Riverland Trip 2011 -2012

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We only had a short break of six days to go away because of work so we left just after Christmas. The trip was a comedy of mishaps, and probably the worst trip in the truck so far, but we still managed to have fun.

It was during the hot spell, and we still hadn't fixed the airconditioner in the truck yet. We travelled over 1000kms in 40+ Deg heat. Phil wanted to show me where the murray meets the Darling River.



We stayed with our good friends Steve and Louise at Kapunda for a night, hoping to have them come up to the river at Morgan for the following night. Phil developed severe gout in his foot that night which we thought was the pain from his broken foot which he had just done at the mines two weeks previously. After a doctors visit, medication and another night in Kapunda, Phil was able to cope again



I couldn't drive the truck as I didn't have a truck licence. (Only state the truck has to be registered as a heavy vehicle. It has been registered in QLD NT and TAS as a light vehicle - sore point!) We spoke to the police in Kapunda and found out that I can drive with learner plates, and didn't have to apply for a learners permit - whoo hoo! I have decided to be a professional learner for the rest of my life as I don't want the stress of trying to pass the practical driving test.



We stayed at lake Bonney in Barmera for the following night where the site was lovely, but the water was dark and stagnant. Phil tried to wash his hair in the lake while going for a swim, but soon found that the soap solidified on his head! I gave swimming a miss. We also spent the afternoon in Paringa, waiting for a Refigiration mechanic to look at the truck's airconditioner. He eventually told us that the radiator was stuffed and he didn't have a spare one and it would take the rest of our break for one to be delivered there.



We put up with the heat and drove on to Wentworth, but as we suspected, all the good spots on the river were taken - It was the Christmas break after all. When we finally found a spot at the end of the day, we sank up to our knees in mud on the river bank and there were loads of mossies - Still no swimming for me!

Shani overheated and threw up on my coat, so we had to keep wetting her as we were travelling. I worked quite well, but she looked like a stray who had been on the road for years and she also had copious burrs in her long matted fur.

Next stop was Mildura where we spent all day looking for a spot along the river which wasn't crowded or had quick sand mud on the banks so we could actually get in the water. We were so exhausted that night, that we didn't even make it to New years Eve. After a nice meal of steak and bubbly, we were in bed by 10pm. The following morning taught us a vital lesson, that you don't leave the reversing camera on in the truck overnight as it completely flattens the batteries - lesson learnt! A couple of Aussie guys on a fishhing weekend pulled the truck to a bit of a hill where we managed to do a hill start.



Last stop bach in SA where we found a lovely spot at Lyrup Flats National Park. We couldn't help but wonder why no one else was camped there and as we were so tired, we just set up camp for the night.

Shortly after we set up we learnt that this place should have been called "Ant Hell". You couldn't see any ants on the ground untill you put your foot down and then millions of ants come up from nowhere! The water was cool though and we finally went swimming and the truck was safe from ants. That was the end of our exhausting six day holiday!

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Photos

Barmera
Lake Bonney

Barmera
Washing Day