21^st September: Manjimup

Well, the front did hit us but 2 hours earlier than predicted at 7.00 am. The wind woke me at 3.00 am but it was mainly the sound of it in the trees. We felt very little. But then the rain came: torrential, gusty and loud on the roof. We rang Gail next door and said we were staying inside until it passed. So we left a bit later than normal!

We came across to Manjimup in constant rain. I think we passed the front. But this was a new, good, straight road and we trundled along at about 80 kph, seeing only ½ dozen cars forr 120 kms! We had Morning Tea under a shelter as the rain fell at Nannup. (SW WA is full of places which end in “up”. It means “place of” ) This park at Fonty's Pool is almost empty but it is lovely with a large dam (the pool) and a green hillside. We didn't feel the wind here either but it is in the trees. It is cold and wet and I felt like Minestrone Soup but I had no vegetables. So we went for a drive through the dripping and bark-shredding karri forests, firstly to Manjimup.A very large Coles and a new Woolworths, neither were open, and an independent which was defunct (probably because of the other two). Nothing else was open and so we drove further to Pemberton where a very large IGA was open and trading well. This town actually showed signs of life whereas Manjimup didn't!

The minestrone was good, filling and warming! It is still raining and cold outside. Let's hope it is fine tomorrow. We have to wash and dripping trees don't make for great tourist visits!!