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Part 1 – Kalamunda to Collie

31st August 2008

Day 1 - 21km (13miles)

Kalamunda to Ball Creek Shelter

Total: 21km (13miles)

Started hiking today at 1pm. Phil and Rachel were good enough to see me off at the trailhead, but I still blame them for the hangover that was still lingering for the first few miles.

Good hiking all afternoon. The weather behaved and there were enough views to keep it interesting. Stopped tonight at the Ball Creek shelter. There are two other thru-hikers staying. It feels a lot like being back on the Appalachian Trail. Noodles, tuna and green curry sauce for dinner - not great; struggled to finish.

7pm - bedtime.

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1st September 2008

Day 2 - 46km (28.5miles)

Ball Creek Shelter to Brookton Campsite

Total: 67km (41.5miles)

The usual fun of trying to go to sleep too early - woke up repeatedly to look at my watch and be disappointed (time to get up? NO - it's only 9pm. Bugger). Crazy dreams when I did sleep, which I should not go into here.

Out and hiking at 6am. It still wasn't light and I hiked for twenty minutes with my headlamp - using it occasionally to seek out the reflective glow of trail markers.

Today was spent passing through lovely forest in indifferent weather. It had rained in the night and damp undergrowth was encroaching, unpleasantly, on to the trail. My legs spent much of the morning soaked - and so did my shoes. I didn't catch a developing blister on my left heel in time and now it's looking a bit raw.

Solid progress and an early (5pm) finish. Might have pushed for the next shelter, but I think i did enough on my first full day out. Tomorrow I have a 52km stop to aim for. Early starts seem essential as it's dark by 6.30pm. Looks like there are hills ahead for tomorrow. Climbed a bit today, but never for long.

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2nd September 2008

Day 3 - 52km (32miles)

Brookton Campsite to Nerang Campsite

Total: 119km (74miles)

Started in darkness, finished in darkness.

Another night of WACKY dreams and out just after 6am. Blisters hurt for a bit and then settled down. I taped up the left one pretty well last night and it seems to have held ok.

Morning was a good hike in much improved weather to the Monadocks Campsite for lunch. Here I made use of the long-drop, only to find that: (A) It's not such a long drop anymore (even less so by the time i was through with it), and (B) The occasional irritation i could feel from the elastic in the left-hand-side lining of my shorts was the result-of/cause-of a horrible, raw, weeping patch of crotch that had stained the lining with god only knows what. I tried hiking with my thumb, nonchalantly, placed up my shorts leg, pulling the lining out of harms was. I quickly tired of this arrangement and didn't relish the thought of explaining the arrangement to oncoming traffic. I took my scissors and performed some surgery on the elastic in hope of alleviating the (rather distressing) symptoms.

Two quick, stiff climbs after lunch up Mts Cuthbert and Vincent and then into Mt Cook shelter for water at 4pm. Too early to stop, but 13km to the next shelter and Mt Cook in the way. The climb was fine and good views from the top. Once down the other side, the las 8km was along flat dirt road that dragged interminably. Very hard on the feet and pretty tired now. one other hiker at the shelter - British guy in his 40s. I think 50% of the people I've seen out here have been poms.

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3rd September 2008

Day 4 - 48.5km (30miles)

Nerang Campsite to Mt Wells

Total: 168km (104.5miles)

A good day. Cold in the night again - I thought I'd fixed it by wearing my down vest to bed, redistributing the down in my quilt and cinching the straps. Not the case. I guess I'll actually have to wash the thing sometime.

Niggles from my blisters prompted my to put on an extra pair of socks - this helped to the point that I barely notice them anymore. Crotch feels better, though I daren't pay it close inspection for fear of what I might discover.

Climbs today and I enjoyed them. Good views too. Aimed to reach this firetower/shelter in time to watch the sunset. I made it and was surprised to find about a dozen others here too. They are part of a group of past thru-hikers re-hiking the Bibbulmun to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Bizarrely, Tanya (Vautier) is with them. Nice to see a friendly face.

