This Diamond Ring (Sal Salis – Exmouth – Learmonth – Perth – Sydney)

We missed all the excitement last evening, dear reader. One of the guests had lost a ring. Not just any ring, a diamond engagement ring that had belonged to her mother. Obviously that inspired today's title, This Diamond Ring by Gary Lewis and The Playboys from 1965. Fortunately, it was found in the sand beside the road by one of the enterprising guests (well done Rosa) and ring and owner were soon reunited.

The Lodge and Deck.

Breakfast was the usual affair on the deck with the addition of one of the resident corellas who, this morning, proved to be quite aggressive. One couple decided to offer him a morsel while another was forced to abandon where they sitting for a safer zone. Well, that was the concept. On to a good thing, the corella followed them. Rather amusing really. He did try it on at our table but was no match for me.

Keeping an eye on potential breakfast items.

We chatted with Rosa and Greg again this morning. They have a travel agency in Cobram and I feel we will contact them next time we are heading down toward Rutherglen.

It was another beautiful morning on the reef. Sunshine, no cloud and a light breeze to keep you cool. After repacking the bag and vacating the tent, we sat on the deck watching the whales playing beyond the reef break and commiserated with the other guests who were also departing today.

The Dining Room.

The buggy arrived to transport us to the South Mandu carpark for the change into the mini-bus. We were keen to check in for our flights and to see if Qantas was behaving so phones were at the ready for the moment we were in range of the network. Check-in was finalised as we reached Exmouth and enjoyed a brief stop. We popped into the bakery to enjoy a pie and sausage roll in order to avoid the first leg of airline food. Excellent sausage roll and the pie was good, not Gaffney’s of Seymour standard, but good.

The final sunset #1

There is nothing to report of Learmonth airport because, well, there is nothing at Learmonth airport. The check-in girl was a trainee as was the guy in security so the process was a little longer than usual. After settling down to wait for boarding, Tinnitus arrived and sat within our earshot so we could continue to enjoy their inane conversation. “Unbelievable,” muttered Jayne.

The final sunset #2

Boarding time came soon enough and we made our way down the aisle to our exit row seats to discover … what do you think it was, dear reader? Absolutely correct. Tinnitus were seated across the aisle. “FFS, enough is enough,” Jayne spat under her breath as we stowed our luggage. We’re in a Fokker and the seat configuration is 2-3 with us being the 2 seats. Over the aisle there was a spare seat between Tinnitus. Jayne was horrified when an unsuspecting passenger came down the aisle to occupy the middle seat. I wanted to yell, "It's a trap. Don't sit there". Before he sat down, he offered for Tinnitus to sit next to each other. This generous offer was declined. How did he know they were together you ask? I have omitted a key detail about their behaviour. They always wear matching clothes. Always. Columbia brand only. And yes, I am being judgy.

The final sunset #3

Let’s expedite this story. Our plane was delayed because it was late from Sydney. That’s right blame Sydney. To add to the misery of waiting in an overcrowded lounge, we were flying home in a 737. Its first flight probably occurred before I was a teenager. The business section (no caps) is 12 seats. They don’t recline, the leg rests don’t rise nor does the lumbar support. I was really looking forward to stretching out on the flat bed. Seriously Qantas, how do you sleep at night charging business class rates for this level of service. And yes, the cabin staff were lovely, but that is not the point. I’ve flown much shorter routes in Asia in better cabins. Once again, lift your game Qantas.

Leaving Learmonth.

Anyway, it was a great experience swimming with the whale shark and that, ultimately, is what the trip was about. Aside from not being home for Jayne’s birthday. The plane made up some time on the way home, thanks to a cracking westerly and we were home and in bed by midnight.

Perth was unexpectedly green.

Until next time which will be November for a brief excursion to South Australia.

Stranded (Perth - Learmonth - Sal Salis)

The flight from Perth to Learmonth was uneventful and surprisingly the plane was not quite full. One of the air stewards informed us there had had been major issues in Sydney due to storms and many flights had been cancelled. So glad we flew out a day earlier, otherwise we could well have been stranded too. The inspiration for today's title, Stranded by the Saints, the first real punk band.

The flight landed on time, dear reader, but the singular baggage handler wanted to make his presence felt by moving with the speed of a glacier in an ice age. 40 minutes after disembarking the plane, our bag came through the carousel flap. Erin from Sal Salis was waiting for us and we were soon on the mini-bus heading for the resort. There is no road across the Cape Range due to its environmental and ecological significance. A surprise for the mining state. The range is riddled with caves, 500 plus and counting, that are being mapped and explored, revealing new species after new species. The scientists have enough work for many years to come. The road trip from the airport requires driving up into Exmouth and down the other side of the Cape Range. A trip of around 90 minutes.

Camping, but not really.

