Scribbles from our Travels: Day 6 – Dunsborough – Geographe Bay – Margaret River

DH’s parents are leaving for Perth this morning to visit with friends, so we will be going separate ways from here till the end of our trip. The weather report from Busselton is still not positive…sigh…so we scan the map to try and make alternative plans for the day (again!)

We decide to drive to Dunsborough to try out those famed meat pies.

They’re pretty good. We liked the steak and pepper best – even the kids although they found it spicy!

A good number of locals pop in to purchase a pie or pastry for lunch, or buy a loaf of bread home.

The rainy day is a bit of a dampener though, we can’t do much except walk around the town a little, let the kids ride a coin-operated carousel in the shopping centre and then run back into the car. Mum purchases a $2.50 pack of 34 farm animal pieces for the children.

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We drive around a little and find ourselves along a coastal road that runs beside an inlet. The road sign says Geographe Bay or something to that effect.

It makes for a nice scenic stop to give the kids their lunch and let them run around a little on the grass.  A family of ducks swims by while we are there. 

DD asks if there are sharks in the sea waters beyond the inlet. (In our visit to the Planet Shark exhibition at the Science Centre, we’d read that Australian waters have a lot of sharks…). 

I refer to a brochure we’d picked up at the Tourist Information Centre. It says that turtles, rays and sharks can be found in the waters of Geographe Bay.  So DD is right. 🙂

Mum goes off to explore the walking trail to see if there is a way to walk out onto the little breakwater-like piece of land in the middle of the inlet.  She returns fifteen minutes later and says there isn’t, but that there is still a good stretch of road down that warrants some exploration.

With the rain starting up again, we all pile back into the car and go driving down the road.  There are some interesting homes to view, and almost all of them have a boat in the garden.  The road also has several turn offs that lead to boat ramps down to the water.  It’s been a pleasant drive, but it’s almost 2pm now, so we decide to head back to Margaret River.

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We drive back down Caves Road and along the way, we go past Swings and Roundabouts, and see a sign out that says “Wood fired pizzas 12-3pm”.

Should we? It certainly sounds a more interesting proposition than “going back home to do, um….(what?)”.

So we reverse the car and turn into the parking lot.

The winery has a very relaxed vibe, decked out with some worn but comfy sofas, and boardgames, books and crayons on tables beside the sofas.

We chat a little with the lady at the counter and taste some wines. Order a pizza and soup to share. The kids open up their present and are busy playing with their new farm animals set.

And we spend the rest of the afternoon just kicking back and relaxing, as it continues to rain intermittently outside. It turns out to be a splendid afternoon – indoors on a rainy day with good company, a supply of recreational games and food and drinks.

It seems as if we have sat there for all afternoon, but it’s only three when we get up to leave. I know that because the Italian guy who made the pizzas was just putting on his coat and waving goodbye to the proprietor.

Whoa – to be able to live like that…arrive at work at 12, make some pizzas and soup, leave at 3…shiok, man. Why can’t we live this kind of lifestyle in Singapore….hahaha!

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We return to Sunflowers and bring the kids out on their daily trek to feed the animals again. When we return to our unit, mum comes to the door to greet us, and suddenly exclaims in delight – there is a rainbow in the sky!

At about the same time, because the tv was switched on, we hear news that the airport may potentially be reopened tomorrow, as the ash cloud looks to be clearing.

We spend some time admiring the rainbow, and counting and listing the colours. I ask DD if she remembers the rainbow she drew with her new markers a couple of weeks back. How cool is that to be able to revisit our little science lesson so soon!  😀

And this, is the picture that I said was framed by God, and that we’ll be sure to give a special place in our travel scrapbook.

As DH and I stand and watch the rainbow slowly fade, we talk about how the rainbow is a gentle reminder of God’s providence and protection over us.

Truly, He has faithfully watched over us each and every step of this trip. Blessed be His holy name.