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4th September 2008

Day 5 - 34.3km (21miles)

Mt Wells to Dwellingup

Total: 202.3km (125.5miles)

Awoken, if you can really be awoken from what passes for sleep on these hard wooden platforms, by the morning reveille cries of the anniversary-group's leader. Tanya had forewarned me of this occurrence - camp is roused at 6am for an 8am start on the track. I dozed on to 6.10 then got up, packed and left by 6.20.

Started with a downhill, then flat all day. Relentless flat is one of the hardest things to walk on - always using the same muscles, always striking with the same parts of your feet. Followed a railroad for much of the way - would have been more interesting with trains on it. Finally into Dwellingup around 1.30pm - just in time for lunch at the hotel. I chose the roast - it was average, but welcome. Resupplied at the grocery store; discovered my phone was no longer speaking to my SIM card; wandered, aimlessly, failing to decide on a strategy. I settled on getting a room at the hotel - $40 and basic (shared showers, no tv - fine by me). Took a shower and washed my clothes (in the shower). Cranked up the electric heater in my room and settled in. Decided to patch up my windproof trousers with elastoplast tape, if only to make them (very) temporarily more presentable around town (not that this is Milan). Ate much of my snack supply while waiting for my clothes to dry. Once I had gathered my energy, I set out to replace the eaten snacks and phone the only Australian number that I actually know and that might be useful. Thankfully, Tom was happy to relay a message to Jake explaining the comms blackout. He also had various pieces of news from the Department [of Education], none of which were very heartening.

Fish and chip dinner back at the hotel. Plenty of welcome salad, standard-quality Australian chips. Left some chips. Tried to plan the next few days over dinner. The spacing of shelters locks me into either very long or somewhat shorter days. Shorter days may be sensible - crotch has healed ok, but the blister on my left heel looks as bad as it ever did. Not sure how much dropping a few miles a day will impact on it, but it doesn't seem like I have to rush back on account of work anytime soon.

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5th September 2008

Day 6 - 31.6km (19.75miles)

Dwellingup to Murray Campsite

Total: 233.9km (146.2miles)

Weird night’s sleep in a bed. Alternated between hot and cold, and at one point woke up covered in sweat. Needed to pop to the gents at 4am. When I returned I realised that my heart had gone into atrial fibrillation. This did not help the remainder of the night’s sleep or my morning spent fretting about what to do. Tom’s news from the office was significant for my visa situation. I need to check some things to find out what my plan of action is. This was not a good time for my phone to be broken and address book inaccessible. It may be sensible to return to Perth soon, but I’d rather consult with people first. I’ve settled on a compromise, which is to at least push on to Collie, where I’ll hopefully have internet and maybe a Vodafone shop to hand. I agonised over my decision for the duration of my breakfast at the café. Decent breakfast, but they should drop the descriptor “Mega” from the title.

After I’d made my choice, all was better for the day: sun out, good trail, and I felt decent for most of it. Heart fixed itself by the time I stopped for lunch at the first shelter – just like last time it happened, back at Zealand Falls Hut in the Whites – if only I had the same company as I did back then. All alone at the hut for the first time this trip.

Towards the end of the day my Achilles started playing up. It’s a bit disconcerting – I remember it happening before on the PCT. Can’t remember what the outcome was then – either it cleared up or I just ignored it.

Almost dark = almost bedtime. Shortish (37km) day planned for tomorrow. Nice not to have to rush. 50 km isn’t that far on this trail, but there just isn’t much daylight here yet.

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6th September 2008

Day 7 - 37km (23.1miles)

Murray Campsite to Possum Springs Campsite

Total: 270.9km (169.3miles)

Woke up drenched in sweat at midnight – had to vent my jacket and such to cool down. By 3am I was cold. What I now realise is happening is that the down I spend ages plumping and shifting to the middle of my quilt, falls to the side as the night goes on and the thing stops working. It definitely needs a wash.

Took my time this morning and didn’t head out until 7.30. Ankle/Achilles is no better. It’s quite sore and, I reckon, somewhat swollen. This put the brakes on progress a bit, but it was a comfortable day anyway. Nice hiking along the Murray river to begin with , though the river itself isn’t particularly picturesque – brown and very slow moving. The morning’s highlight was crossing the river on the rickety old Long Gully Bridge.