The resort is a series of 16 glamping tents, complete with ensuite and a communal lodge where meals and refreshments are enjoyed. After the usual ‘onboarding’ experience, we were shown to our tent, number 13, and unpacked our bags. It being close to canapé time, we then adjourned to the deck attached to the Lodge to enjoy a wine. Open bar - free pour as they say in the cruise brochures. Nice.

Home for the next four nights.

Canapés were delicious and we sat and chatted with other patrons as dinner approached. A three course delight with paired wines. The chef is French. Or at least he speaks with an outrageous French accent. The food was delightful, as was the dinner company, a couple all the way from, well, Ultimo. We’re almost neighbours.

The first sunset.

The moon is approaching full, but stars were difficult to spot due to the cloud. The night brought a rain storm which sounded spectacular on the canvas. I just rolled over and pulled the doona cover a little tighter. Ah, bliss. Not a siren to be heard.

Our start in the morning was relatively early. We needed to be at breakfast by 7 for a 7:45am departure for our mega-fauna tour. Although I’m sure those that left for the 5:45am sunrise walk would say we had it easy. There was quite an array of options for breakfast, fresh fruit, an açai bowl, the ubiquitous bacon and eggs and so on. Suitably sustained, we jumped into the golf buggy and headed for the carpark at Mandu South to pick up our lift to the boat ramp. Smooth as silk. Unlike the water this morning. 

The morning break.

The storm that hit Perth as we were leaving yesterday, side-swiped us and the swell was running at about 3 metres. Not enough to stop the trip but enough to make things interesting. In contrast to our Manta Ray swim last year, the boat we were on had only 7 passengers and 4 crew. A nice ratio.

A random flower. Pretty.

Safely on board we headed for a lagoon snorkelling spot where our guides could surreptitiously check out our ability levels. The water was a delightful 25° and I did the first swim without a wetsuit. Visibility was extremely poor and as an event, the first snorkel was forgettable. But today we weren’t here to snorkel in the lagoon and soon the boat was pointing north, out beyond the reef, looking for a Whale Shark.

This is what a whale shark looks like.

After the usual safety talk, we were soon sitting on the marlin board on the stern of the boat, eagerly anticipating our first sighting. The water was still warm but we all had on steamers on and lined up as we’d been told. Into the water, into another line and then the call, “face in water” and out of the gloom emerged a whale shark. Just brilliant. It moved so languidly, carrying so many sucker fish. A slight movement of the tail propelling it forward; the swell buffeting it as much as it did us. The turquoise spots reflecting the sun. And then our time was up and we returned to the boat.

This guy dropped by too.

We were one of 7 vessels chasing a whale shark sighting at that spot. There were two or three other sightings but the whale sharks there weren’t being particularly cooperative and submerged as people came close. The result for us, was a highly coordinated ballet of bodies, moving into and out of the water to spend their time swimming along with this behemoth of the seas. 

Beyond cool.

And so we did. Five times. On the fourth pass I was at the end of our line and the last to put my head into the water. Unbeknown to me, the shark had changed direction and was moving directly toward me. I submerged to see it within in a metre and half of me, much closer than expected and had to swim backwards to avoid a collision. He rolled onto his side as he passed, attempting to protect his soft underbelly.

About 5 metres in length.

Our fifth swim saw the water more clouded and the shark was less clearly defined. Compounding this was the fact that he’d had enough and began his descent from the surface back into the depths of the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately for the group next in the water, they would see little more than a murky shape. As it eventuated, this particular group had made numerous attempts to see a shark throughout the day. This was their last, and another failed attempt. We had been so fortunate.

Celebrating the day.

Back on shore, Kate drove us back to the pick-up point where our golf buggy chariot awaited. A hot shower and a change of clothes meant it was time to adjourn to the Lodge for the afternoon, rosé and some nibbles. Ah, paradise.

The gang.

We met some new people in our attempt to find dry seats. The unexpected deluge from last night had left all the outdoor furniture cushions wet. A couple from Tasmania. Like everyone else we have met so far, there was an amazing back story … time spent working in Antarctica. Incredible. Dropped into the conversation like you’d say, “I’m off to the shops. Do you need anything?” Another brilliant three course meal followed. Prawns, gold banded snapper and passionfruit tart. With paired wines, of course.

That's all for now.

Until tomorrow.

 

Art for Art's Sake (Sydney - Perth)

And so dear reader today finds us in the Qantas Business Lounge at Perth airport. Yes, it’s time for another trip, albeit a brief one. By the time this gets published, we will be back home in Sydney. Today we are heading for a place off the grid. More on that later.

We left Sydney on Friday morning. Unlike our last trip to Perth, Qantas did everything right this time. As you know, I have not been a Qantas fan for some time and despite a smooth journey to Perth, it is still too soon to forgive them. They have much ground to make up.

Unhappily the alarm went off at 5:15am. We had pre-booked an Uber for 6:15am and all went smoothly. We had checked our bag, cleared security and were comfortably seated in the Qantas lounge in Sydney before 7am. Having lost my Platinum status, the Business Lounge is now only an option if we are flying Business Class. And we are today, thanks to my bank of Frequent Flyer points.

