Perth, WA, Australia
Since tonight I head out for a couple of months hiking I'd better get caught up with my blog. But there'll be no pictures from Brisbane because all my extra gear (camera and iPad included) are near Albany where this hike takes me. Isn't it cool I'm getting to hike to my bike?!?!
I'd had a marvelous 4 day visit in Brisbane staying with Warmshowers hosts Lynn and Len Daniels in their delightful home. Always great sharing travel stories and connecting, eating scrumptious food, and sleeping in a bed. Much needed R & R.
My friends from Toowoomba came down for the day. Kathryn, Luke, and I toured the Koala sanctuary. Always more fun to tour a "zoo" with a child! So much fun seeing the world through his eyes! Sadly I didn't get to see dad Michael and Jacob as they had other commitments. Still so nice to feel like I have "family" this far from home. I had Kathryn drop me off up by the shops and I went browsing in a thrift store finding a few things I needed. That night I went to upload photos and realized I had left my small backpack with my camera on the counter at the thrift shop. Yikes! I'm so absent minded. If it isn't tied to me it's only through luck it makes it home again. But I wasn't worried. They were do nice there, I was sure if get it back. Just go up in the morning when they're open. So at 9 am up I go. Closed Mondays. Argh! But there's a phone number. I call. Leave a message. Then head into the city to shop and tour on my own. I call again. She answers. She'll meet me there whenever I want. She has the pack. Yippee. Phew!!! On my way home I retrieve it. She said I was lucky they hadn't taken everything out, priced it, and out it in the shelves:))
A dear Facebook friend, Frank Denman, toted me all around the city, and back and forth to the airport. Always fun to meet someone you know from FB. We had a fun day seeing the sites like Mt Coot-tha overlooking the city and walking downtown and up the South Bank where Expo was many years ago. These Australian cities are all on rivers. Brisbane isn't actually at the coast, but inland a fair bit. And the river winds through the middle. And lots of grassy parks. Was quite a relief to see a bit of green again after the sand and red soil of the Outback.
Wednesday came and Frank picked me up to head to the airport and off across the whole continent to Perth. I got a window seat so I could see this big beautiful place, but the clouds didn't cooperate. And they didn't fly over Uluru (Ayers Rock) anyways:(. I flew Virgin Australia. And everything went easy peasy as usual. This time I kept Blaze long and with the seat bungyed on like I did from Longreach. That works well. She seems to get more respect when she's not folded and bubble wrapped.
And Carl Bentley, another Facebook friend, met me at the airport for a lift to my Warmshowers host's house. Peter Easton is so kind to put up with me for nearly a week while I prepare for this 2-3 month hike of the Bibbulmun Track, Australia's longest hiking trail. The season is perfect. Spring flowers are out. The weather's warming up a bit.
Peter's son, Angus, has been here several nights too. He got a chance to ride Blaze before she left. And they took me out yesterday to see Fremantle, a coastal town famous for the America's Cup. Very quaint with a wonderful indoor market much like I saw in Asia. And we had the best crepe breakfast there!
I've now set my feet in another ocean: the Indian Ocean!
The day before, Carl had picked me up to help me stash some food up the trail.
You can't see it, right?!?
This first section is 12-13 days walk between towns. I'm not in any shape for carrying that weight of food so I'm stashing some 4 days out and shipping a resupply box to a roadhouse 8 days out. Such a wuss. I know!
Carl took me out to see a weir on the track where I'll be going.
It still blows my mind how I can fly into a city that I've never been to and I have all this wonderful help and support: rides, places to stay, tours, gear transported. I don't take it lightly or for granted. So appreciated!!!!
Ya, my gear was picked up by Jacko and Annie Vanderbyl. Friends of a friend of a friend. Jacko hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2013. He met Violet B (trail name). She's friends with Bluebearee, a hiker friend of mine. She hiked part of the Bibb earlier this year before getting injured. She hooked me up. So Jacko met me at the Bibb office Friday and taxi'd me around town as I got gear and supplies. Then picked up Blaze and extra stuff. I had a box that must have weighed the same as the box of gear I flew in weighed. I carry all that "shit" on my bike?!?! Doesn't seem like a lot when she's loaded up. Just seems right.
Tonight, after work, in an hour, Peter's taking me out to the start of the Bibb. I'm just hiking in to the first shelter. It's hard to get my head around another long hike. I'm excited and anxious. Snakes are out. I've gotten my instructions. If I get bit, bend over and kiss my ass goodbye!! I can try and put compression on the wound (with the compression wrap I bought) and hope I can get to a hospital but probably not likely to happen. Have to step carefully in my sandals:)
Not sure how updated the blog will be. Facebook when I can. I have to say I'm looking forward to disconnecting a bit for these months. We'll see how well I do.
Gotta run. I have to take a long walk!
Livin' the life,
BagLady
Facebook: Kathryn Mossbrook Zimmerman
