Our morning started with a walk down to the shores of the Indian Ocean. The air was crisp and it smelled of salt. There are no palm trees here, but lots of grasses and low shrubs. The sand is white as snow and the water is the bluest we’ve ever seen. It is hard to capture on film, but we tried. The swimming beach was covered completely with a thick layer of what we believe to be seaweed. This wasn’t the case everywhere, but it was here. We weren’t planning to swim anyway.
After breakfast we headed to the Pinnacles desert. We expected this to be impressive, but as we topped a hill and got our first glimpse of it we gasped. It was the magnitude of it that amazed us. There were so many pillars. As we drove and walked around to see them, the Indian Ocean with its blue waters and white sands were a constant backdrop. It was quite an experience. We were looking forward to the visitor’s center and finding out how these pillars were created. They don’t know! There are 2 main theories. Two main theories prevail, and in both plants play a major role. One is that they are calcified remains of an ancient forest, another is that they are the remains of a plant rich sand dune. Apparently little research has been done. It is an amazing sight, nonetheless.
And now, a small moment from Mrs. Morris.
“It’s a long way out there!” is the comment we heard over and over again when we told people of our plans to drive to the Pinnacles. Warnings heard we were determined to head out on this adventure. Only one problem I was the chosen driver! Now if you’ll remember I drove a few kilometers when we were in the Daintree. No traffic there but I did get a feel for driving on the left. Here in Perth I was driving out of the airport into a city of a million people and did I mention the Pinnacles are really far away in an area that makes the middle of nowhere seem crowded?!
After my knees stopped shaking and my heart stopped racing I took a deep breath, hopped in our cute, blue Toyota Corolla and started the engine. The main thing I needed to remember was to stay in the middle and keep to the left not big deal.
Mrs. Harding was navigating and had gotten some directions and we were off—in traffic! Our first stop was McDonalds, not for food although we did get our “emergency ration of water”, but mostly because we already needed to turn around and I needed the bathroom!! Scared? You bet!
Back on the road again I relaxed a bit. We were in traffic similar to what we see around Woodland Hills and headed in the wrong direction again. Stopped for more directions and back on the road again in the right direction when we were directed by some policemen to make a detour due to a fatal accident on the road we were taking.
DETOUR! Now what!? Mrs. Harding in an excellent map reader and found an alternate route and out of the city. Most roads are two lane roads on which you can drive 110 k/ph. And I did!! Sometimes inadvertently got up to 120 k/ph!! (even had the opportunity to overtake a few cars and not in an overtake zone, Mr. Harding) We saw a lot of nice country and drove and drove and drove…in silence…when simultaneously we said “Where are we!!” Lost in the Outback!!! Oh no!!1
We rounded a corner and Mrs. Harding saw a sign that said Indian Ocean Drive/Pinnacles which is the road we had to detour and wanted to begin with. Now our goal was to find a safe, cozy place to stay before it got dark. The Pinnacles would wait until tomorrow. So we drove and drove and drove some more until we came to a tiny seaside city called Cervantes.
Of course the trip back home is always faster than the trop away from home. The drive was still a long one and I did a good job at staying on the left side of the road. Only used the wipers for a signal about 100 times! (far more than Mr. Harding) and I tend to hug the right side of the road. The most traffic was in the city of Perth and we were glad to return the car to Hertz. No more driving for us. Wave Rock is a longer distance than the Pinnacles and driving and getting lost is too stressful! We are still alive and the experience was worth it. The Pinnacles were breath taking!
Two days here in Perth and someone else is doing the driving!!! Cheers!!
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