You can’t beat south-western WA for unusual place names. Many have names ending in …’up’, like Jerramungup, Dalyup, Ongerup, Boyanup, Manjimup, the list goes on. I checked the map to make sure I hadn’t missed any and, sure enough, there’s no sign of a Cookinup, Dishinup, Muckinup or Bellyup. I wonder why?
Last evening I did some housekeeping. Sorted a pile of washing (where does it all come from?), reorganised the onboard amenities and dry stores in preparation for the next sector of the journey… and I cut my hair. There was no way I could put up with it blowing everywhere and flopping in my eyes any more. A look in the mirror when I woke up this morning confirmed I’d made the right decision, but what a confronting sight! I shall have to get used to the new look, the consolation being that it will grow again. Eventually.
It will grow again, won’t it…?
This morning started with a small band of cloud, touched pink and silver by the first rays of the rising sun. After an hour most of the sky was obscured by the grey stuff and yesterday’s beautiful blue sea was equally grey and uninviting. The breeze was quite gusty, even early this morning, but it was warm.
I bundled up all the dirty washing and headed to the laundrette, which led to the need to seek out a supply of $1 coins. No longer do machines take 20c pieces. I think it’s about 45 years since I last used a laundrette.
Next I took Camel to the local BP outlet, where she took on fuel. While there I checked out the spray of Araldite that decorated the windscreen. The stuff in the washers had, at best, removed only bits of butterflies – and at worst, smeared the most recent of the remainder. When asked what he would recommend of the limited range of bottles displayed on his very rusty shelving, the spotty-faced Sunday morning lad shrugged. “Take ya pick,” he offered helpfully. I figured I’d keep my money until I found the right stuff. Besides, when all the bits of Araldite join up I’ll be forced to do something.
The plan is to leave Esperance tomorrow morning and to go north to Norseman and east to Balladonia. Tuesday will see the beginning of the Nullarbor Plain. The Eyre highway follows a coastal route, approximately 100 kms to the south of the Trans Australian rail line. There are places I want to stop to look at the ocean and the map tells me there will be several opportunities to do that. Everyone has warned me to, “Watch out for camels!” Ditto ‘roos, emus, wombats. I will be very, very vigilant. Promise. When I find something to clean the windscreen…