Traveldog Freo to Margs

I have a travelled a few miles in my life, always astounds me to hear that some city children have never seen a cow in a pasture! My miles have mostly been in Australia, and I am a mad fan of our beautiful country. I am one of those people who 'tear up' flying back into the country and seeing the coastline from high up above. Tragic ozziephile.

A Chamber of Commerce tour I took of the Mining Industry in the North West of Australia

I think my 'offshore navigators log' has somewhere between 3,000 & 4,000 nautical miles recorded in it.

Looking east, sailing Broken Bay, NSW in my old yacht Malveena

Not sure by rail, have done the Indian Pacific between Sydney and Perth 3 times, and would jump on it again today. The Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin once. The train from Sydney via Brisbane to Cairns once. The Trans Siberian from Khabarovsk, north of Vladivostok in Russia, and travelling over 8,000 km's.


By river; down the Volga in Russia, and down the Rhine from Basel to Amsterdam.

North of Bumbury

I have zigzaged my way across this country and generally feel at home getting off a plane and driving around any of our lovely cities. But, I am getting a sore derriere driving back and forth from Margaret River to Perth and back. Will sort it shortly, so I can go and have fun exploring other lovely drives.


So yesterday, I was amusing myself by writing to you 'in my mind' and describing a few ways to make the trip a bit easier. So these are some of my thoughts;


Hint ~ Don't take photo's from your iphone whilst driving.

Dont Drive & Take Photo's

Games to play to keep oneself amused;

• an adults version of 'I Spy', the theme could be choosing botanical names of plants, or navigational sights like the chimney at Capel. It's better to play with another human being, it's getting very one sided with the dogs.
• Finger exercises, hands on the steering wheel, that is, with out upsetting oncoming drivers.
• Neck exercises, Jacquie from Stepping Stones in Fremantle gave me some goodies. Don't try leg exercises whilst driving, I put my hip out trying that. (don't laugh)
• Choose songs from your albums that are good to drive and sing to. I am currently getting some songs together for my driving cd. One I chose, Julia and Angus Stone's, Big Jet Plane. (listen here)

The drive from Perth to Margaret River, normally takes me about 3 hours. As you are coming from Perth there is Loo Stop about an hour and ten minutes south. Very handy and very crowded after a long weekend. The service stations are also handy for the same thing. If you are coming from Margaret River, another handy Loo Stop is the Gull Station at Stratham, about a 50 minute drive and located between Capel and Bunbury (I normally call it Bumbury, as I have a bottom by the time I get there). They have a great fruit and vege shop called The Forbidden Fruit, and have won awards for supplying local produce. A seafood shop has just opened and looks fantastic. They are vaccu packing the fish fillets, which is a great idea.


A question I have to ask is.. on a dual carriage way, why do people have to drive in the other lane when they are not overtaking? I have spent some time observing these people, and have come to the conclusion that they are either inexperienced, or, as does seem possible, they have been smoking something mind altering!