Sometimes it is poo.

We have travelled from the beachside town of Esperance to Albany in WA. Along the way we camped in Sterling Range National Park. Wa has a diverse range of national parks; mostly along the coastline but many inland that protect mountain ranges and wildlife from being raped by mining companies.

In sterling national park there is a rare white tailed black cockatoo. Recently they had a census and counted 52 in the park. They are big birds that like to peck at the gum nuts and consequently the nuts fall from the trees.

Late at night I had to go to the loo...which is an ordeal in itself as you do not want to get out of your warm bed. You know the argument you have with yourself. "just get out of bed and go to the loo" says sensible self. "no" says warm child self. "I'll go in 5 mins!" "get up!" says sensible self and eventually you must get up. So up I got, put a jacket on, found a head torch, found some things and squished my sock clad feet in them. Finally outside to pee and I think to myself. "it's too far to the loo, I'll just go behind a tree." Don't frown upon me I'm sure you have all done it once.

So half way through my business a loud BANG in the black night, right next to me head. "Ahhhh", I yell and leap frog to the left! Looking around like a frightened frog I realise I almost got brained by a bloody gumnut! My hammering heart begins to slow and I realise I have woken the whole camp ground and now they can all hear me finishing my business. Should I hum??

Every now and then during the night, after the peeing incident, we would hear a bang on the roof of the camper. Stupid gum nuts I would think and happily...obliviously... Go back to sleep. The next morning...on climbing out of the camper the truth was revealed. The stupid big black cockies had pooed ALL OVER the camper! Yuck!

We boiled water and scrubbed and scrubbed. In the end we packed up, drove to Albany, found a car wash and opened the camper up in the car wash. It had to be pressure hosed down. We then found a caravan park and washed all our sheets and all our bird poo clothes. Yuck.

Lesson learnt: check for poo on the ground before setting up the camper.

Quote from Mark. "I'll count the birds and then I will murder them."

Getting closer to the Margarette River!

Love Krystal.