This is the view from the dining area of our apartment in Albany; we are here for a few days for much-needed R&R to start recovering from the franticness of the last 5 months!

During our drive south from the heat (39 degrees in Perth) yesterday, including right through the Stirling Ranges where we have enjoyed many walks and climbs in years gone by, we enjoyed seeing: red-capped parrots on the road verges, a beautiful copper-coloured snake on the road (alive!), a big bungara lizard, several small bungara lizards, LOTS of 28s (good thing because the rackety introduced rainbow lorikeets are pushing them out of the Perth metro area!), hawks, wedge-tailed eagles, heaps of little birds which we couldn’t identify.

I write this sitting in our dining area, enjoying the glimpse of the ocean and the lovely, cool breeze with a tinge of salt on it:-)