We dropped in to see John and Jenny in Devonport for we were aware that they were also sailing with us tonight, then down to the fish and chip shop to buy our tea prior to boarding. The fish and chips were cooked to perfection, very nice indeed.
Then it was onto the ship at 7pm, (Spirit of Tasmania 2) up the ramp and parked the Motorhome and Digger, and then went up to our cabin. Then off to the lounge at the rear of the ship and we actually saw John and Jenny come on last for they have a fifth wheeler which is long and high so it went down onto the cargo deck.
We had a few drinks with them and later in the night, for once I didn't stay until the bar closed, I had only six pots and went off to bed. We were lucky again the trip was smooth all you could feel was the vibration of the engines.
May 11th
Out of bed at 6am and under the shower and off the ship by 7:08am, there was plenty of traffic about as we made our way to the Western Ring Road, it was amazing to see traffic banked up going into Melbourne some thirty kilometres out. I was really driving the Motorhome and I recognised that it was burning more fuel than normal, you just had to fit in with the traffic speed.
When we turned onto the Calder Highway the traffic thinned out, we came across a new B.P. Road House so we pulled in and refueled and then had a McMuffin and Cappuccino for breakfast at McDonalds which is part of the complex which also includes a Kentucky Chicken outlet.
Then back on the highway with fog clouds blocking out the sun and this was to occur all the way to Mount Macedon, once past we were under blue sky's and brilliant sunshine.
We were entering the old gold mining villages and they still retained their 1800's shop fronts, one such village was Inglewood where the highway went through the middle of town and on each side of the highway were the old shop fronts from two centuries a go, we just had to stop and take a photo, for it was if we stepped back in time.

We were to come across a quarintine inspection station that was to delay us a ten minutes whilst they looked in the motorhome for fruit and vegetables, we thought we might have lost our lettuce though they let us keep that.
We pulled up at Pinnaroo for we are now in South Australia at 12:15 and had lunch and then back on the road heading for Loxton, it was again wheat until about 20 kilometres before Loxton where were to see fields of potatoes and citrus trees and grapes. Also there were plenty of wineries and cellar sales which we will drive back in digger during the week to check out, We arrived in Berri and crossed the Murray River for the first of many times to come and headed for Renmark which is only 20 kilometres away.
We drove into Plush's Bend to set up our camp on the Murray at 3:30 pm, we set up close to Mick & Anne and Bob and Mona and in no time at all we had the fire alight and the kettle on.
We were to listen to what and where they had been and then a couple of Solo woman came and joined us for happy hour that went on well into the night with a few sausages in between the stubbies then off to bed.
May 13th
Hopped out of bed at 7am feeling a bit worse for wear and lit the fire for breakfast and to heat our shower water and finished setting up the camp for we will stay here for awhile, unless of course the weather turns bad and that unfortunately is what the weather forecasts predict.
Being mothers day Liz has already taken phone calls from our children, we will be going into Renmark for lunch. We were lucky to have the paddle steamer "Industry" go past followed by a very large houseboat they were throwing back a stubbie or two.
Time for lunch and we decided to take the woman out for lunch for Mothers Day, we went into Renmark which only has the one hotel and they were booked out.
Not a problem we went over to Paringa and the hotel there was able to cook a meal for us no problem at all, the meals were huge and reasonably priced; so we do not believe that a hot tea is warranted just a sandwich. Back to Renmark and then into woollies to stock up with groceries, fill a couple of water drums and then back to camp for a snooze.
The temperature is currently 23 degrees and quite humid, they have predicted storms and rain over the next few days so that may dampen our spirits a bit.
We have set up the digital set top box and tuned in the television signal for tonight and now it is time for happy hour though we will not be drinking as much as last night.

Mothers day lunch

May 14th
Another cool evening and when arising this morning I decided it was time to start walking in ernest, so around the lake and after disturbing a flock of wood ducks I went looking for suitable trees to cut firewood for our campfire whilst here at Plush's Bend. After breakfast out came the chainsaw and then cut and carted the wood home in Digger and then cleaned up around our camp and out came the rod and reel. I baited up the line and then cast out hoping to hook up an elusive Murray Cod.
Then it was relax until after lunch and then cleaned up and then decided to go into Berri for the rest of the afternoon.

