Albury/Dubbo/Bathurst/Canberra/Myrtleford

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Day 19 (22/4/21)Temps: Max 15C, Min -3C

Today is washing & blog update time again! The blog takes several hours to do, along with the uploading & renaming of photos. But when we or anyone else reading is going to the same destinations there is information that can make their travels smoother.

Woke up to -3C; absolutely freezing.

Stocked up on water for Canberra & a few grocery items.

Dinner tonight is Chinese Lemon Chicken, Honey Chicken & Spring Rolls from Jin Li Feng Chinese Restaurant in Bathurst.



Day 20 (23/4/21)Temps: Max 18C, Min 1C

Started our day researching Canberra attractions to plan what we want to do during our stay.

Slowly packing the van ready for the drive tomorrow.

Decided to take on Australia's #1 tinniest female in a game of mini golf which is inside the caravan park. I say tinniest as so many of her shots defy the laws of physics! We did the 18 holes twice & had so much fun & laughter that our sides hurt!

Back at the van it was pizza for dinner, then into bed reasonably early.



Day 21 (24/4/21)Temps: Max 17C, Min -1C

Departed Bathurst at 855AM. Stopped in Yass at the Yass Bakery for lunch with a short drive left to Canberra; arriving there at 145PM.

Went shopping in the Canberra maze that is Gungahlin Shopping Centre. I had forgotten that everywhere wants to charge you for parking in Canberra; even when you do grocery shopping.

After finishing setting up the van, dinner was home made stir fry & spaghetti bog.

Kilometres for the day was 307.



Day 22 (25/4/21)Temps: Max 18C, Min -1C

Woke up to ice on the top of the car which was quite thick. As it was Anzac Day, we sat deep in thought remembering those who fought to give us what we have today.

After breakfast, we drove to the Shoalhaven River about 70km out of Canberra to meet Brad from Goldpin Prospecting who had invited us to the area & show us gold panning.

Brad gave us enough information that enabled us to feel confident in how to find gold on any river that contains it. The mosquitoes were thick & in huge numbers that they resembled mini drones that almost pick you up & carry you away!

We persisted on & they eventually disappeared. After digging out several crevices we had enough material to start panning. Our first pan contained 16 flakes of gold. Certainly not going to make us rich, but over time they do add up & it is hard work firstly digging, then scanning the pan for the gold. When it glistens against the sun, there is a feeling of excitement.

We extracted over 30 gold flakes during the morning, while Brad found significantly more running several loads through his sluice.

As my back had had enough, we headed back to Canberra via the DFO shopping area. We have been looking for a caravan privacy screen for some time, waiting for prices to drop & as we drove past Anaconda decided to go in & take a look. As luck & timing would have it, they had one on the shelf that was discontinued at about $50 below normal price for the larger size, so we nabbed it. As they say, timing is everything!

Checked out the rest of the DFO finding a couple of things, then made our way to the Information Centre to get maps of Canberra & more information about attractions.

Returned to the caravan for tikka masala curry for dinner, while Deb is having a chicken burger.



Day 23 (26/4/21)Temps: Max 19C, Min 1C

Drove to Belconnen Westfield to have a look; being a public holiday in Canberra parking is free! Had a snack lunch there before driving 42km along a windy road with roadworks everywhere to the Honeysuckle Creek Deep Space Centre. As we arrived there was a sign “Temporarily Closed” which did not go down well. We had been told by the Information Centre that it would be open & was far from happy that we had wasted our time. Now we had to go back the same way we came from.

By the time we got back it was getting too late to go anywhere else. Dinner was steak & mushrooms with mashed potato.

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