Well, it is time for another adventure. Steph and I are now back together and we also have twin girls that have just turned one (11/1/14). Now that they are big enough, we have decided to head off around Australia on the 1 March 2014. We will first have to head south from our new home in Port Macquarie NSW as our Nephew is getting married in Tununda S.A. in mid April, so we will head there via Mt Gambier to see some friends. Also, dependent on time frames, we may head detour via Wagga Wagga to see some other friends.
We managed to leave Port Mac around 11am on the 1 March after a few visitors popped in to wish us all a happy and safe journey. It was raining pretty bad and we had that rain for the next couple of days...sometimes a bit worse than others. We arrived at Mullaley Post Office Pub around 5pm and grabbed a site for the van...if you could call it that. The toilet block was shithouse (bad pun) and Steph wouldn't use it. There were a couple of vans there that have been there about a year...WHY I don't know ??????
Anyway, the pub was something that should star in Wolf Creek 3 !!!....staffed by 5 backpackers from Wales who cooked liked never before....and I mean that, like they had NEVER cooked before :) We were the only ones in the pub...beer was nice though ! However there was no Vodka for Steph. The barmaid said they had drunk it all the day before... The dukebox came on and Keira started to dance with Steph. Steph thought she would have to wait 17 years to dance with her girls in the pub ! We had to make our way back to the van in complete darkness through the mud.
We were going to free camp along the way, but we still had shit all over the van as we had not stored it away properly before leaving so we will sort it all out in Wagga Wagga when we stay there for a week or so. If anyone breaks into our house they will think it is abandoned as there can't be anything left in there !!!!!
Second day saw us arrive in Parkes and we stayed at the Highway Caravan Park....CRIKEY!!! Some silly old China running the place and I had to wake him up at 2pm to get in...said it was his lunch time. Rough old place that could be made into something if only the owner would do a little maintenance. Only traveling van in there with about a dozen permanents. Off we went to the RSL for dinner and a few drinks, only to see ELVIS enter the building !!! Had a nice dinner though and all the oldies loved Keira and Zoe, who by the way, have been traveling very good on the whole...with a few grizzling times here and there.
We left Parkes about 8am and made our way to Wagga Wagga. Enroute we saw how dry the land is and really felt for the farmers. It appeared as though some had packed up and left as some of the Homesteads looked empty...along with the thousands of arid acres. And here we are worried about dickheads coming to our Country illegally....and also giving Aid to other Asian Countries.....I think it is about time the Government did something for our people before we have to buy all of our produce from overseas !!! (OK...political rant over..And Tony Abbott has started some Farm Aid)
It was a pretty good drive down to Wagga Wagga Beach Caravan Park and we booked in for a week, maybe longer, and set up about 2pm. The owner remebered us which is always a bonus and after a laid back afternoon, we woke up to a bit of heat, did a little shopping and then took the kids down to the Murrumbidgee river for a swim (about 100m from van). Water was lovely...Keira enjoyed it, but Zoe isn't too impressed with the colder water. Sitting back enjoying a cold drink before cooking some Lamb on the BBQ
Caught up with some friends down here and had a good chat about old times and new....always good. We visited one of our old haunts, the Riverina Hotel and it is still a great little pub. We will be leaving here on Monday to start to travel to Mount Gambier and will camp along the way so we will have to have everything prepared a little better than we have so far. All will be OK though, I am sure. Better pack up the laptop as I can see a storm coming............................................
2nd Installment After leaving Wagga Wagga, we headed south through Uranquinty, Culcairn, Albury and then turned right at Benalla. The traffic was terrible once we made it to the Hume hway and when we stopped for fuel south of Albury, there was a huge line up for fuel and even Maccas were lined up out the door ?????....we decided to travel further and then get fuel once we turned off. We made it to Shepparton and I had to ask Steph what day it was as there were no shops open and I thought it was Monday. Turned out it was Labour Day long weekend in VIC...
We travelled a little further and stopped at a nice rest area ???????????? and camped for the night. The girls had a ball and Zoe thinks every type of bird is a DUCK. We left fairly early and went through Ballarat where Steph visited the shop at Sovereign Hill and decided NOT to pay the $47 Adult charge to enter the place !! I had a bit of a kip as I was very tired driving and needed it to keep going. One of the towns we traveled through later was Casterton where we learnt that it was the birthplace of the Kelpie !! We then found a nice little camp spot by a sports Oval in Derrinallum where we watch the local AFL side training. We were the only people there overnight and it was lovely and quiet with nice green grass for Keira and Zoe to get about on...which wore them out. Got up in the morning and fuelled at a local servo where we recieved driveway service...WOW !!!
Stopped for lunch at Hamilton and then continued to Mt Gambier and booked in for a week. The new owners remembered me after they took when I was working here. Set up with nice grass and the weather a little cooler. Did a little grocery shopping and rested for a day. We then contacted the people that used to own the park as they also own a great Thai restaurant in Town, the Banana Tree Cafe and had a wonderful meal whilst Steph knocked off two bottles of wine with the owners :) We even had leftovers to eat the nex night. This place has the BEST thai food we have ever eaten !!!
