Going with the flow...

Our journeys today were to include Badgingarra National Park, which I had reviewed on the web and had left me astounded. It has been given national park recognition because of its exceptional and massive displays of wildflowers. I so was looking forward to visiting, until we learned that all those exceptionally beautiful pictures were taken in the Spring. Bottom line? There are no wildflowers there in the Australian summer. It's just too darn hot!

So we skipped what was to be the highlight of the day and went about our business just the same, travelling north until we reached the town of Geraldton, discovering many little precious detours and stops along the way. Of course, the coastal highway continues to deliver beautiful beaches, so many that you eventually just take them for granted.

It's so easy, along the Coral Coast to shift from the marine to inland reality in a heartbeat. One moment you are enjoying the coastline and its views, and another you are in arid land, looking at immense sheep ranches, or travelling through towns so small that literally, if you blink they are gone. Yet, even here, you learn about the rich, albeit fairly recent history of the place, and the hardships that were endured by those who settled here when the roads were not paved and goods hard to come by. Such history was well documented when we stopped at a small roadside museum in the town of Greenhough, where we were the only visitors and were offered a 40% discount because the power had gone out. It was a delightful home, where we learned about the founder and his family. The garden was a delight.

Back on the coast you may come upon coral shores that break the "monotony" of sand beaches...

...and within minutes spot a kangaroo resting but yards from the road. This is Western Australia.

You would assume these to be extremely different realities, but they are very intertwined. You enter and exit each within minutes, without ever changing the direction you are travelling.

Still in Greenhough, we found a precious rescue center for local fauna, where little joeys who have lost their mother to road fatalities are being cared for. It is experiences like this that make life worth experiencing.

And what about this 800 year old Gum Tree, growing sideways on account of the persistent winds from the ocean?. A photo cannot do it justice. Many of its massive branches grow along the soil, in many directions, but others straight up. There are dozens in the area, especially along the riverbeds.

So we missed the flowers we had expected to see at Badgingarra, but no day exploring Australia can be a total waste. Truth be told, it was yet another exceptional day, just going with the flow.

But more urban settings do exist, such as Geraldton, where we are now. It is the largest population center on the coast, north of Perth. I leave you with a couple of images taken here before and after having enjoyed our Thai dinner. The surprisingly elaborate Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier and the lighthouse at very early dusk.

I will have more tomorrow, and I hope you'll be coming along with me.