May 15th
Awoke to the beat of very heavy rain falling on our roof, the forecast for previous days has been for thunder and lightening and plenty of rain though it did not come to fruition prior to this morning. When we went outside it was just a sheet of water up to our annexe and the ground was very muddy. luckily we had battened down and covered our wood supply last night before retiring and as the rain had ceased we were able to light our fire ok and boil the Billy and cook our breakfast.
I decided to drive around and have a look how much the area had been affected. Bad move for even though I was able to climb the hill alright it wasn't long before Digger could not handle the muddy conditions and refused to go forward or go back,bogged!! I had to come back to camp and get a four wheel drive to pull me out, once out I drove on the gravel road and had a look about and all areas had large puddles of water. The sun was breaking through and it was becoming humid when we drove into Renmark, first to Woolworths for rolls for lunch and then we drove out amongst the vineyards and citrus, olives and almond groves.
We must have driven for at least twenty kilometres and the orchards etc were still in the distance, to get an idea we would need to go up in a plane to appreciate the size of the industry, I am sure.
Then onto to Angoves to do a little sampling of their wine and spirit products and make purchases, I was to taste or should I say drink some 21 year old whisky and it was very smooth and priced at $121 a bottle. I didn't make a purchase though I had three large samples, Liz was to purchase some wine and ginger beer and then we headed for camp.
After having a late lunch Liz then did some washing and I just took it easy for the rest of the afternoon reading and trying to dry out shoes etc. The sun is still shining and it is about 24 degrees and humid so shorts and singlet are the order of the day. A few of the other campers came over for our happy hour and then we cooked roo burgers for tea and then watched television and noted the temperature was dropping rapidly.Then into our warm bed for the night.

May 19th
We arose at 6 am for we were off the farmers market in Berri this morning, prior to us leaving we said our farewells to Mick and Anne who are now working their way back to Melbourne to catch the Ferry next Saturday. We arrived before the local crowds and were able to move around freely. We were surprised at the cheapness of the vegetables and purchased a large cabbage for $2 and other vegetables and grapes, we then went inside and had a look around and purchased very large eggs for $2 and sat down and had a cappuccino with Liz trying out some Italian fare.
Then we went down to the sports store and purchased camps australia 4 then onto cheap as chips to buy a few items and then we were on our way to Loxton.

We then walked around the rest of the display and noticed that most were Jabiru's with a sprinkling of light planes, there were some old world war 1 and 2 planes, there were ariel displays and you could go for joy rides if you wished in one of the older planes which we declined.
They even had a glider display and we were to witness a glider being towed up and being released to fly the thermals, another good display and well worth seeing.
Back through Loxton and into Renmark to purchase a chicken for lunch tomorrow, we have decided to have a baked mid day meal which allow us to cool down the fire etc to start packing for our departure on Monday morning.
Back at camp and it is pretty overcast so we are hoping that it does not rain overnight, our happy hour was very restrained and we went inside to watch the St Kilda v Hawthorn match and then retire for the night.

May 22nd
The wind has dropped off, though there is a slight drizzle we experienced on the roof before we hopped out of bed at 8am, it is overcast and threatening further rain. After breakfast we lit up the fire pot for hot water for our showers and to boil the billy etc.
We decided to go for a walk and we threaded our way down into the Red Bank Gorge, there has been a fair bit of erosion of the banks though the walking was pretty easy.
It is obvious there has not been a flood for awhile for the creek is absolutely dry, we were to note the large footprints left by emu's though we were not to see any.
The birdlife is prolific and we found it hard to photograph them for they were pretty skittish and took off even before you turned on the camera, we happened to capture the Major Mitchell Galahs that were frolicking in the trees; maybe it is mating season.
We wound our way back along the various tracks that are set up in the Red Bank Conservation Park, it is pretty obvious where the park gets its name when you look at the walls of the gorge. It was a pleasant walk requiring little exertion, we came back via the road and in all the walk took up an hour and a quarter. Very pleasant indeed and we arrived back at our camp in time for lunch.