I played golf on the Saturday at Mount Gambier GC and had a fairly good game except for two holes, but on the whole, I was very happy with my game in the howling wind. Great course with beautiful greens that suited my putting. It started raining in the afternoon, so we have been vegging out which is a nice change...and not spending any money !! We also met another friend that still works at the Van park, Cheryl, who loves the girls and even bought them a Wiggles DVD for the car trip...and they LOVE it !! Thanks Cheryl
Will, Sandy and Pat (previous owners of Park and owners of Thai Restaurant) invited us out for a BBQ lunch at the Valley Lake picnic grounds. A nice day had by all and they even invited along their Chef, Nyvet, who sliced up all the salads and fruit with some expertise. A nice bloke and great chef as we found out when we had lunch with them at the restaurant a few days later. Steph and I have now spoiled ourselves for visiting any other Thai restaurants as the Banana Tree Cafe is the BEST ever. Their Wontons and Thai Beef Salad were outstanding and the best we have ever eaten...without any favouratism toward the owners. We really mean what we say...if you are ever in Mt Gambier you HAVE to try it.
We had to stay at Mt Gambier an extra day due to heavy rain as I did not want to pack up the annex whilst it was soaked. So, on Sunday we left and traveled to Robe and stayed at the Sea Vu van park. Expensive at $36 a night and vans were cramped in so you could hear your neighbour fart. I hate being that close in parks so we had a nice dinner at the Caledonian Pub and left the next morning and went to Kingston S.E. where we have a site for a couple of nights on the water. A bit bloody cold though...the girls are having a ball, but Zoe still wakes after a couple of hours and ends up in bed with me during the night...bugger.... Keira sleeps right through and both have had a few teething problems which must annoy the neighbours when they are really close ...stuff em ...more to come.
Steph did all the washing at the van park and after two days we moved up the road to a free Camp right in town and about 2km from the van park. Great little spot and only had about 7 vans in total there for the night. We walked across the road to the Royal Mail Hotel for dinner and a few drinks. Not a bad feed and they had Extra Dry on tap...mmmmmm. Back to the van about 7.30pm and a storm was brewing on the horizon, so I brought in the awning and all the kids stuff that was out. Made it just in time as the wind changed and we all went inside and it felt like we were in a washing machine with the wind and rain...cool..
Left about 9 in the morning to head to Adelaide and stopped for lunch on the side of the road at Tailem Bend, right on the Mighty Murray River. Saw a close call when a bloke in another van decided to stop at a rest area and pulled in slowly with a fully loaded sheep truck up his arse....nearly had some free legs of lamb for the BBQ. I have tried to upload the video so you can watch it....click here.Wasn't the best road I've been on and was bumpy and wasn't good for truck or van/car...and it was Highway 1 !!
Made it safely into Adelaide after a lovely drive down from the Adelaide Hills and booked into the Adelaide Shores van park just near Glenelg...biggest park I've been in and very nice. Cost about $40 a night though !! Golf is across the road and I played in the Comp. on Saturday and played like a busted arse with 25 pts, but had a good day and two of the blokes I played with were winners in B and C Grade. I came fifth in A grade (only 5 players). On the Friday before, we took the bus and tram into Adelaide itself and I took Steph to the Central markets and she didn't want to leave.....fresh food everywhere, with beautiful cheese shops, olives, meat, chicken and some great food to eat there and then. I had some Russian stuff with beef and rice which was very nice.
Sunday saw it warm up to around 33 degrees and when we got out of bed there were some Argentinians camping behind us and Zoe took a real liking to one of the girls...which I can't say I blame her....and didn't want to go back to Mummy. Had a Sunday cook up in the camp kitchen and after getting more groceries...yes MORE...we took the girls down to the beach just behind the van park...no waves and the water was beautiful. The girls don'tlike it all that much, but they will get used to it. There is also a great water park here behind us that all the kids get into...water splashing everywhere and the girls didn't like that either, so it was back to the van to do this...and drink beer ready to cook a BBQ for dinner
Drove up to Handorf on Monday for Lunch and a sticky beak. Lunch was at the German Arms hotel and my German mixed grill of smoked pork chop and two types of sausages wasn't all that good. Steph had the one with three sausages which was ok. Keira and Zoe didn't like them much. I should've had the big hotdog. Nice town and worth the visit.
Now, when we arrived last week there was a Toyota Hi-ace with a tent park across from us. I saw a woman go into the van and I commented that her shoulders were a tad large for a woman. Next day we saw an elderly bloke with shorts....hmm? The woman had been in the ladies toilets. And the bloke goes into the men's toilet.....funny thing is it is the same person !!!! I was a little sceptical that there was only ones person in there, but I reported it to management and they told me there is only ONE person booked on the site. After a bit of a laugh, they said they will look into it so the goose doesn't get dressed up to go into the ladies again.
Hot today with 35 degrees, but a little difference in humidity than Port Mac. Next updates will be in the April notes
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