I took an early lunch at the shelter and a couple of ibuprofen to try and help the ankle. Didn’t seem to have much impact and I limped for most of the afternoon. Quite a lot of short, sharp gravelly (and slippery) ups-and-downs that weren’t hard on the legs, but were awkward on the ankle. Still, I’ve hiked with worse and it just slows me down a bit. It might make the decision when I reach Collie easier too.

A couple of highlights in the afternoon: Firstly, the Worsely Alumina Conveyor. The trail passes under this thing – it’s 50km long and carries bauxite from a mine to the refinery. I liked it. Secondly, I saw an echidna – humorous equivalent of a porcupine they have here. The thing was waddling along quite happily until it saw me, whereupon it it withdrew its head and limbs and sat in a defensive ball. I was too slow to get a picture of it walking, sadly.

Looks like I’m on my own again tonight. I expect to wake up cold at 3am again.

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7th September 2008

Day 8 – 32.1km (20.1miles)

Possum Springs Campsite to Harris Dam Campsite

Total: 303.1km (189.4miles)

The usual night’s sleep. Out at 7.30 and very soon discovered ankle was far from better. First 30 minutes of progress was painfully slow and, well, painful. I went with my tried and tested go-to system - line stomach with chocolate and chomp down ibuprofen with a codeine and panadol chase. It did the trick of turning pain into discomfort and I made steady enough progress to the next shelter for lunch. Inspecting the damage – it seems my ankle has fair ballooned up in comic style. It wasn’t so comic when I got up to hike after lunch. Another painkiller cocktail was required to make the shuffle tolerable. I’ve a feeling the problem may be similar to the one I had at the end of the WHW/start of the PCT, in which case I need to change these shoes.

Content that I can’t, or rather shouldn’t, hike on without a break to recuperate, the plan is to hit Collie early tomorrow, clean up a bit, find a bus that’ll take me to Perth or Mandurah. Once home, I can let my ankle heal while sorting out this mucky job/visa/flight business as required. With any luck, I’ll be back hiking soon enough.

Anyway, I digress. The afternoon’s hike was mercifully easy on the feet and short. I did get a shock when a snake jumped out of the undergrowth behind me, looked a bit confused, and dived down a hole. Arrived at shelter by 4pm - no idea how to amuse myself for the rest of the day. Maybe I could light a fire, though I scarcely see the point. Have not seen another person since shortly after leaving Dwellingup over two days ago.

Part 2 – Collie to Walpole

10th October 2008

Day 1 – 29km (18.1miles)

Collie (well, Perth, kinda) to halfway between Yabberup and Noggerup campsites

Total: 353km (220.6miles)

First day back. Yesterday’s attempts to return to the trail were nipped in the bud by 7am when I discovered that there is no service to Collie on a Thursday. I instantly regretted throwing away all the perishables in the house and staying up much too late getting ready. Today, however, went without a (serious) hitch. Made it to Collie for 12.15 and immediately set off for Collie junction.

It is hotter than when I was here a month ago. I regretted not bringing more water for the 20km to the shelter, especially when I got lost for half an hour en route. Arrived there around 4.30pm. Three others already there – nice friendly people. I stopped and chatted for a little while. I learned that the tavern near where I’m staying tonight is not open for business, before finally deciding that I ought to push on a little further to make tomorrow easier. The extra 10km I put in have got me 50km from Balingup, a bunk in a hostel, and a proper dinner.

Ankle felt ok. I had a few moments when I was slightly concerned, but there seems reason for optimism. One (large) blessing of not being able to start yesterday was that I got chance to get my ankle examined by Michelle (almost the only physio I actually trust). She reckoned I’d be unlikely to do myself too much permanent harm by hiking on.

Camped just off the trail, in what passes for a clearing out here. Not putting the tarp up – the forecast is ok apparently.

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11th October 2008

Day 2 – 53km (33.1miles)

Halfway between Yabberup and Noggerup campsites to Balingup

Total: 406.0km (253.8miles)

Heavy dew overnight dampened my sleeping bag, but not enough to be a bother. Up out and hiking by 6.30. Wasn’t so far from Mumballup, but the tavern wasn’t open and couldn’t see much else of interest for me. Did get attacked by a magpie though. I stopped to consult the guide re: which side of a fence I should be, when I was swooped on by an aggressive black-and-white bird. Every time I looked away he’d try it again – going for my (thankfully protected) scalp. Maybe it had a nest nearby, maybe it just liked pagga.

