first two weeks

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Well what an interesting first two weeks we have had.

After leaving Wednesday lunchtime we headed to West Wyalong and camped just outside of town. Here we found diesel had leaked over everything behind the tank. As it was already dark we couldn’t see much but it didn’t seem to be leaking. It turned out to be just a dodgy full cap.
We then headed towards White Cliffs and stayed in the underground burrows. Second night in and we were already staying in a motel. Haha.

As some of you already know, our week starting out at the outback challenge wasn’t the greatest of times.
After arriving in Broken Hill on Friday we headed to Penrose Park at Silverton to set up camp for two nights before the challenge started. Early Saturday morning without any warning apart from a clap of thunder it started to rain. It only lasted about half an hour but the puddles on the road seemed like it rained for hours. This wasn’t a good sign as we were leaving the trailer at a mates house in Broken Hill while we swaged it out an we didn’t need it to be wet folded up.
Sunday night we headed to Denian for the sand events. This was a perfect sunny day and we were looking forward to more of it. That didn’t happen.
Monday afternoon we headed over to Viewmont to watch the mud events.
Our camp ground was covered in river clay that stuck to everything and you grew 2inchs taller every time you walked around.
Mick and I didn’t head to the night stage as we had seen it last year and it wasn’t that interesting. This was a good thing on our part.
Ten minutes after we had gone to bed it bucketed down. I have never heard rain that heavy. It eventually stopped and we had found out that the vehicles that went to see the run struggled to get back to camp. The levy became an ice rink and numerous cars slide off the track.
This rain didn’t hold up. And the drizabone came in handy once again. As Dan (our spectator leader and mate who we had the trailer storage at his house) had decided to head back to Broken Hill we were told the road was closed. We were stuck here for two days before we were moved to a sandier camp ground 500 metres down the road. And were told that a severe hail storm was heading our way, we could only head for shelter at the wool shed if it got to extreme.
Wednesday we made the trip back after the RTA opened the roads. This was a fun trip. Good thing Mick knows how to drive too. The road was a mess, it was slippery, muddy and we didn’t stay straight for more than 5 minute.

We made it out and left Broken Hill the next day and headed to South Aussie. We have stayed at Port Pirie for the last three nights and had a trip down to Adelaide yesterday. We are about to head to Port Augusta and out to the Flinders Ranges for a bit.

We are well and haven’t killed each other yet. Talk to you all soon.

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Comments

[Tiss]

Hi guys! Well what a little adventure! I love it! the house seems quiet without you guys there. dad did a big clean-up on your room Mick. i think I saw some pillows get thrown in the bin...I'm sure there was more stuff following them! They were gross anyway, so I suggest purchasing some pillows when you get home. if you ever get home. Don't come home actually. I think you should gallavant around Oz for years and setup camp somewhere random. that would be cool. So yeah your room is clean and I think all your scabby clothes has been washed Mick. Dad had a HUGE cleaning frenzy, worse than usual, did the whole house. Luckily I was home so I could prevent any of my stuff vanishing. So I was waiting for you bastards to call me after my graduation. We had a bottle of bubbly cracked open and I thought "lets ring mick" so we did. But never heard back you dickhead. we had a fun night. Johny came to dinner with dad and sandy and me. We ate at a Spanish tapas restaurant at Glebe and drank sangria. remember that time I made sangria at home when we had mexican...? yum! Now i'm back in good old Melbs. it's starting to get a little chilly here....snow fell at hotham and it looks to be an awesome season. Can't wait to go...I think me and john are going together- woo woo!!! yeah i know you are thinking that it is getting serious...well we aren't official yet. but this friday he is taking me to dinner :) so I think it is coming. will keep you posted. Mum is still the same old. She did so much washing for me on the weekend! haha! and even came to my graduation. that was a great afternoon with mum dad and sandy all together at my graduation. hehe! sandy and mum sat next to eachother and actually talked! I was a little worried. Things shaped up when mum left and then we went and drank. she bought me a picture from my graduation. thought that was nice. and dad got me a mug to use in melbs when i have my tea :) chai tea of course! I'm still going to visit you fuckers for a weekend later this year. as long as its not raining! i don't want to get bogged in mud. gross. I think darwin will be a goer- nice and warm and lots of lovely aborigines to drink with! So i better get back to work...I actually have some work to do. I have been very productive lately! Glad to hear you are safely in Adelaide area. Flinders ranges sounds like it would be fun. and very beautiful. i'd be even more jealous if you did some trekking there. Which reminds me I still haven't got my parcel from nepal yet. I bet it never made it out of the country and all my stuff is being sold as we speak!! damn. Keep in touch... Surprisingly I actually miss you guys. only a little bit though. Love Tissa xoxo