Monday 1st September
Monday. It had started raining in the
night. Just a few splots but by morning it was a steady shower. We were still
hitched so all we had to do was get the van off the chocks and away. We didn’t
want to get bogged.
But where to go posed the problem.
We both have to be back to work today week.
Lots of time but not enough all at once.
This means that we don’t have enough time
to do another adventure without rushing and not seeing it and spoiling it for
when we do have time.
Quandry with a sad face.
According to the blog site – there is a
front coming through and another one behind it so not really good holiday
weather – unless you want galleries and museums. I like both but get over them
quickly.
I drove while Greg IPad researched and, well,
home seemed the obvious choice. Should have gone the Strezleki track. Its not
raining there. Too late now. Too far away, not enough time.
Because we high tailed it out of our camp
so quickly we didn’t have time to do anything much except the basic pack up and
go. No shower but did teeth and that sort of thing. That meant I didn’t have
time to have a cuppa tea or anything. Sadness.
We arrived at Renmark. We were going to stay a day but
the weather was so miserable, wet and cold – last time it was windy and
cold we decided not to. We found a nice coffee place with people so friendly. My coffee was so
lovely and in a huge mug. Greg and I shared a breakfast wrap. We were on our way again.
This time to Mildura. “We are in need of supplies!”
Greg drove to Mildura in the rain. We parked
at the central shopping center which has a Woolworths – we parked there last
time when Greg did his Telstra thing – except as sod’s law has it we could not
park right out the front on the road but miles up so it was further to walk in
the rain. Fab. Parking is always an issue when towing a van.
In spite of the fact we were so starving
hungry we managed to stick to our shopping list and not buy naughty yummy things - and even
decided to make lunch in the van (hot pies on a cold day sounded so tempting)
So fresh bread sangers it was. I did lash out and buy 2 truss tomatoes at a
silly price of $8 per kilo. Broccoli was $3 p/kg. Yay fresh veg!
All I now wanted was some nice fresh
oranges. Oranges in Canberra are just not as nice and half the time come from
America. How stupid is that – we have orchards going bankrupt and the stores
have American oranges in them – what a stupid government policy that is! Anyway
when the oranges all come from the states I just don’t buy any. Hence I crave oranges all winter until the Australian ones are back on the shelves.
On the road again and through the traffic
and the traffic lights not ideal when towing a big van and its hard on the
brakes and transmission. Our eyes peeled to find a roadside stall heading out
of town - we found the first roadside stall we could on this road - where we could park. I hopped out of the
car with my purse and bought 2 bags of oranges (planned to buy one bag but didn’t
have change) and 3 avocados - in the rain – juggling it all precariously on the
way back to the car which was the other side of a busy road.
After that there was a roadside stall every
500 meters so it seemed. Typical.
Greg drove until I found a truck stop so we
could pull off the road and I could make lunch and had a driver change. I
managed to boil the billy for a cuppa tea. I will drive wherever you like so
long as I have a cuppa tea in my thermal mug. I chain drink tea most road
trips. Always very sad when I get to the bottom of the mug which is normally
when its time to stop anyway. The mug I have keeps your tea so hot that the
first hour you can’t drink it anyway without
burning your mouth.
I drove from the roadside lunch stop to Hay
– about 230km on top of my 80km this morning and Greg’s drive was over 100km– which
equals about 400 odd kilometers. It rained ALL the way. Its scary being passed
by B Doubles in the rain – but even more when the side of the road is full of
water. Needless to say the under guards of the car are not crusted with mud any
more.
Because of the rubbish weather, our solar
wasn’t charging the fridge and the batteries were running low in the van thanks
to our overnight free camp. It was so cold
again – we booked in to the Big 4 Caravan park at Hay. Yes lovely Hay where
tomorrow I am going to buy a jumper on special from the women that knit at the
tourist information center– that is if they have not sold out by now.
I must say the people that own Big 4 in Hay
caravan park are lovely and I would recommend anyone to stay here. Its only a
little walk to town (not that I walked as it was raining so thoroughly). Amenities are clean and tidy and the sites are
lovely. They were going to put us on a site we would have had to unhitch but
then took pity on me (I must have looked soppy eyed or maybe tired eyed as it
was late in the afternoon and getting dark – we’d driven all day and I hadn’t
had a shower although had been rained on several times and was bereft of even a
little makeup. Yep not a pretty day) and gave us a site we didn’t have to unhitch. God bless them as
it was still raining and unhitching in the almost dark in the rain is
unpleasant. (this is where having a full van and not having to assemble
anything is a bonus!) All we had was a little leveling to do and running the
power cord into their plug and we were home and hosed. Greg decided to use the
water we have on board the van so didn’t worry about attaching the water hose.
