Mini Vic/NSW Outback RV Adventure - June 2016

Just got dropped off (6/7) and the RV has taken off this afternoon mozzying its way up to Sydney for MB's grand daughter's lst birthday party this weekend. 

We had almost one month (short of 2 days) on the road since MB came across from Tassieland.  I had to stay back in Melbourne as I have a party to throw myself for family and close friends on the 15/7.  I guess I will most probably rendezvous with the RV again at some stage when the coast is clear!!! (tentatively flying up to Newcastle on 23/7 to continue where I left off!!!!!)

In a nutshell, we revisited some of our favourite spots, but this time round, the weather has been wet wet wet and no matter where we went, the rain just followed us.  I guess it is typical of Victorian winter!




Life on the road - LEFT = way to travel       RIGHT = Fresh basil for my pasta sauce

Flock of Emus

We started off on a "tour" I found on the internet tailored for oldies and it sounded exciting as there were a few places that intrigued me.  Namely Lake Mungo, the Mutawinji National Park and the Corynnia cattle station. Well, we did not quite make it to all the ones I fancied as the road and weather conditions were not suitable for the RV.  Never mind, am sure we can find things to do and places to go!!! 

Tour route

As you must know by now, outback Australia is soooooo huge you just cannot comprehend its size - although there is nothing out there, but if you are attentive enough and not racing down the highway at 120mph, there is always something and this time round, we were lucky enough to capture a flock of emus on video and this pix I posted, I have been told it looks like a painting!!! 

No matter where we went, it rained and all that time we were on the road - be it spitting, drizzling or pouring down buckets.  I can say we only had 2, stretching it, 3 lovely sunny dry days. 





No Caption Required!!!

Outback roads and rain is not the best combination, so by the time we were in Lake Mungo, most of the red dirt roads were wet, slippery and muddy and some roads were even closed.  Yessss, being me, I just had to defy the closed signs and yessssss the RV got itself into a pickle again... not just once, but we got bogged down again and was towed out 3 times!!!

As usual, MB is not a happy chappy as I am always unreasonable with my touring routes - go off track and go bush and get RV stuck in mud, but this time round the mud was like concrete!!!  Our wheels were cemented and we could not possibly dig ourselves out!!!  I guess I am off the hook as the 2nd pickle was MB inflicted so he only has himself to blame!!! 

All in the fun I say, so we just roughed it out in the RV sleeping at an awkward angle that night tipping over to the side at a slant!!!  Next morning, a local farmer came with his dog to tow us out and we were on our merry way again!

Endless dirt roads...

We spotted some wild koala bears down the GOR way around the Cape Otway Ranges, countless ferial goats along the highway to Cobar.  Lots of kangaroos and when in the Grampians, they were everywhere, so if you cannot see kangaroos in Halls Gap, you must be blind!!!  There was a couple of echidnas, and even a black wild pig crossing the road which I did not have enough time to fire up the camera, but I was lucky enough to capture a pix of 6 kangaroos crossing the road and this the most I have captured in one happy snap!!



Not 1 but 6 kangaroos crossing the road in one pix!!!

Could not make a big RV trip this time round as I have medical commitments as well as family, so this is it for the time being till I join the RV again.

Not only did we have rain, it even snowed or we had heavy frosting in certain places one morning when I stepped out of the RV door!!!!  It was so pretty to see everything covered white and reminded me of my winter days in Canada.  One good thing about snow in Melbourne, you go to the mountains and play with it, but you leave it there and go home.  No shovelling and scrapping it off your car or driveways and no mess when it starts to melt.

Small section of Lake Mungo

We went through some spectacular landscapes at Lake Mungo - it looked more like moonscape. 

Opal mine shaft



Opal mines - looks like volcano craters!!!

White Cliffs was interesting too and it was more fun for me compared to Cooper Pedy.  Managed to strike up a conversation with two local opal miners and his dog Timmy, and we were chatting away like old buddies and there is nothing like local knowledge as he gave me a quick insight into the community and a run down of the history on White Cliffs.  This pix does not do it justice.  I have seen aerial shots of it taken from the air, and it looks like an amazing spot from outer space!    



Timmy the Keeper of the Opal mines

Whilst driving we had a phone call from KM.  From where we were, we had to start driving all night if we are to get to Sydney in time for the auction at 11.00am.  So Sydney here we come!!!  Yessssss, another adhoc adventure to make it up there in time to attend an auction that KM was interested in and just to give her some moral support as it is her first time bidding at an auction. KM then joined us for the weekend in the RV and we had a few games of Frustration.  KM did the cooking so I just laid back and put my feet up!  Over dinner, we just chatted and chilled before heading down towards home the next day.





Me relaxing with my feet up in bed whilst KM takes over the kitchen!!!

We were in Mildura and also at Dunkeld, so we seized the opportunity to try out the town's finest culinary delights and both restaurants certainly did not disappoint and lived up to our expectations.  At other times it is alaSim's or alaBoofer's RV cuisine on wheels, but on this day, I managed to set up my own table on the water!!!

Restaurant AlaSim on the Mighty Murray!

Some might think that life on the road can be "hard",  but every day its a different scenery and the freedom that comes with RVing is priceless, so its entirely up to you to make your own fun and I certainly do!!!