At the first shelter I met more southbound hikers – all older and one South African. All nice people and pleasant to chat with for the twenty minutes I spent getting water and eating breakfast. As usual, I am unlikely to see any of them again. I consulted the shelter register and found that Majella [a colleague] had stayed there on the 28th, so I will find it tough to catch her.

Pleasant enough trail for the day, but time did drag. Irritatingly the TWO iPods I loaded music and the World War Z talking book [thanks anyway Pete] both failed to work. I had been very much looking forward to that and had saved it especially for this trip.

Lunch was a short, sausagey affair at the next shelter. I had half an eye on the clock and the arrival of a couple of bogan trail bikers didn’t encourage me to stretch it out. Ankle fine today, but plenty of soreness in places I don’t care for it. I also have some exciting feeling blisters under the balls of my feet.

Balingup seems ok. Most things were shut when I rocked in at 6pm. The hostel is very nice though and the guy running it friendly. Three section hikers are here – again very nice, amiable types. I ate dinner in the pub and picked up a bottle of cheap red. There is a wood burning stove in the hostel and I am writing this while lying in front of it with a glass of wine. All good.

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12th October 2008

Day 3 – 35.7km (22.3miles)

Balingup to Gregory Brook Campsite

Total: 441.7km (276.1miles)

A very enjoyable stay at the hostel – a good night’s sleep, a bed, and three-quarters of a bottle of wine helped. Had amusing bawdy banter with the other fellas last night. Saw them off this morning -the hostel owner was driving them down to Donnelly River Village and they were hiking back from there- then went in search of resupply and breakfast. Not a lot open. The general store served my modest supply requirements fine and the French café/bakery did me a mushroom omelette with coffee and a pain au chocolat.

Out hiking again at 8.30 and immediately into the Golden Valley tree park - kind of a zoo for trees. I guess “arboretum” might be the right word for it. Didn’t explore it properly, but did admire the six different species of cherry trees in as many paces.

Varied day. Saw some bits and pieces of old mining works, wandered through pine plantations, skirted the edge of a dam, and followed the river for a while. Weather was mixed again – rain and sunshine, often together.

Arrived at the hut to find the three guys from the night before, an older couple hiking end to end, and a younger beardy guy, who seems to be writing songs. He entertained me with some good firewood breaking – picking up a big log seat and throwing it at the branches he wanted to smash.

I think hiking to Albany isn’t going to happen. With a couple more days I might go for it, but as it is, I think better just to cruise and enjoy the trip. Northcliffe or Walpole look the likely finishing spots for me.

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13th October 2008

Day 4 – 36.5km (22.7miles)

Gregory Brook Campsite to Tom Road Campsite

Total: 478.2km (297.1miles)

An OK night’s sleep in a fairly full hut. People got up early and I joined them – heading out at 6.15am. It was a 20km jaunt into DRV and pretty uneventful – I did see my first ??? – a beasty about the size of a big rabbit that hopped along on his back legs like a wallaby.

DVR was a strange place. It used to be a lumber station in the old days, but I think it got logged out and now it just caters to tourists and has something of a ghost town feel to it.

Very tame kangaroos and semi-placid emus wander around the place. The kangaroos, though nice to see up close and pet, left me feeling slightly sad. They are like the deer in the Shenandoahs – spoiled by so many tourists feeding them. They didn’t come to be friendly, just to beg for food. The emus were new to me. I describe them as semi-placid because they didn’t attack me – they rather gave me the impression that they would very much have liked to be pecking my eyes out. UGLY creatures.

I whiled away four and a half hours outside the store – at first on my own and then with Simon, the guy with the beard from last night. He proved to be a good sort – an aspiring musician. He played me one of his tunes on his MP3 and he certainly has talent. Today was his 40th birthday and I was sorry that there was no booze about for him to celebrate properly. At least conversation with a couple of holiday makers nearby yielded the unexpected yogi of a T-bone steak for him to cook up for his dinner. Nice guy – good luck to him.

