Margaret River - Mandurah

From Margaret River the ride into Mandurah (just south of Perth city) was a breeze.
I first rode a short 40km to the tiny coastal town of Yallingup. I had been told many great tales of the beauty of the town, and was keen to drink my bottle of wine on the famed beach. After paying a rather steep camping fee, I was able to set up quickly and relax at a pick nick table overlooking an angry ocean. The waves were battering the rocks with such force that I had no trouble understanding how the elaborate formations had formed. Earlier that day I had visited the 'Canal Rocks', just south of Yallingup, which were utterly spectacular. I will upload pictures of these rocks when I find the chance. A small road sign and a short track were all that advertised this marvel. If such rocks existed in Victoria, I am sure they would become an iconic attraction, scamming tourists of their money - in much the same way the 12 apostles do. But here they sat quietly in W.A, barely noticed by the passing masses. I thoroughly liked this.
So I sat at the table overlooking the ocean and drank my expensive wine from a plastic water bottle cut in half and talked to passing tourists. It was lovely.
The next day I awoke to a tent swaying in the gusty wind. I peered out nervously only to find that the wind was finally playing fair. So I packed up swiftly to cast my sails into the breeze and fly the 130km's towards Perth.
It was a great day in the saddle, spoiled only by a $2.50 fee to walk down the Bussleton jetty in the rain. The jetty was just shy of two km's, and boasted an aquarium view under the water (too expensive for me) and even a train to take you to the end and back. The atmosphere was terrific despite the wet weather.
After the days ride I stopped to sleep at a rest stop beside the main highway, which made for a very noisy camp. A young German couple were also stopped there and invited me to join them for dinner and a chat. They were very friendly and I was happy to be in such good company.
The next day was a fairly easy going 80km's into Mandurah, where I was to meet my friends from Lucky Bay, Ross and Jo. They had invited me to stay at their house and I was thankful for the chance to shower and sleep in a bed once more.
When I arrived in their estate, I was blown away by the scene before me. A Mediterranean style housing estate overlooked a canal system running right to the backyard of each house. Ross and Jo's house was exceptional. They had two boats sitting in the calm waters of the canal, which in itself was alive with crabs, fish and other marine life. Although the estate felt very upmarket, Ross and Jo's house was full of character and had a great homely feel within. I was spoiled rotten with lavish food and terrific company.
The next day Jo drove me into Fremantle to look around and we had some great conversations along the way. Jo is studying psychology, and she offered insightful views to the workings of society. That night I watched as Ross cooked a mean curry (that's right I sat and watched), and we sat up to watch the footy with a few beers. It was nice to have a few beers in front of the T.V, something I had not done for rather a while.
I would like to take the opportunity to thank Ross and Jo for two amazing nights of hospitality and company. I had an unforgettable experience in a town which I would have otherwise passed through without a second thought.
It was now time to hit Perth city.