Blogs from North Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia, Oceania

Yesterday we drove from Iron Knob to Adelaide, with a stop over at Port Augusta and Port Pirie. Thats a short drive day of about 380 k's. Ha, it's funny how the perception of distance changes after these kind of trips. I'm sure once we settle in at home, we'll wonder if we can bother driving 13 k's into Wonthaggi! It had been a very cold night and probably our final free camp for the trip. I'm quietly happy about that, the heater makes a big difference to your comfort levels now, and no power means no heater :( Iron Knob had kindly offered a shower at this free camp but it was a bush outdoor shower, so we said, thanks but no thanks! We stopped for a look around and breaky at Port Augusta. It's ... read more

Saa ankom jeg endelig til Adelaide! Mig og to andre - Simon og Nicola - lejede en dejlig billig lille bil og besluttede os for at koere i 5 dage langs med Australiens sydlige kyst (The Great Ocean Road og Limestone Coast). Det blev til mange hyggelige stunder med goon, billig Aldi-beer, uofficiel camping, public bbq's og en masse god musik! Vi bor alle tre i oejeblikket paa et hostel midt i centrum af Adelaide. Det er forholdsvis billigt, der er gratis "Continental breakfast" (=Toast with butter and jam) og gratis kaffe dagen lang! Udover det er det et lidt dodgy sted, hvor ejeren kaster rundt med stole og puder fordi folk ikke har ryddet op efter dem selv; en herlig morgen! Jeg har allerede siddet paa The Public State Library i et par timer nu ... read more

After having had a wonderful week in New Zealand with Ben's parents, we were sad to leave their company and the wonderful country that is New Zealand. However, when we arrived at Adelaide airport, we were quickly swept away by our Aussie host, Sarah (Ben's former colleague from Charles Russell) who told us in the car on the way back to her parents' house (where we were staying complete with swimming pool and tennis court... who says travelling needs to be hard work?!) that she had meticulously planned our next 5 days... what she did not tell us was that she had also factored in a 6am run with her running club! Sarah is one of the most enthusiastic people I have ever met and, together with her husband Mark and her family, encouraged us to ... read more

Monday 14 June 2010 - Queen’s Birthday So here we are, now in Australia having had a series of emails during the middle of last week from our Malaysian shippers to say that the customs people had cleared the way for the car to be shipped to Australia thus allowing the next stage to be taken forward- the booking of the container, arranging the delivery of the car to stuff into the container , and then shipping to Fremantle. John and I spent two days sorting out the contents of our Hillman and then taking the car to be steam cleaned so that the car was as clean as possible for shipment. And we are so glad that we have taken the advice received - an email received by me from our agents in Fremantle who ... read more

Distance traveled 4060km(100%).Stayed two nights.Washongi was starting to sense “mission nearly accomplished” as we swung back onto the Great Northern Highway for the last time.The sign board read Darwin 797km’s.About 30km’s further along we crossed the state line into the Northern Territory and this was in itself an interesting “crossing”.Just keep in mind the following….the NT has a land surface area of 1349000 sq km(SA equals 1215126 sq km)and a population of just over 200000.Lots of space with not too many occupants.When you enter the NT two things whack you between the ear lobes….firstly,you put your watch forward 90 minutes(aren’t time adjustments done in bites of 60 minutes?)and,secondly the speed limit leaps forward to 130kph(from 110kph).Washongi salivated at the prospects!Now given the lack of permanent residents you would think that the speed limit would be halved ... read more