The general store had a decent selection of hiker-friendly food and they also served snacks. I had a meat pie and a coke, followed by a toasted sandwich and tea (proper leaf tea in a pot!).

Three more hours of hiking got me to this hut, where I am the only occupant. My stove isn’t working (I don’t yet know whether it’s the stove itself or the canister that’s at fault) so I have lit a fire and cooked my noodles on that. I am sat next to my fiery creation as I write this. Fires aren’t a bad substitute for actual companions in a pinch.

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14th October 2008

Day 5 – 42.2km (26.2miles)

Tom Road Campsite to Beavis Campsite

Total: 520.4km (323.4miles)

Small world. Today I met Red and Gary – AT2002, PCT2006 – a couple from Arizona. I recognised the names vaguely but we had never met on the trail. Extremely nice people. They’re hiking NoBo and we met close to the Boarding House campsite. It didn’t take long before we figured out we were all AT/PCT veterans. As Gary said, ‘I thought “is that a day-hiker pack?” Wait a minute, it’s a thru-hiker rig!’. Their giveaways were the 32oz Gatorade bottles they were carrying – a hiker favourite found only in the US. They have come over just to hike the Bibbulmun. They also hiked a section of the CDT this year and I was very interested to hear about that. They’re retired and spend most of their time hiking or cycle touring. Good for them. After fifteen minutes chatting about mutual acquaintances and such, we said farewell. Very good to have met them.

Other than that, not a great deal to report. This morning’s section featured a lot of short, sharp ups and down thatdidn’t show up on the terrain profile. This afternoon was described by the guide as being “one of the most challenging of the trail”. It had a few short steepish climbs and one longer one. A reasonable workout.

Tomorrow I should reach Pemberton – this is especially welcome as I don’t have a great selection of food with me. I also need to see what I can do about getting the stove sorted.

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15th October 2008

Day 6 – 43.4km (27.0miles)

Beavis Campsite to Gloucester Motel, Pemberton

Total: 563.8 km (350.3miles)

Out at 5.45am, determined to push through and make the most of town. Made first shelter for lunch by 10am. A discarded can of gas confirmed that the thread on my stove has failed – one more AT stalwart bites the dust. Saw a few more snakes – all king brown/tigers? The ones that are yellow on the bottom anyway. It is worryingly easy to step on one. A bit weary in the afternoon and it was good to finally reach town. Staying in a motel - $75 the night for a “budget” room. Suits my need just fine. Budget seems to mean no AC and an old TV set (it has a tuning dial!). It does have a fridge, tea/coffee, toaster and actual useful things though. I could have gotten a bed at the backpackers for $25, but this won out.

Was too late to the IGA to resupply. Had a pint at the pub – food there looked good, but I took a punt on the hotel’s AYCE carvery. This was possibly a mistake – it wasn’t particularly good. Beef, lamb, turkey with cauliflower, broccoli and potatoes. Also, strangely, tikka-stylee chicken, rice, onion rings and pasta. Most of their custom seems to be from the oldies. Sure enough I had a long wait to eat while pensioners zerged the buffet. The advantage for me was that I could get my fill of greenery, rather lacking in my diet of late. Crème caramel and apple crumble with ice cream rounded the meal off. I got through plenty. Back in my room with a cleanskin of red and a choice of three tv stations.

Finally had phone reception – messaged Michelle and phoned mother/brother. They ar well and I was given the good news that I don’t have to take my mother to Margaret River – thank God.

It’s not even 9pm and I’m quite sleepy – that’s what happens when you get used to bed before 8pm. Seems like I’ve been right to be suspicious of magpies since that brush with one the other day. The tv news is carrying a story about a girl who has been “almost blinded” in a magpie attack. The magpie is to be destroyed following a plea from her parents.

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16th October 2008

Day 7 – 41.2 km (25.6miles)

Pemberton to Schafer Campsite

Total: 605.0km (375.9miles)

Awake predictably early. Wandered out after 7am tin search of breakfast and then to get supplies when the IGA opened at 8. Sadly, nothing was open at 7. Cafes, bakeries, stores – all open at 8 at the earliest. I ended up hanging around in town, sheltering from the drizzle hang around for much of the day, and phoning TransWA to sort out transport back from Walpole. I’m booked on a bus leaving at 9.40am on Thursday morning. It’s an eight hour journey to Perth.