May 23rd
A nice sunny morning with little wind and cool, It was pleasing to see the Emu's near our camp and also the Galahs and Magpies plus the cheeky rabbits that were playing around. I lit the fire for breakfast and experienced back pain which caused considerable discomfort. After breakfast I went back to bed and spent most of the day there reading, I hopped out for lunch and found the pain was still there so back to bed and didn't hop out until the happy hour, after that we packed the gear up with Liz doing most of the lifting for we leave in the morning heading for Burra.
Then after tea we watched the State of Origin Rugby and headed for bed again for the night, though we wanted to do further walks around the conservation park during the day this did not come to fruition, maybe in future years.

Before we knew it we arrived in Petersborough, a railway town that has wheat as a major contribution to their economy. Wheat of the surrounding districts and towns are transported by rail to the shipping ports also the Indian Pacific Train travels through on its way to Western Australia, we were to walk around the town for all the business' appear to be in the main street, which is also the major highway outlet.
There are many displays of the old railway days and there are many old buildings from the 1800's that depict the history of the town. We were to visit the Town Hall where we were to see a quilt depicting the history of Petersborough, then on to the butchers where we purchased two large pork chops for tea tonight. Petersborough is a bustling town with many tourists staying over to explore the many Gorges and National Parks in the countryside.
Then on the road again until we arrived at a rest area high in the ranges where we stopped for lunch, given the time of day we decided to head for Port Augusta, we wound our way through Horics Pass and the very beautiful Flinders Ranges where the beauty did not go unnoticed.Then down onto the highway with 22 kilometres to Port Augusta, we pulled into the Bird Lake rest area and found that it now exhibited a sign indicating "Camping Prohibited", so we just washed Digger who was very dirty and topped up our water tanks. We were to discover that a Motorhome park had been set up at the local football club, $5 per night or $25 per week with a maximum stay of one month, some 50 meters up the road. It is complete with a dump point subsidised by Kea and the CMCA and local council. After setting up we went and had our happy hour in the footy club and watched the young uns go through their paces on the Footie field and then off to the Motorhome and tea and then watched the Tele for the night, another good day, with an excellent happy hour in the club.
Kilometres travelled 247

May 25th
We awoke to the sounds of shot guns and security alarms though not both connected, we feel that someone was shooting the birdlife on the lake across the road. After breakfast we drove back over the causeway to the B P service station and paid $2 for a shower. How lovely not having to ration water and be able to stand under a nice steady stream of hot water absolutely beaut mate!
We came back to the Motorhome and set up putting out the awning and arranging so we were more comfortable then Liz washed a few small things and hung them out to dry.
We had our first trip into town and the first stop was at the tourist information centre to up load the diary to date, disaster struck they indicated that they had trouble with the line and for some reason it wiped out my server, not knowing he dial up number I had to go over to the Coles complex and ring and find the number. I reset the computer and then downloaded e-mail which appears to be from the sex industry which is really pissing me off.
We went off to Go Lo and purchased a couple of things and then back home for lunch, later in the afternoon Liz had to see a doctor for more scripts, her health being fine. then into the Big W where we purchased a screen house for later in the trip when we hit fly territory.
Then on to Woolworths for groceries purchased several cartons of beer had a look around the main street and then home, on the way back we commented how pretty the Flinders Ranges look with the afternoon sun on them, I will try to photograph them though I feel they are to far away for the camera.
We had a small happy hour at the motorhome and then over to the club for their happy hour where they were selling pots for $2.50 and the same for a glass of wine. When our meals arrived they were huge and you could help yourself to the salad bar all for $9 per meal. Then home to watch the television and see St Kilda annihilated once again

