Day 12: Down the Great Eastern to Perth (Fri. 3/1/14)

‘Twas early morning in Kambalda
when the Veltkamp household stirred,
and arose from comfy bed to greet the day.
They checked the camp surroundings
and they listened to the birds
knowing soon they must be up and on their way.

The Afric’ came off duty
and his blond mate went on shift
as breakfast and ablutions both were done.
Then it was the usual routine
of pack in ordered haste,
and before we really knew it, we were gone.

We drove down the Goldfields Highway
drinking coffee on the run
wond’ring what would be in store for us today.
And at last we came to Boulder
and its sister Kalgoorlie.
Then we knew the Golden Mile before us lay.

We climbed up to the lookout
of the awesome Superpit
and looked at all the workers so far down.
Then with “Ooh” and “Ah” we turned,
and our nose t’ward Perth we set
certain that today we’d be sure to reach that town.

It was a long and arduous journey
down that boring bumpy road
‘til Southern Cross was reached and forest ceased.
After that it got less bumpy
and the fields were prettier too
and the worries and the tension were released.

Soon we crooned along with Abba
as we drove through Merredin
and the sights of Perth were “almost” set to awe us.
We still had to go past Northam
and through the windy hills
then finally the city lay before us!

With some foolhardy abandon
we forged through traffic thick
‘til at last the great south Freeway we did reach.
From there ‘twas but a doddle
to get to Singleton
and Mim and Adam’s house close to the beach.