Busselton

I was cold last night. The weather is getting cooler especially at night, so when I set off this morning, I made sure to stick on a few layers.  Busselton was only a 100 kms or so from Manjimup, so I pottered along the Graphite highway, undulating past wineries, chestnut groves, tree farms and wooded areas. It was a nice change from pasture and open land.

I was on my way to Busselton on the coast because I had met Shand in the YHA in Albany she had rented a safari tent on a campsite there but there were three spare beds, so she invited me to stay. And that meant from Manjimup, I had a nice relaxed ride and got to stop off and chat more than I usually would, and still get there in good time ( mid afternoon)

Nannup was about halfway and I stopped there for a coffee and was immediately besieged by an older couple who had passed me on the road when I’d been taking photos. The bloke thought I had broken down and was full of apologies for not stopping as the road was a bit dodgy and he was towing a big rig. I put him right, and thanked him but we had the usual bike/travel/ put the world to rights chat. 

I chatted to a few more people on my walk down the very short main street, including a bloke in an old 1980s Transit van who was a landscape painter.  Apparently, the town is a place where thylacines have been spotted - Tasmanian tigers. Or maybe its one tiger spotted several times. Who knows, but it wasnt around today.

Then I spotted an Op shop (charity shop) complete with a knitted cover on the tree outside. 

So,  time for a bit of unsuitable bikewear shopping. Already had this little number from Esperance.

It was an old house filled with bits and pieces in each room, a fundraising effort for the local school The two ladies in there ( Janelle and Dot), found some real special bits for me, and  it turned into a good old laugh.

Even the landscape painter bloke came in and fished out a few bits and pieces for me to try, once I’d promised him that I still intended to wear my proper bike gear when riding ( as I always do).

I finally found Shand at about 1500, and the safari tent was right next to the beach. 

It was more of a glampers paradise than a tent, proper shower, TV, kitchen, fridge/freezer type thing. Pretty good, and very different from my usual swag/tent camping. And proper beds too. So nice, and such a treat. Many thanks Shand!

No swimming for me though. Look carefully at the pic below and you'll see a row of dots at the top of the sea. Float buoys on the shark nets. Very close to the beach. No thanks.