May 26
After showering we decided to hop into Digger and go touring around the general area, first we drove to look at the shacks that line the western shore of the Spencer Gulf. These shacks you can see in the distance as you come down out of the Flinders Ranges towards the highway into Port Augusta. They were thirty kilometres out and it appears they are weekenders for Adelaide and local people, we were informed that the fishing around the area is very good.
We went off to have a look at the Power Station that is very large, though unfortunately you cannot get close enough to have a good look. We came back and went over the bridge to the other side of town and headed out to have a look at the Baxter Detention Centre. On arrival we only went as far as the gates and we did not see any people walking around the grounds though there were plenty of cars parked at the gate. The complex went for about two kilometres with a high inner fence and then another fence higher with razor wire some four metres away from the inner fence, it was obvious that you can drive vehicles around the whole perimeter in between the two fences.
Back on the road and we were to admire the beautiful countryside so clean and green and the Flinders Ranges absolutely magnificent, we drove until we met the highway to Western Australia and then drove back towards Port Augusta. On the way we were passed by many large semi's some with as many as three trailers they nearly blew poor old Digger off the road.
When we arrived back at Port Augusta we went up to the old water tower that they have converted to a viewing platform, it gives excellent views all around the town, up the gulf and the Flinders Ranges; we were to take many photo's. It was now lunch time and after lunch we went down to the Wharf area where they have spent many dollars turning it into a showcase area, the city's policy of a total alcohol free zone in all the city areas has worked well and cleaned up the board walk and lawns near the wharf precinct. We were to have a look at the Brigantine "One & All" though looking centuries old it was only built in 1985 and plies the gulf on tourist tours, tomorrow for a cruise from 10am to 3pm will cost $115 per head which includes a smorgasbord lunch, we gave it a miss and didn't bother booking.
We then went east and came across the Racecourse and a lot of indigenous housing on what they called the permit route, we ignored the sign and kept driving admiring the countryside once we had left the populated area, we came out on the highway some fifteen kilometres on the Adelaide side.
When we arrived home we rested up for a few hours and then went over to the club for the happy hour and decided to stay and have our dinner there, beautiful meals and very reasonably priced. It was well into the night when we left for the locals have now recognised us and refer to us as the "caravan people" and are happy to strike up a conversation, a couple of people including the manager bought us a couple of beers which we appreciated, then it was home watched a bit of Television and off to bed. It has been a very full on day and very enjoyable given that we will be leaving shortly.

May 27th
After breakfast we went off to have our showers and whilst there Liz run the linen and towels etc through the washing machine and then we went back to camp. Set up extra clothes lines and then starting packing Digger for we leave to go up through the centre towards Darwin tomorrow.
During the packing John & Jenny arrived in their 5th wheeler and joined us for the night having stopped in a caravan park last night, they informed us that it was very noisy with the trucks going all night on their way to Darwin or Western Australia. I spent an hour looking at the new 2007 Office programme's on Jenny's computer very much different to what I have and just a little more time consuming working out the different manner in which the programme's have been set out.
Before we knew it was lunch time and after we just relaxed put the awning in and finished packing, at 3pm we went over to the club for an early happy hour and say our farewells and thank them for their hospitality.
We had an extra happy hour back at the Motorhome were Michael, a life member of the club joined us along with the Manager Quinn who thanked us for our patronage and wished us well in our travels. After our happy hour or two we had our tea and then settled in to watch television and then into bed and read. A very lazy day all round and we both agree that we have enjoyed our stop over at Port Augusta.

May 29th
Oh! Boy what a night, about 1am we experienced a raging gale with rain which was horizontal. The Motorhome just shook and rocked and the rain was being blown straight of the roof. We had battened down, so to speak, before we retired inside last night so we were well prepared only having to close the rain hatches when it hit. Then we just snuggled up in bed and were rocked off to sleep by the wind.
On awakening the rain had stopped and the wind had dropped to just strong so after breakfast and after our shower we felt it would be stupid to go out onto the highway pushing this wind. It was obvious we would just be burning diesel for very little mileage so we elected to stay, though there is a change of wind predicted for this afternoon which may help us; we will wait and see.
We had our lunch and the weather had not picked up at all with the forecast for the area not boding well for travel, so we decided to settle in and wait until the morning. Caravans were coming and going all afternoon some south with the wind behind them and others heading into the gusty conditions.
We had several rain squalls with very high wind gusts that really rocked the Motorhome, we certainly hope that we do not come across vehicles overturned by this gusty weather when we move on.
Happy hour today was an alcohol free one the first since we started our travels and even though we are only a hundred metres from the pub we will be staying at home to watch a little television before going to bed to read.