We need to get rid of what we have on board as Greg has to drain the tanks when
we get home.
We were in, inside out caravan, and heater
(reverse cycle air conditioner on) within 15 minutes.
All we had to do then was pour drinks, turn
on the hot water for a well earned hot shower, charge computers and discuss
what to do next – whilst listening to the rain. Thankful that we are
no longer on the road and hoping the rain will be subsiding tomorrow.
I texted the house sitter to tell her we
were coming home early and she was
mortified. Said something about cleaning
the house and having uni assignments due and so forth.
Normally we would do a healthy vegetarian
meal on Mondays but in celebration or commiseration that out holiday on the
road is coming to an end I am spoiling my husband with Nachos – his favorite
dinner. Not that healthy by my standards – all home cooked though - but I can
make the healthy dinners up at home. Especially with broccoli at $3 per kilo
what a bargain!
Tomorrow is home. A week early. Still
coming to terms with that.
I go into mourning when we come back from a
big trip. You start out and you think you have ALL this lovely TIME! And its
gone so quick its almost like you have only been away for a long weekend. Still
Oodnadatta, Flinders Rangers and Clare Valley have been ticked off the list.
The Oodnadatta track travelled from one end to the other with the mecca of 4WD
destinations, Mount Dare and Dalhousie springs thrown in for good measure.
Some 5000 km travelled and the good Lady
Cruiser didn’t miss a beat. Mister Gibson is up for minor repairs and a water
tank overhaul but that’s the beauty of travelling and getting more experience –
you learn a lot about what works and what doesn’t.
During our last night in rainy Hay whilst
playing scrabble on the IPad (which isn’t as much fun as the tiled board game
as it won’t let you cheat) we did discuss the next adventure – as when one
adventure ends another one has to be on the drawing board or life will just
become dull – how about the Birdsville races. How about the Birdsville races
and we make it an official Canberra Caravan and Camping Hash journey…now theres
a idea.
Stay tuned.
The
end bit. We arrived home in rain and the threat of
a massive thunderstorm. We unhitched in drizzle and unpacked the van as quickly
as we could for the basic things leaving the rest for the next day. I
discovered that the little hatch thing over the shower had blown off on the way
home (it had hung on from Coober Pedy, all through the corrugated roads on the
Oodnadatta track and up to the NT border and all that time and blew off in the
last few kilometers of the trip – there must be caravan angels looking after
us) and there was now a window to the world where it was. I hastened Greg to
find a tarp and rope and cover the hole so the weather would not blow in which
he fixed in a jiffy. Another part to buy!
Home is nice when you have been away
even if you don’t want to go home. Cynthia the housesitter left the house in
such a pristine state its ready for a house inspection from the Govenor
General. She did hide some of my things in cupboards that don’t usually live
there. Obviously doesn’t like clutter and it was interesting finding where she
put them which was a much better idea than leaving them where I usually leave
them.
Next day was washing day as the weather had
cleared. Our washing line was so full you could hardly fit another sock on.
Sheets, towels, clothes all for a wash. The van got a good scrub to get rid of
the red dirt on the outside and underneath and the insides were washed until
pristine again and all surfaces wiped clean. Red dirt continues to be
discovered everywhere like the souvenier that doesn’t go away. I don’t care –
I’m proud of the red dirt and the fact we earned the ‘red dirt in every nook
and cranny’ badge.
So what did we do with out last days? Other
than be extremely organized for the coming week with all our washing and
ironing done, house and van pristine grass and garden up to date – we called my
parents and asked if we could spend a few days with them. They were delighted
so we packed our golf clubs and headed down the coast to see the folks. I
couldn’t wait I hadn’t seem my parents for months!
It was still cold but Mum and Dad have a
lovely combustion fire. We played some golf and went for coffee in local coffee
shops and shopping and had a lovely time. Even got most of this blog up to date
by sitting in the Tura Beach Country club making use of their free wi fi. It
was nice not driving. The view from the club’s wonderful floor to ceiling
panoramic windows over the ocean and the 9th hole is so relaxing and
entertaining - watching the golfers play
their shots.
Even made a start on the flier to go out to
the hash clubs about our Birdsville races event!
So exciting!! Who is up for the next adventure!
