Welcome to Norseman

Well I've got one CFA book to go, which I would normally take advantage of on my day off. However, I just spilled coffee all over it. So, here it is, good ol' Norsey.


Here's the first sign of civilization heading in from the West (Perth) through the Hyden road, which is famous, for at the other end is wave rock.

Just before this sign, to the right, is one of the salt lakes.


Really the only place you can go to escape the bugs (yes, that includes indoors). The salt lakes are just ancient lakes that have since dried up, on the crust at least. As you venture further out into the middle your feet begin to sink, progressively more with each step. People are advised not to go out there after it rains as it acts as a natural sponge and can become quick-sand-like. No one told Martin (Norwegian co-worker who happens to be a mega-hippy) this, until after he decided to go running out on the salt lake, the morning following a stormy night. Here's the result.


I'm not entirely sure how this happened. But he claims he was running towards the middle when he began to sink more and more. He looked back and figured he was about half way so just decided to keep going. As he was stumbling he just managed to get back to dry land. He figures if he lost his momentum he wasn't coming back. I just told him it was evolution at work.

Enough of that, off into town.


Heading up the Hyden rd, past that Welcome sign, you come to this roundabout. You'll first notice the tin camels, commemorating the town's construction using camel trains. In the background you can see a bit of one of the gold mines. There's a large cliff that's just made up of the earth that has been removed as it's in between humans and riches of gold. Up ahead is the town centre (notice the sign in the lower left, in the picture above).


Voila, downtown Norseman. On a particularly bustling morning mind you. The pub must be open.


Picture 1 of a 4 set 360-ish degree view of the town centre. Clearly the IGA, a cafe that I think is open, and the News Agency which is also the telecommunications distributor, pharmacy etc. To the right is...


2 of 4. Hardware store that's probably the closest thing to a Canadian Tire around here. Beside it is the Doll Museum and Book Exchange. I have not been inside as it's open for maybe 2 hours a day. Although rumour has it that it's run by a gypsy who immediately analyzes your life without asking, and who also doubles as the local ebay guru. Quite the interesting combination. Again to the right...


3 of 4. The Activity Cave, actually I don't know what that is to be honest, I've never seen it open. The unmarked building to the left sells dvds and cds. The unmarked building to the right is like a perma-garage sale. The place is absolute rubbish. You know that saying, one man's trash is another's treasure, well that doesn't apply here.


4 of 4. This is it, the last of the town. Cassidy's Family Fashions-closed. Finally, la Pièce de résistance, the drive-in pub/bottle shop. Something like half a dozen tvs tuned into the races and just as many, if not more, TAB terminals to allow the poor to tax themselves day in and day out. You have to pay $2 for 3 songs otherwise there is no music. When the pub closes, which often occurs when the staff wants to go have a drink for themselves, you buy 'takeaways' which are literally beers for the road. Marking the end of the town centre...


The town clock tower, without hands. Back to the Future anybody...?


More to come...