May 30th
What a relief to awaken and find the squally gale force winds had disappeared and the sun was shining, it didn't take long to take the decision to hit the road, packing up we said our farewells to those that we have met over the past few days at the rest area at Pimba.
On the road we were find that the going was easy for there wasn't any wind and just a little cloud though a little on the cold side, as far as you could see was stunted salt bush with sheep interspersed. What these sheep feed on is beyond belief for there is not any grass as we know it. We came across three Wedge Tailed Eagles along the way and we were to encounter cattle grazing on goodness knows what. The countryside is green and as we came across the Lakes it was good to see water in them, in previous years they have been bone dry, a local was to tell us that to date the area has had seven inches of rain this year and it is normal to have eight inches for the full year. He explained that given the rain the wildlife has gone further inland not having to rely on water from dams closer to the Highway, thus no road kill.
The going was really easy and we came across a rest area some forty kilometres from Pimba, there were a lot of Caravans and Motorhomes parked up that left Pimba yesterday morning in the gale force winds. It was interesting to see they had only travelled this far. Before we knew it we arrived at the Belyando Road House which we bypassed and kept on the highway, we were passing huge sheep or cattle stations whose frontage on the highway ran for a hundred or so kilometres before we saw signs for the next station. It was interesting to note that there are not as many road trains operating since the Adelaide to Darwin railway line was completed, it was great not to be monstered by road trains.
We arrived at the Bon Bon rest area and set up then had lunch, about an hour later John and Jenny arrived and set up near us so we chewed the fat for a few hours and then went walkabout to look at the radio tower at the top of the rise. Out came the satellite dish and it was for some reason difficult to set up though we finally succeeded. There about fifteen Caravans and Motorhomes in the rest area so we walked around and had talk to those in the CMCA. Then happy hour was upon us and even though the sun was shining it was getting colder by the hour, so much so we went inside for our evening meal at 6pm. Cooking the meal warmed the van up and tonight we may have to place another blanket on our bed.
Kilometres travelled 210

May 31st
Here we are the last day of the month and we slept in, it was 8am before we hopped out of bed and had breakfast and by the time we packed had our showers etc it was after 9:30am.
On the road and the going was easy with a slight headwind though nothing to slow us, the countryside is the same that we have travelled through over the past couple of days. How does anything exist on this type of country, we were to see several dead kangaroos and wedge tail eagles in this rather barren countryside.
We were still going through restricted access land due notices of military test area, the traffic was slow and there were few trucks plying the road.
Before we knew it we were noticed large mounds of gravel etc some 60 kilometre Adelaide side of Coober Pedy, they were not this far south when we were in this area previously.
We arrived at Coober Pedy parked up and drove Digger down through the town and noticed that the parking area for CMCA members was still available so we dropped in and re-aquainted ourselves with the owners who made us very welcome.
After setting up we had a late lunch and then walked up town and on the way we came across one of the very few houses that has grass and other plants that need plenty of water. We walked up to the lookout over the underground museum and took photo's of the countryside. All very barren and with a high wind no doubt plenty of dust from the streets and the many mining areas would cover the town.
We went into the underground hotel and again looked at the many displays and they also have some of the old machinery that was used to excavate the underground rooms and bars, all very enlightening though we did not like the thought of living underground.
What a marvellous town in that the majority of people live underground with the only indication is the appearance of many exhaust stacks on top of the ground.
We were to pass dozens of Opal shops all offering special bargains, we went into the supermarkets and had a look at the prices and they were in some cases double the price in Port Augusta, we bought meat for our evening meal.
Back to our camp and then happy hour until the sun dropped and in typical desert fashion the temperature dropped considerably so inside and had our tea watched Television and read our books for the evening.
Kilometres travelled 182