BOTTLE BEND TO NARRANDERA

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Very little to report today.

The morning started with a search to find the boys who were finally found chasing ducks down by the small inlet below our caravan. I will never allow them to sleep outside the van again, they got up early and nicked off.

We headed east along the Newell Highway through the most boring countryside around. It may be boring but some of the place names are fantastic. We stopped for lunch at my personal favourite Mulberygong rest stop. Just a truckies pull over, but we had a great sandwich and a cold beer. It was darn hot, lord alone knows how hot, but darn hot.

When we got to the Hay Plains at least we didn't see the big watering systems going pumping precious water into the air, such an ineffective system. Back closer to the border the crops didn't look very good at all, either that or they grow very short wheat in Victoria.

Because of the heat we decided that we needed air-conditioning and so proceeded to find a site in Narrandera. We are cheap and managed to find that the local showgrounds had power and water for $15. There are quite a few sites here, but on very rough ground and we managed to nick the only one with a concrete pad. The facilities have lots of toilets and one very basic shower. It is only for one night.

When we pulled up I immediately noticed the very wonderful building in my photograph, so I asked the caretaker about it. Apparently there were two of them in Australia one in Innisfail and one - here the Innisfail one burned down. It was an exhibition hall and was built in 1902. Sadly today it is used as a storage shed. My Dad would have loved it.

After a very welcome shower we just read a while, had dinner, watched another episode of Foyles War and went to bed. Left the A/C going and I turned it off when I got up to write this blog. 20 minutes and I had it back on again!

We are heading to Wagga today and the dinner is tonight. First thing tomorrow we are off to a farmers market, so the blog will be late as we have to book out at 10am.

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