Unlike our last dodgy trip to Perth where we were diverted via Melbourne, this flight was direct. It was also on an A330-200 which means space and a flatbed, should my back require a stretch. A much better arrangement than the sub-par Business Class seats on the aging 737 fleet.

The flight was uneventful, although the landing was a little on the agricultural side. Our bag even arrived on the same plane. All was going well. Our first challenge was to find the train to Perth. Signage at Perth airport seems to be for those who already know their way around. We discovered this last year. While there were signs pointing to the trains, they soon disappeared, leaving us standing in a car park wondering where we went wrong.

Ever the problem solver, Jayne decided to ask someone in the terminal. Apparently, the trains are accessed at Redcliffe Station, a brief shuttle ride away or 20 minute walk, if you feel you need the trial of a bag drag. I wanted neither and opted for a taxi. Rome to Rio suggested a taxi fare would be around $35. Not even close and we saw parts of Perth we’d never seen before as the driver went out of his way to ensure a high tariff.

We were at the Adnate Art Hotel on Hay Street by midday. The hotel has a large mural painted on its side, a characteristic shared by other destinations in the group, hence today's title. Art for Art's Sake is by 10CC from way back when I was in year 10. Uncharacteristically, our room was not ready, so we went for a walk prior to finding a suitable watering hole - Willi’s Wine Bar in what was once the Royal Perth Hotel and were soon seated, enjoying a bottle of Fiano.

Finding a pub proved a little more difficult than we had imagined. There is still a pub on every corner in Sydney, not so in Perth. Willi’s was a welcome oasis in a desert of shopping options. 

Once we had checked in and stowed our bags, we decided an early dinner would be a priority. It’s only a two hour time difference but the early start was having an impact on energy levels. There was an Italian restaurant, Simple Italian, in the next block over, that had good reviews so that’s where we dined. Pizza, a pasta and lobster dish and a bottle of Montepulciano in an empty restaurant. Bonus. We wandered back to the hotel and had our complimentary nightcap before crashing (relatively) early.

Our last Friday night stay in Perth was on Murray Street which turned out to be party central. Hay Street was a little quieter except for the multi-story carpark near our hotel. The sound of over-revving cars was clearly heard until I drifted off to sleep.

Saturday morning brought overcast skies and eventually, rain. The latter not until we were safely at the airport. Hay Street was quite deserted. In fact, there were less people than Liberal nominations for the upcoming NSW council elections. Ha, laugh, so funny! And they want to run the state and the country. Anyway, we set off in search of a café for breakfast.

The ‘best coffee’ recommendation proved a dud because there was nowhere to sit. It was very much a take-away service. However, across the mall was Espresso and Prosecco. It had an indoor and outdoor option. It had the usual breakfast menu as well as some delectable Italian sweets. Cannoli for breakfast? It was possible. It was tempting. I remained strong. No cannoli.

Better than Prague and not as far to travel.

The café was next door to the London Arcade which sports a decorative clock above its archway. It chimed on the quarter hour and the jousting knights moved back and forth. Most exciting. Do not mock me, dear reader. Have you seen the Astronomical Clock in Prague? It attracts a far bigger crowd and is less spectacular.

As we were enjoying our coffee, we noticed a shop across the mall that had attracted a crowd, queued up around the corner of the building. This was unusual for this hour in Perth. As the knights jousted and the clock chimed 9am, the doors of YKC opened and the crowd surged into the shop. The queue, by this time, stretched down the alleyway and people just kept coming. Amazing. It is, according to Dr Google, a New Zealand clothing company. Street wear, if you will. The sort left over from the ‘90s, with baggy knee height crotches. Not quite my style.

Queued all the way down the lane they were.

Back to the hotel. Check out time and into an Uber for a much quicker and significantly cheaper trip back to the airport. Driving down the Perth streets revealed statues/sculptures just about everywhere we looked. I didn’t notice them last year even though we walked around the CBD. Must do a proper guided walking tour of Perth on our next visit.

We discovered once we had cleared security, that the Qantas Club was closed and we were diverted to the Business Lounge. Happy days.

Our next flight is to Learmonth, the airport for Exmouth, and the spectacular Ningaloo Reef. This trip is  he final piece of the COVID puzzle. Before the pandemic, I had planned a stay at Sal Salis. When we finally made the journey from Perth to Broome last year, we added a trip through the Kimberley to Darwin and in the re-organisation, Sal Salis got bumped.

Approaching Learmonth

Sal Salis is an eco-resort at Yardie Creek in the Cape Range National Park. Yes, it is glamping with fine dining. The tents are behind the sand dunes and it is a stroll to the water’s edge and the Ningaloo Reef. We will be off the grid for the next 5 days which is why this will be actually posted from Sydney.

The magical colours of the gulf.

Until tomorrow.