3/9/18 Esperance to Albany

Got away from Esperance about 9.30 after fuelling.
John & I both slept well last night.
Sunny and beaut riding until toward Albany, when the clouds started appearing.  Some wind, not bad.
Can't get over all the water laying around.  Huge shallow lakes in paddocks, big trenches full alongside the highway.  From well before Esperance to Albany.
Unspectacular but nice country.  Low scrubby shrub, banksias, small bushes of white flowers, daisies mostly white and yellow, yellow wattle, huge tracts of green meadow and bright yellow canola, middling size trees and the occasional patch of planted eucalypt forest.  Good quality road.

I went in to the Ravensthorpe caravan park to show John the Kens & Barbies and for a photo op among them for MMBear.  Gone!  Dunno if its political correctness at its worst, or whether the years have taken their toll on the dolls.
When Michele & I stayed there on our way to the Albany Ulysses AGM, we were taken by the display in the gardens of Ken & Barbie dolls in various states of distress.  Stuck in toasters, ovens, mangles, all sorts of torturous situations, along with a few disparaging signs.  Now its just boring bits of garden.  The office was closed, so I couldn't ask what happened to the displays.
At least the nice murals (non Barbie) appear to be still on the ablution block.
We enjoyed that caravan park in something like 2010.

Saw a roo on the road for the first time this trip.  Just sitting there, perhaps soaking up some warmth from the bitumen.  Plenty of time to slow right down and watch him hop into the bush.   Bike says temp got to 21.5C.

Albany
The unit we are staying in is pretty good (Albany Holiday Units).  Friendly, helpful receptionist  Kitchenette etc.  Currently making a dent in some hommus, bics, carrot, pear, port.
The ride here has been great.  Wouldn't be dead for quids.  :)

Walked on the boardwalk onto dusk, then into a fish 'n chip shop for tea.
This area (Middleton Beach) is riddled with holiday units of varying styles, some quite pleasing to look at.

It will be tidy when we leave.  :)

Tue 4/9/18
After our cereal & fruit breakfast (& coffee), we rode to the memorial lookout then the fort museum & Anzac centre.

This is the white-flowered bush we've seen all across the Nullarbor.

 This one is fairly common too.

John at the lookout.

Don't know what this bird is, but pretty colourful (no sun for this shot).

Outside the ammo store.

The Anzac Centre was a sombre reminder of the stupidity of it all.  The sheer numbers of dead and wounded from various countries.  But no-one learns from it all.  The self-important posturing of people like Trump and Putin goes on, with the average guy dragged along for the ride whether they like it or not.
John and I were of like mind.  Memorials to war and sacrifice everywhere, just highlighting man's stupidity.  Where are the memorials to peace or science?

After some shopping and dumping food at the room, we rode along Princess Royal Drive, which is supposed to be scenic.  More like industrial.
Then to Little Beach in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve.  John was yet again in raptures about the beach.  We chatted to an Albany resident previously from Holland, (down there with her visitors) who said she thought this and Shelley Beach were the best two in Australia.  (Not biassed at all.)
Like Lucky Bay, the sand was ultra-white and squeaked under our feet. 

Same at the next stop, Nanarup.  Despite a reef further out, these two were surfing.

Common practise to drive on the beaches here.

Back to the room for a snack (and port), then tea of chicken, salad & white wine.  Once again a nice day of scenic riding, with the forecast bad weather holding off for us.