North of Perth

Spent the first night at Cervantes, a small fishing/holiday village then went to the Pinnacles Desert National Park. Surreal landscape of thousands of limestone pillars. Saw emus and a Western Blue-tongue lizard which tried to see Chris off its patch.

Then went up to Kalbarri for three nights. Rented a small house for the same price as a caravan. Did a 3-hour walk through the Murchison River Gorge – stunning. Explored the coast as well but spent both afternoons on the beach.

Then continued north to Carnarvon with the idea of heading inland to Mount Augustus, stopping on the way at Gascoyne Junction. Fortunately we stopped in the information centre in Carnarvon who told us that Gascoyne Junction had been badly damaged in the floods three years ago and there was nowhere to stay – so we overnighted in Carnarvon. Then it was a 1000km round-trip to Mount Augustus, mostly on dirt roads and no town for the middle 600km, only Mount Augustus Station which had sort-of cabins in which to sleep. We were carrying food and water for 3 days, so no problem. Then up at 4:15 am to start walking up the mountain at first light. It was 25 degrees when we set off and 35 degrees when we got back down 5 hours later! But we had climbed the biggest rock in the world and the highest point in Western Australia.

Then we drove back to Carnarvon, but about 250km away we came across an Aborigine family who had broken down. We were the first car to pass and they'd been there 2 hours. Took mother and kids to Gascoyne Junction to get help, then on to Carnarvon – civilisation!

Next stop was Coral Bay where we lazed on the beach and booked a snorkelling trip to the Ningaloo Reef for the next day. Fantastic! Coral, amazing fish, sharks, turtles and the highlight, swimming above a manta ray and watching it feed. Never seen anything like it. It was a 7-hour trip with 3 hours of snorkelling – better then the Great Barrier Reef, partly because it's so close inshore, but also because of the marine life. Unforgettable, but no photos, sorry.

Then to Shark Bay where Judy brought her hat home – when we were staying with Jill and Andy in Malaysia we visited the Cameron Highlands. Judy had lost her hat, but hanging on a bush in the jungle was a hat saying “Shark Bay Australia”. Didn't have a clue where it was, but we do now! Stayed in Denham, the most westerly town on Australia, for 3 days.

Went to Monkey Mia to see the dolphins that come and visit almost every day. Never been so close to wild dolphins, and the real treat was they were two mothers with calves.

Next day was a long 4-wheel drive up to Cape Peron in the Francois Peron National park. Deflated the tires for lots of sand, but got a bit bogged with only about 15km to go, so reversed out. Met a very helpful ranger who checked our tyre pressures – still too high! Let more air out then almost floated over the deep sand all the way to the end. Watched a group of about 10 manta rays in the water below Skipjack Point, and, we think, a big old dugong.

Third day we visited the church in Denham, made out of blocks of compressed shells cut out of a quarry with a saw.

Then to a wonderful aquarium where we learned a lot about fish, turtles and especially sharks – very appropriate for Shark Bay. Then to Eagle Bluff where we watched sharks swimming below, before a long afternoon on a beach all to ourselves.

Have just done a long day's drive back to Perth to spend one last night with our friends Brian and Ann, then off to Sydney tomorrow so that Chris can attend a conference.