Next we travelled South, 400km South, to visit Paul's Mum - Sue -in Albany. I'm still mystified by how immense Australia is. On a map, Albany looks like it's just a short way frim Perth, down a little road in the bottom left hand corner...but it takes 4 hours to drive between them- four hours!!!
But wow, what a beautiful corner of the map it is!
On our first evening, a discussion ensued debating a suitable running route. Thanks Sue for the hand drawn map (and for having us to stay!), which clutching tightly the next morning I made my first expliration into the WA Bush. The roads I ran along were awesome, just what I thought of when I thought of Australia before coming here - long red dusty roads stretching into the distance. I spent the first 10 minutes chasing the school bus, which was driving around the block picking up the children from different farms. I was pleased at following a bus. I figured no snake with sense would hang around after the bus had driven past. I did see plenty of other things on the 7km...lizards, black cockatoos, and when I got back, some kangaroos had come into the garden!
Afterwards, we did a trip around some of the wonderful Albany coastline, visiting The Gap...
The Natural Bridge...
and The Blowholes...
Day 69
Same run as yesterday, and just as lovely!
Afterwards we did another trip this tome out towards Denmark, to see the Elephant Rocks...
Green Pool...
And the Valley of the Giants tree top walk...
Day 70
For the first time in ages, it was cool enough to do an afternoon run! In the day we did a walk up Castle Rock...
And in the evening I ran around some parks in Albany and to the famous Dog Rock!
Day 71
Did my usual loop around the block with an extra bit, to make it 10km. Am tempted to do some shopping on the way back...
Day 72
Paul is teaching Body Pump, so I go into town to and run 8km through the park, through Albany and down to the Anzac Peace Park by the sea, which is beautiful.
Day 73
Back to Perth today, but got in a quick 7km loop before we leave. Paul's nephew Lucas who is 6, noted that I had been gone a long time and therefore that I must have walked. Ahhh, the honesty of small children. On further exploration of this point, it turns out he thought I had run down the garden to the gate and back, and thought I had been gone a long time. A further debate ensued as to why anyone would want to run further than that. If you want to figure out why it is that you run, be questioned by a 6 year old. My answers clearly being unsatisfactory, we moved on to a race around the garden, which Lucas won, but in which some underhand tactics were employeed, involving 'resting for a stitch' and then restarting the race in a most uncontrolled manner. I know, I am a bad looser.
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