Went without a café breakfast to save time – just picked up cereal and a banana at the store. Out on trail in the drizzle a little after 9am. On the way to Warren Campsite, I came across Hugo – a youngish chap (like me), sporting a good beard. I stopped and chatted with him for a while- an interesting guy. He had been working as a courier previously, and a tour guide before that. He’d hiked the Stirling Range four times. Seemed very laid back.

Trail not very interesting today – very dense vegetation and very few views. Not helped by the dull conditions and drizzle.

While I’m moaning about the rain, I may as well blame it for my not climbing the Gloucester Tree (rather than admitting my cowardice). The Gloucester Tree is terrifying to a man with no head for heights (me). It is an enormous Karri tree that someone has bashed bits of metal into to form a kind of stairwell/ladder thing. It looks lethal – even with the modern addition of some half-hearted safety railing.

Stopped at Schafer shelter with two brothers from Tasmania – very affable guys. Have been chatting to them until bedtime (7ish). They both climbed the Gloucester Tree.

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17th October 2008

Day 8 – 45.3km (28.1miles)

Schafer Campsite to Maringup Campsite

Total: 650.3km (404.1miles)

Mosquitoes are terrible here tonight. I am writing this in my rain jacket with the hood up and cinched, and with my hands in stuff-sacks as makeshift gloves. They are just swarming all over me.

Didn’t sleep great last night – kept getting shooting pains in my right knee. It’s happened in the past, but only when I was forced to keep it bent (i.e. in the car) for a long time. There was no stopping it last night.

Out and on to Northcliffe early. I knocked off the 14km by 9am. Breakfast at the café was decent and very large – I recommend it. Resupplied at the next door general store – all very convenient and just a few yards off the trail. Seemed like a nice town.

Pushing on to the next town, I had to stop and make yet more alterations to my shorts’ lining to prevent rubbing. I’ve now taken so much material off either side that staying ‘within’ the lining is a precarious balancing act. Much of my energy is devoted to constant adjustment and disentanglement of my nether-regions from my underwear – if you’ve ever dealt with a tangled Newton’s Cradle then you’ll understand the mechanics of what I’m going through, if not the stakes.

Much better weather today and out in the open a lot more. Very flat and lots of walking through marshlands on sandy tracks.

Mosquitoes are just hateful. Why did I decide to leave the bug netting at home?

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18th October 2008

Day 9 – 45.0km (28.0miles)

Maringup Campsite to Mount Chance Campsite

Total: 695.3km (432.0miles)

The mosquitoes returned at dawn. I got a few bites on my face in the night anyway. More of the same hiking-wise. Lots of sandy roads through swampy flats.

Got to wade through ankle-deep water repeatedly, which is always nice. Thought about going round some of the big patches of standing water on paths others had bushwhacked through the undergrowth. However, that seemed a fuss and, more importantly, I saw a tiger snake in the grass which put me right off the idea.

A highlight of the day was seeing a group of feral pigs – this is the last beast I wanted to tick off my to-see list after seeing most every other kind of lizard, bird and mammal I knew about out here (actually, I missed all the frogs, but I think I probably trod on hundreds of their tadpoles today).

Met a nice couple at my lunchtime stop(the guy’s name was Rosco, which is a good name). They had excess food and offered me a bunch of it. I took a couple of muesli bars, fruit cups and a bag of sweets. I think I’m receiving about 50% of my calories through sweets/lollies/candy (delete according to nationality) at the moment. I wonder if that has any significance on me expending 50% of my energy untangling my nuts from my shorts.

At the hut tonight are tow desperately middle class couple out for a few days, and Leena who is thruhiking. Leena is funny and has entertained me for the afternoon. There is a big granite hill behind the shelter – we went up and watched the sunset from it. All good.

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19th October 2008

Day 10 – 38.6km (24.0miles)

Mount Chance Campsite to Long Point Campsite

Total: 733.9km (456.0miles)

The sea! At last I hit the Southern Ocean. Seemed to be approaching it for an age. When I finally got to the step leading down to Mandalay Beach, the view was just great. Chatam Island way ahead and the sea and the wind were plenty lively. I stopped to read about the Mandalay Wreck. The beach is named after a Norwegian ship that was beached here in a storm. On the way down to the beach is a replica of the ship’s figurehead and extracts from the captain’s log – I found it interesting and amusing in equal measure.

