Day 9: Esperance to Albany

(Kim here) Well the next update in caravan park difficulties.  Every park has a different combination lock for the toilet – which is a lovely feature because it ensures security and keeps out the riff-raff but is a real problem in the middle of the night with a middle aged bladder that is less than perfect!  So I have perfected a technique.  As soon as I get the new code, I make up a rhyme ... the last caravan park was CZ0182:  Cheeter Zeeter knows one but ate two.  This caravan park is CZ098 and the rhyme is Charlotte Zanoofie knows ninety eight zucchinis.  (Okay, I always said I was more creative when I wasn’t working – maybe I could actually write a wacky children’s book!).

Other news – the ‘ pop’  that occurred on the rocks when Rich slipped yesterday (sounds like a new drink ... pop on the rocks!) is definitely a broken rib – this has caused more than a few difficulties – Rich can no longer move once he is in bed, so that means snoring!!  He also can no longer lift the van off the hitch, so no, it doesn’t mean that I help because I am no help at all – it means we have to get the jack out every time we ‘de-hitch’!   So tomorrow’s program may involve a visit to the hospital to see if they can advise on the best way to strap the rib to provide some support, and then also a visit to the Telstra shop because the $%#@!! USB-3G internet device that he spent so much money on so we could remain in contact is overheating to such a degree it warms the entire van!!  The more it warms the less it works – watch out Telstra here comes Rich! 

Anyway, about today!  We left lovely Esperance around 10 am with the MOST DIVINE coffee I have had anywhere in Australia so far, in hand.  We took a slow drive heading towards Albany but diverted via the Sterling Ranges which reminded me of a child’s drawing ... flat landscape and then suddenly, a mountain range that jutted up into the sky with startling abruptness.  These mountains are definitely worth a visit if we come by again. We are in the middle of a rather large cold front at the moment and so the ranges were covered and uncovered in cloud as the various squalls came through.  It was rather lovely. 

Then into Albany just as the real front hit hard – so it was ‘set up’  in the rain, with Rich wincing all the way (and moving at the speed of an older grey nomad) and me hovering around like a mother hen trying to help but probably merely getting in the way.  Rich says he now has more sympathy with the grey nomads – everything takes twice as long when you are old and hurting and when it is pelting with rain it is pretty unpleasant!  Having said that, once again our cozy little van is a delight and we are warm and dry inside and that is all that matters.  It is funny through crossing states – you keep learning new things.  For the last few days Rich has been searching every night for digital channels to tune the TV to (our aerial is working really well and I am still up to date with Grey’s Anatomy and Australia has got Talent. )  Anyway, tonight he was surfing the net (on his iPhone - not the %$#%$% USB3G device) and read a web page that said that country WA will be starting digital broadcasts on the 10^th June!!!  Right!!!! ... well that explains why he has been having a smidge of difficulty finding digital TV! 

Albany is beautiful, with granite islands and the city build around the numerous bays and large granite monoliths. The downtown area has great shopping but also a historic sector that we plan to explore tomorrow.

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