Albany-Ravensthorpe-Esperance

Leaving Albany we headed to an overnighter at Ravensthorpe.  It was an interesting trip watching the landscape constantly change.   We had wheatfields, sheep, cattle, eucalypt/tree farms, forests of nat. park and then mines.   Two very large mines were seen, one at night lit up like fairyland.  The other mine, which we couldnt work out what it was processing was as big as any that we had seen up North.    We pulled into a bush camp, settled down and then it started to bucket down.  No service, so card games and draughts were played until we went to bed.   Then we started to feel our camp was just a little "creepy" no reason, we just both felt uncomfortable.  So at 9.30 we jumped out of bed, started up the bus and took off back into town.   Dinner dishes in the sink, half asleep, half dressed.  Ended up in the middle of town in one of their parks.  Not quite a legal stopover but we were stuffed and just didnt care.   The camp was prob. perfectly OK, we just had "that" feeling.    The next day we set off for Esperance.   It rained all the way and we werent feeling happy.   (Sue - thought of you & Brian then and your time visiting Esperance)   Got to the Esperance Info Centre, told them we were heading for Cape Le Grand Nat. Park and Lucky Bay and they said as far as they knew the campground was full.   There was no way they could check its status, we just had to drive the 55km out there, and if full, drive 55km back!!!!!.   Not impressed.   When we got out there it was 3/4 empty.    Our friend Paula told us we would love Esperance and she wasnt wrong.    As you turn down to go into campground, the words OH MY GOD couldnt be held back.   What a stunning place.   Crystal clear waters, white sand that went on forever, granite rocks everywhere.     Such a beautiful place to camp up, $12 per night, looking over Lucky Bay.  You could drive for kms along the beach, swim, fish or just soak up the beauty.    The whole of Cape Le Grand National Park was beautiful.   We visited all the bays and took far too many photos.   This lower end of WA is seriously granite rock country.    There are "mountains" of granite here that would give Ayers Rock a run for its money they are so huge, but their colours annd landscape make them breathtaking. We were so lucky because the sun shone for us and we were able to sit back and just enjoy.    This is one  place where you can see kangaroos lazing on the white sands of the beach.   They were there each afternoon around 4.30, I wish I had taken photos of them as our "neighbours" in the campground did and they were fantastic.  Bugger.    We were too lazy to walk around the beach to visit them. I could have stayed for weeks, but Rick is anxious to move on and get home, so 3 days was it for us.     Definitely the place to visit again and again. The day we left it started to rain once again.    I have posted pictures on the next instalment.