I took time out to splash around in the sea, washing off some of the mud I’ve been picking up from repeatedly wading through bogs for days. The arrival at the coast means that hiking is suddenly much tougher going – up and down over dunes on loose sand, rather than following vehicle tracks across flat plains endlessly. This is a good change, even if it’s only for a little while longer for me.

With an early start, I expect to be in Walpole for lunch (I’ll be very hungry otherwise). It’s a shame to be leaving the trail just when it seems to be getting to its most interesting. Doubtless I’ll get back to it someday.

I have a new niggle – this time in my right ankle. I dealt with it with painkillers (I’m almost out of my ’03 vintage codeine..) and by swapping my ankle support over. Pain is at the front of the ankle and quite irritating. Some of the steep scrambles over the dunes also disagreed with my left Achilles, which made some less than happy noises. Fingers crossed that everything holds together just a little longer.

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20th October 2008

Day 11 – approx 26km (16.2miles)

Long Point Campsite to Walpole (Walpole Lodge Hostel)

Total: approx 760km (472.2miles)

Ankle cleared up after a couple of kms and a couple of ibuprofen. A straightforward run into town (contrary to the guide’s warning of an unusually strenuous section). One decent climb up Mount Clare and then an easy cruise in for the last couple of hours.

Tourist information bureau in town are very good and happy to book accommodation for you. Unfortunately nobody was answering their phones so I ended up traipsing about town for an hour looking for someone to book me in – I really wanted to get cleaned up (I hadn’t washed since Pemberton) and get something to eat, but I kept being thwarted. Eventually I ended up at the Walpole Lodge and I reckon it was probably the best place to be in town. I got a single room – pleasant, clean, no tv – for $40. I liked the place and the owner and it seems to be the standard hiker choice.

Lunch was a colossal burger meal from the café. My burger contained: beef pattie, scotch fillet steak, bacon, salad, egg and barbeque sauce – all in a big wholemeal bun. It proved to be less than the sum of its parts, with the beef pattie being pretty ordinary, and the salad abd bbq sauce mixing poorly.

I then picked up a cleanskin of cab-merlot and a 2nd hand John Le Carre novel and retired to my lodgings to relax after a job which, if not finished, is at least satisfactorily done with for now.

The End.

31st August 2008

Day 1 - 21km (13miles)

Kalamunda to Ball Creek Shelter

Total: 21km (13miles)

Started hiking today at 1pm. Phil and Rachel were good enough to see me off at the trailhead, but I still blame them for the hangover that was still lingering for the first few miles.

Good hiking all afternoon. The weather behaved and there were enough views to keep it interesting. Stopped tonight at the Ball Creek shelter. There are two other thru-hikers staying. It feels a lot like being back on the Appalachian Trail. Noodles, tuna and green curry sauce for dinner - not great; struggled to finish.

7pm - bedtime.

1st September 2008

Day 2 - 46km (28.5miles)

Ball Creek Shelter to Brookton Campsite

Total: 67km (41.5miles)

The usual fun of trying to go to sleep too early - woke up repeatedly to look at my watch and be disappointed (time to get up? NO - it's only 9pm. Bugger). Crazy dreams when I did sleep, which I should not go into here.

Out and hiking at 6am. It still wasn't light and I hiked for twenty minutes with my headlamp - using it occasionally to seek out the reflective glow of trail markers.

Today was spent passing through lovely forest in indifferent weather. It had rained in the night and damp undergrowth was encroaching, unpleasantly, on to the trail. My legs spent much of the morning soaked - and so did my shoes. I didn't catch a developing blister on my left heel in time and now it's looking a bit raw.

Solid progress and an early (5pm) finish. Might have pushed for the next shelter, but I think i did enough on my first full day out. Tomorrow I have a 52km stop to aim for. Early starts seem essential as it's dark by 6.30pm. Looks like there are hills ahead for tomorrow. Climbed a bit today, but never for long.

