It’s all very well paying for a room at the Dwellingup Hotel 🛌 but after three weeks sleeping in the bush, it’s all very claustrophobic! But the novelty of a shower 🚿 in the morning and not packing ones camping gear away is well worth it! As ever, I’m packed and ready to go in a nano-second! But that’s still not quick enough compared to others ... Pole Pole! Pronounced Polay Polay – means slowly, slowly in Swahili

A little diversion today for a visit to a WWII POW camp at Marrinup not too far out of Dwellingup. Yes, a POW camp down in Oz! 🇦🇺

The POW camp was established during World War II in July 1943 to house POW (prisoners of war) after an agreement was reached with the British to house of prisoners in Western Australia. The prisoners provided labour on farms and for cutting timber. The Marrinup camp was able to house up to 1,200 prisoners and commenced operations in August 1943. German 🇩🇪 and Italian 🇮🇹 prisoners were kept in separate parts of the compound. All that remains of the camp is a clearing in the forest and some building foundations. The camp ceased operations in August 1946.

The arrival at Dandalup Hut is consistently a treat, as this is hut is perched on the side of a hill and the views are pretty speccy! Along with excellent single-track for a good few kilometers in and out of the camp. Stayed here for two nights. A lovely place for a rest day. As it had been two full (not so full) days cycling before here via the Dwellingup Hotel 🤣 I never need an excuse to stay out in the bush.

Popping out of the single-track to the view of North Dandalup Dam 🚰 Majestic in turquoise. From here we hit a segment of tar before hooking a right back onto the infamous pea-gravel roads!

Arriving mid afternoon at the Jarrahdale Post Office 📯 This is no ordinary post office; it has food galore 🍔!

My companion now sadly departs back to Perth 😔 Some occupy full-time jobs to go back to! Me, that’s way too much commitment for one lifespan! I, instead, embed myself into the Jarrahale Environment Centre. That’s what it may have been in previous life, now it’s a bunk house. As with last year, it’s empty. Generally people don’t cycle this time of year, as it’s too ☀️ hot! #Princesses! 👸

In the morning after another visit to the post office for my stock up on egg’n’bacons burgers I head out of the settlement. Not long out of Jarrahdale I spend the morning cruising on old form 🛤️ (railway line) towards Wungong Hut. All ticked off around midday. The most easy-going section by far