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Published: April 26th 2010
Halfway
I was pretty exited when I came across this sign along the Eyre Peninsula!From the Yorke Peninsula, the plan was to head up to Port Augusta then follow the coast around the Eyre Peninsula. Mambray Creek in Mount Remarkable National Park was our first stop. Here, our National Parks pass was to shine.
The campsite offered our first hot shower in a week, running water AND flushing toilets - We thought we’d hit the jackpot!!! Emus roamed the park, meandering in and out of campsites checking out who, what, when and where - we thought they were sooooo cute! (The Good)
Considering we were there for a week, we had everything we needed - or so we thought. Day three, the mice realize we’re there for a while and decided to move into our campervan (The Bad). Annoying, but we can deal with it! We went and bought some spack filler and filled all the holes that we thought they could get in, then dipped paper towel in Eucalyptus oil and poked it into any holes that weren’t ‘spack-fillable’. We thought we’d fixed the problem.
The next night they were worse! I awoke numerous times to mice chewing on my head, and Shay woke the next morning with chunks out of
her arm!!! Just so absolutely gross and disgusting!!! All night I was bashing the canvas behind my head when I could hear them and sending the mice flying. They were climbing the metal struts, chewing through our flooring, and generally finding every nook and cranny they could to permeate our sacred space. It was like one of those cartoons where the mice all gather on one specific thing and we were that specific thing!
Even I was grossed out!
We racked our brain to come up with ideas to overcome this, and the only solution was to all sleep in the security of Dakota’s little tent. It had a zip up fly screen all the way around, and mice just couldn’t get in. Fair enough we had to sleep all of us on a double bed, BUT we had no mice nibbling on us as we slept! We giggled and laughed all night and the inconvenience was actually a blessing in disguise - there’s nothing like family bonding time when you all have to sleep together!
We finally got to move on and just couldn’t be happier. We’d been warned that the Eyre Peninsular was worse with
the mice, and considering the weather wasn’t fantastic enough to enjoy the attractions we didn’t see the point in wasting time in ‘Mouseville’. As we headed across the top of the Eyre we stayed at ‘Pildappa Rock’ - it was kind of a mini Ayer’s Rock and Wave rock together - really cool. We climbed all over it and had a great time.
When it came time to sleep, we all slept in the tent again - just in case! I tell you what, I’m glad we did! All night long, mice were burrowing under the tent, trying to get in for food and for warmth. They kept us alert, but didn’t manage to brake through the plastic, thankfully!
The next morning, we must have been the first to leave. Up and outta there we went. Streaky Bay was where our post had been forwarded to, so we had to pick that up, but there ws no sleeping there for us - too many wheat fileds around, and we had learnt our lesson quite thoroughly!
We stopped at Ceduna to gather essentials and headed to Cactus Beach - a well known surf camp spot. The toilets were
They teased me
I didnt think it was very funny - these cliffs were huge!
No, I cant look! a bucket, the showers an open bore water coldy, but the atmosphere was very enjoyable. We certainly didn’t surf - saw a few sharks close to shore and that was enough to deter us. We admired those who did though. We fished. And caught enough to feed us all. We met a family from Coffs who were doing distance Ed the same as us - Hit it off like a house on fire.
Five nights we stayed there, then tackled the big drive across the Nullabor. I contemplated staying up the road in a caravan park just to gather my wits before I attempted the drive across, but was just so keen to get to the other side that I decide we just do it - Like the Nike Ad!
The first day was fine. We hadn’t had phone service since Port Augusta, but we knew that in two day’s time we’d be back in civilization so weren’t too worried. We managed to get to the Border that night. Border security was tight - we had to pop up our camper, unpack everything and let the personnel inspect our cupboards. Luckily we’d run our food right down and
Scorpion eating friend
This little guy spotted a scorpion from the trees that we could'nt see from the ground. He just gobbled it straight down! eaten anything of vegetable origin the day before. We had enough food for 2 minute noodles tonight, then breaky and tinned spaghetti for lunch tomorrow. They let us through without taking anything. We stayed just across the border that night - hanging for a shower but had to settle for waiting until the next day and civilization.