2nd September 2008

Day 3 - 52km (32miles)

Brookton Campsite to Nerang Campsite

Total: 119km (74miles)

Started in darkness, finished in darkness.

Another night of WACKY dreams and out just after 6am. Blisters hurt for a bit and then settled down. I taped up the left one pretty well last night and it seems to have held ok.

Morning was a good hike in much improved weather to the Monadocks Campsite for lunch. Here I made use of the long-drop, only to find that: (A) It's not such a long drop anymore (even less so by the time i was through with it), and (B) The occasional irritation i could feel from the elastic in the left-hand-side lining of my shorts was the result-of/cause-of a horrible, raw, weeping patch of crotch that had stained the lining with god only knows what. I tried hiking with my thumb, nonchalantly, placed up my shorts leg, pulling the lining out of harms was. I quickly tired of this arrangement and didn't relish the thought of explaining the arrangement to oncoming traffic. I took my scissors and performed some surgery on the elastic in hope of alleviating the (rather distressing) symptoms.

Two quick, stiff climbs after lunch up Mts Cuthbert and Vincent and then into Mt Cook shelter for water at 4pm. Too early to stop, but 13km to the next shelter and Mt Cook in the way. The climb was fine and good views from the top. Once down the other side, the las 8km was along flat dirt road that dragged interminably. Very hard on the feet and pretty tired now. one other hiker at the shelter - British guy in his 40s. I think 50% of the people I've seen out here have been poms.

3rd September 2008

Day 4 - 48.5km (30miles)

Nerang Campsite to Mt Wells

Total: 168km (104.5miles)

A good day. Cold in the night again - I thought I'd fixed it by wearing my down vest to bed, redistributing the down in my quilt and cinching the straps. Not the case. I guess I'll actually have to wash the thing sometime.

Niggles from my blisters prompted my to put on an extra pair of socks - this helped to the point that I barely notice them anymore. Crotch feels better, though I daren't pay it close inspection for fear of what I might discover.

Climbs today and I enjoyed them. Good views too. Aimed to reach this firetower/shelter in time to watch the sunset. I made it and was surprised to find about a dozen others here too. They are part of a group of past thru-hikers re-hiking the Bibbulmun to celebrate its 10th anniversary. Bizarrely, Tanya (Vautier) is with them. Nice to see a friendly face.

4th September 2008

Day 5 - 34.3km (21miles)

Mt Wells to Dwellingup

Total: 202.3km (125.5miles)

Awoken, if you can really be awoken from what passes for sleep on these hard wooden platforms, by the morning reveille cries of the anniversary-group's leader. Tanya had forewarned me of this occurrence - camp is roused at 6am for an 8am start on the track. I dozed on to 6.10 then got up, packed and left by 6.20.

Started with a downhill, then flat all day. Relentless flat is one of the hardest things to walk on - always using the same muscles, always striking with the same parts of your feet. Followed a railroad for much of the way - would have been more interesting with trains on it. Finally into Dwellingup around 1.30pm - just in time for lunch at the hotel. I chose the roast - it was average, but welcome. Resupplied at the grocery store; discovered my phone was no longer speaking to my SIM card; wandered, aimlessly, failing to decide on a strategy. I settled on getting a room at the hotel - $40 and basic (shared showers, no tv - fine by me). Took a shower and washed my clothes (in the shower). Cranked up the electric heater in my room and settled in. Decided to patch up my windproof trousers with elastoplast tape, if only to make them (very) temporarily more presentable around town (not that this is Milan). Ate much of my snack supply while waiting for my clothes to dry. Once I had gathered my energy, I set out to replace the eaten snacks and phone the only Australian number that I actually know and that might be useful. Thankfully, Tom was happy to relay a message to Jake explaining the comms blackout. He also had various pieces of news from the Department [of Education], none of which were very heartening.

Fish and chip dinner back at the hotel. Plenty of welcome salad, standard-quality Australian chips. Left some chips. Tried to plan the next few days over dinner. The spacing of shelters locks me into either very long or somewhat shorter days. Shorter days may be sensible - crotch has healed ok, but the blister on my left heel looks as bad as it ever did. Not sure how much dropping a few miles a day will impact on it, but it doesn't seem like I have to rush back on account of work anytime soon.