Don't Mention.................

The Non-Sterling Transaction fees imposed by UK Credit Card Companies, astronomical when securing our holiday accommodation for the period and then again what with Insurance excess etc I could have bought it out right...........

Have now spent half a day on the phone or web trying to get a new Credit Card that does not charge for foreign transactions, not going to happen due to NOT being a UK resident, so basically £350 is just abut to be given away........... 

What a Busy Day

Have extended Travel Insurance to World Wide and spent the afternoon having rushed out this morning to buy a new cooker and microwave, searching for Hotels in Perth.  Amazingly some are already booked up for the periods we require.,......
But have decided on the:  Fraser Suites Perth.   http://perth.fraserhospitality.com/en
and the : Pan Pacific Perth.   www.panpacific.com/en/hotels-resorts/australia/perth.html

Not Excited, much....... and now for the Camper Van.............

Flights

Hooray, can now actually plan with confidence as getting there and getting back is now booked.
We go from London Gatwick as it's almost half the cost of going from Madrid or Barcelona where we would pay in Euros..........

So going out we are on:

Emirates Flight EK016 to Dubai.
Departing: 13.35hrs.  Arriving: 00.55hrs
Emirates Flight EK420 to Perth.
Departing: 02.55hrs.  Arriving: 17.35hrs.

Coming back we are on:

Emirates Flight EK420 to Dubai

Departing: 22.05hrs.  Arriving: 05.25hrs.

Emirates Flight EK015 to Gatwick.

Departing: 08.10hrs.  Arriving:11.50hrs.                                          

What to do today?

Have now purchased a pre-paid currency card for Oz spending, hoping to save bank fee's and currency conversion charges, have downloaded The Rough Guide and Lonely Planet guide Books, together with what i consider to be useful Australian iPhone apps, just need the flights now......... Oh and a B'day card..........

Patience not one of my Virtues

Still not able to book a return flight, so still not sure how long our visit to Oz will be but have taken a chance and booked our Xmas 15 and New Year 16 accommodation, had to as whilst browsing noticed some camp sites were full up all ready due to School Holidays.
So for  Christmas we will be at Coral Bay, WA and instead of clearing up wrapping paper will be swimming with Mantra Rays and Turtles in a White Sandy Bay......... As for New Year we will be at Monkey Mia, where on the first day of the year we hope to be feeding wild Dolphins by hand, albeit at 07.30hrs in the morning..........

Contact and Flight Details

18th January 2015
So fed up, still cannot book return flight yet as not allowed to book a flight 350 days earlier than actual flight, so have started to lean how to blog, a lot easier than doing it in the back of a camper van.....

8th November 2014
Cannot book flights, so have provisionally created an itinerary.

Location	Drive Time	Sights
Perth	4 hrs	Yanchep Nat Park, Koalas, Crystal Cave
Cervantes		Pinnacles Desert at Sunset, Nambong Nat Park, Molah Hill Lookout, Fossils
Dongara - Port Dennison	2.5	Irwin River Walk, Black Swans, Pelicans, Cormorants
Kalbarri	6	Kalbarri Nat Park, Pelican Feeding.
Carnarvon	6	1 mile Jetty, Shops, Eagle Bluff,  Gnaraloo
Kariniji National park	4	Gorges, Oxers Lookout
Port Hedland	7	Last Shops for 611 klms
Broome	4.5	Shops, Cable Beach, Sunset
Fitzroy Crossing	7	CROCODILE Country, Croc Farm.
Wyndham	1.25	Five RiversLookout at Sunset.
Kununurra	1	Mirama Nat Park
Lake Argyle	2.75	Lake and Clocks go forward 1.5hrs
Timber Creek	3.5	Keep River Nat Park, Nganalang Rock paintings, Birds
Kathrine	4	Cutta CuttaCaves, Gorge.
Darwin	3.25
Jabiru	3	UbirrArt Centre, All things Aborigine, Noulangie, Cooinda, Gunlom, Yellow Water,Butterfly Sanctuary
Pine Creek	1.25	Main Road
Kathrine	23	Been here done that
Port Hedland	9	Stock up
Bayview Coral Bay	7	Ningaloo Marine Park, Whales, Sharks, Rays, Kangaroos, Emus, Birds
Denham Seaside Tourist Village	10	Shark Bay, Shell Beach, Monkey Mia, Dolphin Feeding
Perth
Bunbury	2	3 x Pods of 100 Dolphins, Boardwalk
Busselton	1	2km jetty with underwater observatory
Dunsborough	0.5	Whales
Margret River	1	Eagle rehabitation Centre, Caves
Augusta	0.5	Leeuwin Lighthouse, S W Tip, Whales
Nannup	1.25	Tall trees, Scenic
Bridgetown	0.45	Village, Greenbushes gold mining town
Pemberton	1	Forests
Shannon Nat Park	0.45	48km Forest Tree Drive
Walpole - Nornalup	0.45	Tree Top Walk, Valley of the Giants
Stirling Range Nat Park	2.5	Wildflowers
Albany	1	Whales
TorndurropNat Park	0.5	Blowholes, Misery Beach, Whale watching
Fitzgerald River Nat Park	2.25	Orchids, Birds, Whales with calvesat Point Ann
Esperance	4.5	Fur seals, Penguins, Sea Birds, Oceane Drive
Cape le grand Nat Park	0.45	Frenchman Peak look through Eye Cave
Perth		Birthday ?

1st November 2014 ?
Have decided to go to Western Australia for Christmas 2015 and 2016 New Year and to stay until at least when she comes back, she will be the big  60 So will not be back until February 2016.
Starting off in Perth then up to Darwin as quickly as possible, so as to miss the Wet Season and then back down west coast through Perth again to the South West corner before back to Perth.  Not sure yet where to celebrate Birthday Girls big day, so who knows, it may be with Dolphins or could be in a posh restaurant in Perth. No prize for guessing which one she would prefer........