Will filled up with fuel at Eucla and got on the road at about 8.30 am. We knew we had a monster drive ahead and wouldn’t see anything until late that night. An hour into the trip, Kal needed a toilet stop (surprise, surprise), so I pulled into a rest area. THE CAR STALLED!!! For no apparent reason, it just stalled and wouldn’t start again! (The really ugly - my worse fear had been realized)
What was I supposed to do? We were out in the middle of nowhere, no water, no ph service, no people no anything! Luckily we had tools with us and some water to get us through. Dakota and I worked at the engine, we tested the fuel - it seemed pretty dirty. We'd filled up at Eucla - I wondered whether the road houses purposely tampered
The Legendary Team!
Sharon, Des, Greg, Trish and Us :D
They were spectacular people! with the fuel just to make a fortune out of vulnerable travelers?
We changed the fuel filter (Uncle Dazza had taught us how), and bled it. Nothing! We fiddled and fluffed around until lunchtime. Tried hitchhiking - no-one picked us up! Fancy that, out in the middle of the desert and not a soul picked us up.
I spat the dummy!!! We were stranded! Nothing else to say or do!
Dakota and I persevered with the car - a few people pulled in and put their 2 cents worth in, and then left on their merry little way. NOTHING!!!
Then God sent some Angels - two lovely couples to be exact. They pulled up a bit after lunch. Des and Sharon, and Trish and Greg - both couple were adamant they’d stay until we were fixed! I’d never come across such compassion! Trish ran off to get icey poles for the kids, whilst Sharon baked fresh bread and cakes. Trish donated baked beans, bread, and Long life milk and Sharon made us all a delightful veggie fried rice. The men pondered under the bonnet and looked helpful, even if only offering moral support! (The Absolutely Amazing!)
We discovered that Des and Sharon and ourselves had enough mutual friends to make us almost family - I think that was the moment I cracked!
Des unhooked and did a run into the nearest servo (about 25 clicks away) - he came back with some advice from the mechanic in there. We had a campfire with some others, and had a good sleep, fully anticipating a long day of mechanical repairs the next day.
Greg was an electrician by trade, so knew a bit about electrical stuff. We pulled half the motor apart and tested bits and pieces, trying to look like we knew what we were doing. We thought the problem lay somewhere around the fuel pump - bad news!!! A new fuel pump would be thousands even if we weren’t stranded in the desert - here it would be much more!
As a last resort, we tried a tow start. No-one was expecting much to happen. Just then the impossible happened - the car coughed and spluttered and started up. We turned it off then tried again - it started first go. We had succeeded, in I don’t know how, but the car
The Big Gallah at Kimba
Australia's obsession with big things really is bizarre! was going!!!
Needless to say, we packed up quick smart, and hooked up. We were on our way again. A few tears and some really genuine ‘thankyou’s’ later and we were headed West again - hoping to make it to Kalgoorlie (about 900kms away)before nightfall.
It certainly had been one of the most amazing 24hours of my life!
Just keep driving, just keep driving, don’t stop driving. Driving, driving, driving!
… still driving, driving, dont stop driving - all the way to the west!
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tim kingston
non-member comment
stamina
I love your news, Trudy and family. The pics are great. And I found myself gripping the edge with the mice story, and then with the mechanical failure!!! And you are sticking to it!! - mind you, what else would you do? Well done. And what an adventure. Thanks for sharing it. Imagine the stories. Regards - Tim ps - did you know that I am now, and officially, a grandfather! I haven't communicated with you for a while. But, yes, it is true - Ezra Jethro Carvill, born to Anita and Bren, about 2 months ago. Mind you - I think you picked it up on facebook!