Easy Day

I didn’t do very much today but I did get up early and go into Bussleton for an explore prior to the physio appointment. I wasn’t that impressed with it though; a bit of a sprawl along the shore with a few old bits here and there which all charged an entry fee - $2.50 to walk to the end of the jetty - apparently the longest timber piled jetty in the southern hemisphere -  $2.00 to go up a disused windmill tower to take a photo, and a whapping $29.50 to go into the underwater observatory at the end of the jetty. I would have paid an entry fee for that but that amount. So I didn’t bother, especially as it was only for something to do while I waited for my appointment.

So I wandered through the town for a while and stumbled across an old car rally - the National Vintage Cadillac show or something. About 50 old American cadillacs ( plus a couple of Buicks and Fords) all in show condition, lined up in a park, and open to inspection. 

There were some weird and wonderful creations among them, and all without exception were huge, probably twice the size of modern day European or Japanese economy cars like Yaris or Clio, Twingo, Micra etc. It’s funny how the American way was to make everything huge, just because they could. I know these were cars of days gone by, but even compared with European cars of the same era, they were much bigger and of course burnt  huge amounts of fuel. And really different ideas on style; wings and grilles and chrome. 

But it was a style, and before it went to ratshit in the 1980s; there were a couple of cadillacs from then and they were dreadful. Almost like family sized tissue boxes on wheels, and with brown or red interiors. Horrible.

The old pioneer cemetery is right in the centre of town too, so I went in there for a quick look. It was shut in the early 1930s because the water table is high around Bussleton and I guess its not good to have bits of dead people floating in your bathwater or kettle. The graveyard is now about 4 kms out of town, but the location of the old one does show how much even a small place like this has grown over the years.

Then it was physio time, not that I can recall much about it because I passed out. I do remember her sticking some acupuncture needles in my lower back and them stinging, and then vaguely a bit of painful thumbs between the vertebrae stuff, but that’s it. It took me quite a while to be able to ride, and then only after downing quite a bit of water. 

I was going to go back to Yallingup but stayed in Dunsborough instead. I had the beach to myself as well as the World Service on my little radio, and I listened to that for a couple of hours. I had a dip too but was very wary. 

This dog had no such qualms though but I made sure to stay  closer to the beach than him, just incase. They used to think that dog was the shark's favourite food, but I reckon that was probably because dogs went into the water more than humans back then and so got eaten more frequently.

There were a few small fish about and many small shells on the empty bed, plus a crab which nipped my heel. Bloody thing. 

But I did see an odd site; lots of small silver fish - I think whitebait - all jumped out of the water in a sort of murmuration type thing. I  just happened to be looking out to sea when they did it and thought I’d imagined it, but it happened twice more, but too quickly to get a picture.

I'm off northwards  a bit tomorrow, heading for Bunbury but I need to find alternative accommodation as the YHA there is full - unless I want to pay double for a single room. Nope, I do not, not just to sleep thanks. The school holidays have started and this is a holiday area so places will be full. I've booked it for Monday and Tuesday, but I'll see how I go. If I find a good camping spot which is cheap or free, I will stay there instead. About time I got back into the tent habit but while its cooler down here and camping is on a par if not dearer than the YHA, I might as well have a proper bed.