Day One and Two

We left home at 4.20am Saturday, pretty close to the planned time. As I couldn't sleep a 3am get up allowed for a shower, a load of washing to be hung out, the dishes washed (sorry, Em, not put away), garbage out, thermos filled, pat for the cat etc. etc.

With the Nissan reaching 100km regularly all was going as planned. We were across the West Gate by 7am after fuelling up and feeding up at Officer. "Where's that water coming from?" queried Will. I'd wondered the same as my lower windscreen was becoming damp and his wasn't. "Any green in it?" he asked.  "Yer, there is actually," I answered. On went the blinker quick smart, a four letter word may have been dropped and we were off to the side. Due to the recent works on the engine and the radiator being disconnected it seems we'd acquired an airlock. The reserve tank was overflowing and the radiator was a little low - nothing major, a top up of coolant and the removal of a line to the reserve tank and all was good. Back on track!

We had lunch at Sea Lake, a town I'd never heard of until we'd watched Landline the week before - a slowly dying little town except it has an exceptional Salt Lake which is becoming famous amongst Asian tourists for its amazing photo opportunities - Lake Tyrell - it's on our to do list on the way home.

With daylight still bountiful and a slightly aching body from sitting still so long I suggested we stop in at Big Lizzie, the biggest tractor for her day that now lives on display in a park at Redcliff. After a wander and a few photos we were off to our much looked forward to visit with Vina and Trev in Renmark. "Only 45k's to go," I said to Will, who then looked at his odometer. "Oh shit, we've already done 360kms, we don't have much fuel left," he said. "It's ok, 10ks to fuel," I reassured. "Too late," he replied "we've already started to coast". On the major Sturt highway with B-doubles whizzing past - oh dear, I thought. 

"There's a dirt side road just up there, any chance of cruising into that?" I CALMLY asked. "Let's see," was the response. Yep, we could. A call to the RACV - cos we've paid the membership - said help would be to us within the hour. 30 minutes later when Mildura RACV man had been unable to hand ball us to Renmark RAA man he assured me he was leaving right now and would see us in just under an hour and a half. "Leave it with me," I said.  I rang Vina and Trev and they were, once again, coming to our rescue with a jerry can full of diesel. Fifty minutes later, after refuelling the Patrol, our empty (to be filled tomorrow) jerry can and their jerry can we were comfortably seated around their kitchen table catching up on news and enjoying each others company.

After the best sleep in 2 weeks we had the locals show us around Renmark - almond groves, avocado plantations, grapevines, grapevines, more grapevines, citrus trees and river boats - beautiful.

At 11am we headed off, stopped for lunch at Burra -Cookaburra Cafe to be exact and then headed to Port Augusta via Crystal Brooke and Port Pirie. We pulled into the Big 4 caravan park - oh bugger, this is the one Vina said not to go to - it's right on the highway, you'll hear trucks all night. Too late, payment paid!

We pulled into the campsite to be greeted by very 'helpful' neighbours, "No you're in the wrong spot, see, you've pulled in over number 59, the power pole says 59, your key says 59 but really you should be pulled up here in 58 - weirdest park we've ever been too!"  ,Really, go figure'- I thought as I was knocked backwards by their alcoholic breath. "That's ok, I'll just get some clarification from the office,"I said sweetly, as I discretely picked up our keys from the floor of the patrol. After explaining our friendly neighbours to the receptionist we were moved to a new site, right beside the freeway. I thought this might be a problem too, but as I returned to the van to see Will standing on a tree stump to check out all the road trains I realised all was well in our world.

Facts and Figures: Day 1 - 842km day, dearest fuel $1.349 Renmark,  Day 2 - 299km day, dearest fuel Kulgera $1.659