Caves and trains

Spending a night without internet, phones or TV was a tad frustrating and made us wonder how on earth we coped before Tim Berners-Lee discovered the World Wide Web! It was peaceful though, and we did have the luxury of watching a film Ian had copied onto the hard drive so it did mean we didn't have to resort to talking to one another. It also meant no blogging, uploading of photos or texting the family. This all took place Saturday evening so I should start with what happened earlier in the day'

Saturday morning we awoke to sounds behind the motorhome. Took a peek through the curtains and discovered a wallaby,

It was also that morning I eventually dipped my feet into the sea.
 

Greens Beach

And to top that we got lost on route to Mole Creek! I was again map reading and took Ian down 10k of dirt road only to discover it was a dead-end! Another 10 k back before once more ending up on another dirt road. This one was by far the most challenging with many a pothole, gravel ridges and single tracks, but it did get us onto Highway1, much to my relief and Ian's sanity.

First dirt track not to bad

and second quite abysmal.

We eventually arrived at Mole Creek and only just managed to book the three cave tours before they closed. By far the most impressive was Kings Solomons cave but the two known as Marakoopa (one cave system but two different tours) was also worth every penny.

 This now brings me back to the top paragraph and lack of internet. I can't remember the last time we were in bed by 9pm, sleep came quickly but then so did wakefulness at some silly time in the morning. More campers had arrived and were shouting and laughing totally oblivious to people trying to sleep. At that time of the morning, the night sky looked pretty decent. Stars filled the sky and I would have gone out to have a good look but it was to darned cold!

 Sunday 1st March

It was a drive up the coast road towards Davenport, mainly because we needed supplies and most importantly booze. We also wanted to visit the Don River railway. Only runs on a Sunday but unfortunately not by a steam locomotive. There was a great museum and once on the train, I got to sit up front with a drivers view of the track. Then just before the train set off we found out the driver of this train was learning the ropes and had only done the journey a few times before. Good job the instructor was with him but he didn't do too badly, only putting on the power a bit too quickly and spinning the wheels just the once!

Royal carriage

Crikey...will we make it???

L plates for this driver

My turn to drive?...or not!

Left Davenport to head once more along the coast road but then a glance at one of those brown information signs as we travelled toward a place called Penguin and on it was another cave. "Shall we?" said Ian and we did no more than take the next junction and head for Gunns Plain. Again we just about made the last tour, only two of us on it but our guide (and leaseholder of the caves) gave us the works. What should have been just 45minute ended up being a 90 minutes tour.

Found another lovely site not far from the caves at a place called Wingspan Wildlife Park. Right by the river, we sort of hope a Platypus might put in an appearance. So far all we have seen, and heard, are some very noisy Geese!

And wildlife,

Nearly an inch long!!!

The shed skin of a Huntsman spider (seen in the ladies loos)