After making a quick exit from Perth (getting out while we were ahead), we headed south to the Valley of Giants where we did the Tree Top Walk. The walk involves walking up a 40 metre high walkway around the tops of the trees (yeah, the name is self-explanitory). To be honest, I don’t know which I was more impressed with – the 40 metre high walkway or the 60 metre tall trees. I think the trees won in the end.
From the Valley of Giants, we headed on to Esperance, then onto the one horse town of Norseman and across the Nullarbor. After the compulsory “looking-like-stupid-‘I’ve-never-seen-a-road-sign-before’-tourists” photo beside a road sign for Australia’s longest stretch of straight road (90 Miles – 146.6 Kms) – we drove away from yet another spectacular sunset to find refuge (well, a lumpy patch of ground for the tent anyway) at Cuigana Roadhouse. I think that is the longest sentence I have ever typed – but I couldn’t be bothered breaking it up!! We got chatting to the owners of a chain of roadhouses, who later offered us a job.
In case you are wondering (no doubt you are not, but anyway…), it is called the Nullarbor because it is a flat treeless plain. No Trees -> Null-arbor…. Get it?
After a long drive across the nullarbor, we reached Port Agusta. The heat in Port Agusta was nothing short of shocking – we guessed 35 Degrees Celsius, but we were wrong – it was 43 Degrees. There was a strong 40 Degree wind blowing all day, through into the night – at times, it was hard to catch a breath.