Into South Australia

21st January Saturday

Airbed still going down. Up early, cloudy this morning, packed up , had a chat with John and Ann and did a book swop, finally left site about 10.30am. Dropped down onto Portland-Nelson Rd. towards South Australia,

heading for Mount Gambier, en route stopped at the Blue Lake.

 It has a strange phenomena as the water changes colour from grey to a wonderful blue from November to March. Carried onto info centre, where we found out we could camp in the National Parks for $5 per vehicle and as we have a 4WD we can go beach camping . Decided to stop in Mount Gambier showground tonight. As Colin put it "we had to nail the tent down" against the south east winds, yet when the wind dies down it is very hot. Walked into town but everything closes at 1pm on a Saturday, back at camp a couple told us in south australia and western australia only the big shops open on Sundays and next week, as Australia Day on Thursday a lot of shops might close for whole weekend to extend the holiday. Went onto facebook before dinner and had a chat with Laurie, heather, Liz and Ricky, isn't technology great, dinner of crackers and Philadelphia with tomato chutney followed by fruit salad. Colin went to bed as feeling really tired, I stayed up whilst computer battery charged. wind has dropped.

22nd January Sunday

Airbed still going down, will have to find a BigW at some point to take airbed back. Colin had a good nights sleep. No wind and sunny today, had a shower it was sooo hot could have stayed there. Been given a tip to stop ants climbing the guy ropes, put talc around the pegs(will give it a go). When left site went to laundrette then onto Coles to stock up on fresh food, decided to head for campsite at Geltwood Beach in the Canunda National Park as according to our information only $5 per night, when arrived it was $12 and no shade also a bit of a hike to beach so travelled on tthe Rendlesham Rd to Southend to the Kotgee Camping Area in the National Park, nice spot so will stay a night or two.

23rd January Monday

Bit of a warm night and it is hot already its not even 8am. There are ants all over the outside of the tent(hav'nt got talc yet), So blitzed them with fly spray and insect repellant. The sun is very intense today, both sat in shade reading, Rose read a brilliant book called The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Steig Larsson Did our chores later in the afternoon then had a shower, had to add cold water to the solar water as water is very hot. Much cooler evening.

24th January Tuesday

Up and packed by 8.30 but still did'nt beat the ranger so had to pay $12(got away with 1 night). Drove to Southend and parked at jetty for breakfast, the boats go out for Crayfish and are back in by about 10.30. Already very hot. Drove onto Robe Rd to use the Library, in South Austalia they give you a login and password to last the whole State, only trouble wifi is very slow so still have to put photos onto blog. Moved across the road in the shade for lunch under the trees by the sea,

lovely spot. Robe is a tourist town, the Diesel is $1.59 per litre, at least 9cents dearer than down south. Lokked at Camps book and decided to head to 42 Mile Campground in the Coorong National Park. Just north of Kingston S E on the Princess Highway we found the Big Red Lobster.

The campsite is very open but it looks like its had money spent on new toilets and replanting. There is a plague of bees on this site but we'll tough it out,

 left water in washing up bowl then left it on grass to attract them away from tent(it worked). Only one night here. It started to feel damp just before bed but still warm.

25th January Wednesday

Awake early so got up and packed up tent left site by 8am(beat ranger so free night), bit cooler this morning. Stopped at just after 9 at Meningie Lions Park rest area for breakfast, sun now showing. Drove onto Tailem Bend Library(sat nav playing up now) had to put photos onto memory stick then upload onto blog, lady in library very helpful. Didn't stop for lunch, back to Wellington and onto ferry to cross the Murray

(ferry cross the mersey keeps popping into Roses head), made sandwiches while on ferry. Then to Langhorrne Creek before taking road to Milang and Finnis and back onto road to Victor Harbou( much quicker than sat nav route). Victor Harbour seems a nice tourist town, found a BigW and exchanged airbed, it is in the sale so we got some money back so bought some chocolate and still got change, then bought a crossword book but still ended up $1.15 up. Decided to go to the Waitpinga Campground in the Newland Head Conservation Park, you can hear the Southern Ocean. Weather has clouded over again. The landscape is very flat and very dry with straight roads(shades of things to come). Had a walk over the dunes to the Southern Ocean.

 In the camp we sited 2 Wallabies feeding.

 After shower and dinner the sun finally came out, lovely, it is a nice site. Sleeping in vehicle tonight .

ps Waitpinga means windy bay.

26th January Thursday. (Australia Day)

Up and away early again(beat ranger yet again so another free night), drove down to the beach for breakfast overlooking the sea.

 Very windy so sat in L Rover, but sun trying to come out. We are on the Fleurieu Peninsula south of Adelade. Drove up through the Mount Lofty Ranges to McLaren Vale for fuel then onto Kangarilla and Clarendon towards Adelade, back to hilly twisty roads. Dropped down past the Happy Valley Reservoir, it looked beautiful looking over the water to the coast beyond. We headed towards the coast at Glenelg but couldn't find anywhere to park so went to HMS Buffalo Restaurant and Museum where we came across a Custom Ute Show. Sat in park and chilled and deciding where to go next when a bloke came over to talk to us(he'd seen the L Rover),he was an Ozzie who sounded English but had lived in the U.K. for quite a few years. He had just back to Adelade with his English wife, nice chatty couple. Headed north to Mallala to a free camp at the sports ground, land very flat and roads very straight again we are passing lots of vineyards(Mediteranian climate). Decided not to stay at Mallala and went a further 35kms further to Balaklava to a caravan pk only $15 for the night(payed this one). As the day has gone on the wind has got up to 35-40kph but the temperature is still a barmy 37degs, wind makes it seem cooler. Nailed tent down again. Will try new airbed tonight. Colin aquired a new friend today,sat outside tent having a beer when a chap on a disability scooter came up and started chatting(he liked his beer) for hours, even while we ate our dinner and Colin went for a shower, it sounds as though he has been barred from the campsite, he finally left and said he would be back in the morning to say goodbye. Got dark about 9pm, late night for us. Good News NIC HAD BABY TODAY ETHAN 8lb 3oz.

27 January Friday

LAKE ARGYLE IS THE BIGGEST ARTIFICIAL LAKE IN AUSTRALIA

Wind died down and sunny, new airbed is great. very lazy start to the day, left site between 10.30 and 11 am. clever Rose took us to Port Wakefield for shopping to find no shops so back to Balaklave for foor (what a wally). Put campsite at Port Parham Foreshore into satnav, it took us so far and at the end of one dirt road a dead end, so had to retrack before getting onto correct road. Is now very hot and windy, very flat landscape seems a lot of grain grown in the area. finally arrived at site, no shade but right on coast,

 but the tide goes out a long way. Neighbour sandra came over and told us where water was and that Dublin is is nearest town for groceries, it has a butcher, veggie shop and a general store, her husband Alan was doing maintenance on their caravan. Sad news from Laurie, Marion's dad had died, he hasn't been well for quite a while, but still a shock for her. Our neighbours Marion and Phil came back to site in their bus, nice people. we are pleased we will be here for a time, just what was needed.