You can tell because I'm not dead of heatstroke. Only one day reached 38C (100F), and I was able to stop and be dragged into a Dome coffeeshop to recover for a bit.
Bev and I spent the first thirty-six hours of my time there at the Sebel Hotel on Pier Street, near the intersection with Hay Street, with occasional forays out for food, driving, and the Caversham Park, where they keep some of the native flora and fauna locked up behind bars. I met my first fifty kangaroos, including some white ones, and gave a koala a backscratch while he slept. I saw my first silhouette of a quokka as well - they were shy and trying to avoid the heat.
Monday morning, we drove down to Margaret River, about three hours south of Perth. We hung out on the Busselton Jetty for a while (man, is that thing long), where I was introduced to the pesky flies for the first time. I did shower that day - maybe that was part of the problem. We also hit Fonti Farms for some cheese samples, a chocolate company, and the Lavender Farm, where we purchased some wine, oil, and bath bombs. Lavender wine? It's quite good, actually, and a little relaxing. We saved the lavender port for the next visit, however.
In Margaret River, we stayed at Villa Margarita, a Mediterranean-style home that with three or four rooms for possible rent at a time. The owners also live in the house. It's not quite a bed and breakfast - more of a bed and a hell of a nice view of the Indian Ocean. And three house pets who will come by and beg for scraps as you cook using your room's outdoor kitchen. Our room also contained a hot tub, which I'm sorry to report that the two of us were unable to inhabit simultaneously. Bev and I highly recommend this place.
Tuesday the 21st, we shopped a little, visited several wineries in the region, the Bootleg Brewery, the Berry Farm, and a glassblower. It pays to wake up early in Margaret River, as everyone closes between 4 and 5 PM. The Bootleg Brewery closed its kitchen at 3, about fifteen minutes before we arrived seeking lunch. Still, it was not a disappointing day. We stopped by the Lavender Farm again for some more wine, too. Good stuff.
Contrary to Neil Gaiman's "Season of Mists", I'm sorry to report that the sunsets were not 'bloody marvelous'. Very nice, yes, but not the absolute best. Perhaps I caught them at a bad time.
Wednesday the 22nd was also a busy day. We drove up to the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse (nice view!), then back to Perth and then out to Bev's parents' farm, in order to meet them for the first time. Along the way, we passed through the towns of York, Quairading, Shackleton (more like a micro-village), and Bruce Rock. Bev had interesting commentary on each stop, mostly based on family history and past residences - the exception being the World's Smallest Bank, in Shackleton. Seriously. My dorm rooms were larger.
Finally, we reached the farm after dark, in a two-car caravan led by Bev's youngest sibling, Dwayne.
Part Two may come soon.
Actually, I think I stifled an "Ewwww" and replaced it with "not bad", in order to please my hosts, but I digress.
This post is public for now. That status is subject to change.
I got back to the house from Australia around 10:30 PM on the 30th after traveling to Perth to see Bev again, and to meet the rest of her family for the first time. It was quite an experience, and if there's a place on earth that can possibly persuade me to move from Atlanta, Perth might just be the spot. I caught a break with the weather. You can tell because I'm not dead of heatstroke. Only one day reached 38C (100F), and I was able to stop and be dragged into a Dome coffeeshop to recover for a bit.
Bev and I spent the first thirty-six hours of my time there at the Sebel Hotel on Pier Street, near the intersection with Hay Street, with occasional forays out for food, driving, and the Caversham Park, where they keep some of the native flora and fauna locked up behind bars. I met my first fifty kangaroos, including some white ones, and gave a koala a backscratch while he slept. I saw my first silhouette of a quokka as well - they were shy and trying to avoid the heat.
Monday morning, we drove down to Margaret River, about three hours south of Perth. We hung out on the Busselton Jetty for a while (man, is that thing long), where I was introduced to the pesky flies for the first time. I did shower that day - maybe that was part of the problem. We also hit Fonti Farms for some cheese samples, a chocolate company, and the Lavender Farm, where we purchased some wine, oil, and bath bombs. Lavender wine? It's quite good, actually, and a little relaxing. We saved the lavender port for the next visit, however.
In Margaret River, we stayed at Villa Margarita, a Mediterranean-style home that with three or four rooms for possible rent at a time. The owners also live in the house. It's not quite a bed and breakfast - more of a bed and a hell of a nice view of the Indian Ocean. And three house pets who will come by and beg for scraps as you cook using your room's outdoor kitchen. Our room also contained a hot tub, which I'm sorry to report that the two of us were unable to inhabit simultaneously. Bev and I highly recommend this place.
Tuesday the 21st, we shopped a little, visited several wineries in the region, the Bootleg Brewery, the Berry Farm, and a glassblower. It pays to wake up early in Margaret River, as everyone closes between 4 and 5 PM. The Bootleg Brewery closed its kitchen at 3, about fifteen minutes before we arrived seeking lunch. Still, it was not a disappointing day. We stopped by the Lavender Farm again for some more wine, too. Good stuff.
Contrary to Neil Gaiman's "Season of Mists", I'm sorry to report that the sunsets were not 'bloody marvelous'. Very nice, yes, but not the absolute best. Perhaps I caught them at a bad time.
Wednesday the 22nd was also a busy day. We drove up to the Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse (nice view!), then back to Perth and then out to Bev's parents' farm, in order to meet them for the first time. Along the way, we passed through the towns of York, Quairading, Shackleton (more like a micro-village), and Bruce Rock. Bev had interesting commentary on each stop, mostly based on family history and past residences - the exception being the World's Smallest Bank, in Shackleton. Seriously. My dorm rooms were larger.
Finally, we reached the farm after dark, in a two-car caravan led by Bev's youngest sibling, Dwayne.
Part Two may come soon.