Gawler - our first week

---

Monday 3^rd – Sunday 9th April, 2023

We are trying to make this enforced stop in Gawler a positive one, just part of out whole trip and adventure. We have often said that we should settle in one spot for a while and get to know the area rather than moving on regularly as we have been doing. To this end we try to organize activities to do and see as much as we can in a day rather than just letting things happen.

On Monday we met up with Judy’s cousin Kathy and husband Harald for lunch at a nearby hotel. We were joined by another cousin, Fred, who Judy hadn’t seen since she was 12 years old, and his partner. Good food and good conversation was had.

Tuesday was our cycling day and we surprised ourselves by riding 30kms return, to Lyndoch, the next town on the Barossa trail. Here we rewarded ourselves with coffee and a delicious apricot slice. We’ve been very careful so far this trip not to sample the delicious temptations with every stop we have for coffee, but this time we felt it well-deserved.

Our legs were given a rest on Wednesday; we caught the train to Elizabeth, about halfway to Adelaide, and explored the large shopping centre there. Nothing caught our eye there, this town seemed to be a little in the doldrums since the Holden production plant closed a few years ago.

On our return to the Gawler we were advised that Jeep had refused our warranty claim for several reasons. This resulted in Rags ringing our service centre back in Perth and getting details to back our claim. These were then passed on to the Jeep service manager where the car is being held.

Not much sleep was had by either of us that night, the thought of the $25 000+ cost quoted to repair the car very much on our minds.

To cheer ourselves up a little we caught the train back to Adelaide on Thursday, to pick up a new laptop that ACER is supplying for Judy, as well as having another wander through the Adelaide Markets and lunch at a Thai eatery there. A stroll down Rundle Mall resulted in a new jacket, not unlike some he left at home but finds he could now use.

Judy then used her navigation skills to get us to where the Jeep is by tram. Here we met the service manager and took several things we needed from the forlorn looking Jeep. The service manager told us he had forwarded the extra information we had supplied to the warranty people. He didn’t sound too confident but we had to try.

By the time we got “home” we were exhausted and took it easy for a while. We certainly perked up though when we received a call from the service manager to say that the warranty was now approved. Easter will slow things down a bit but hopefully us putting a face to the service manager and giving him our problem will get things rolling!

Good Friday was just that. We both felt positive and spent a pleasant day with Judy doing some work and us reading and relaxing. We cooked roast lamb that night and it certainly didn’t disappoint.

Saturday morning started with a train trip to Kilburn, fairly close to Adelaide, where we went shopping at both Costco and Aldi, two of our favourite shops back home. We didn’t go overboard, only so much can be carried in the train and stored in the van, but we had a bit of fun.

Back at the van we spent the rest of a gloomy day, weather-wise with Judy working and Rags catching up on this blog. It can be a bit of a challenge to remember what we have done on which day!

Easter Sunday was a bit cool, cloudy but fine. We went for a bike ride following a different path than the other day, ending up at the Two Wells junction of the Northern Expressway to Adelaide on the Stuart O'Grady Bikeway. This didn't appear to be about to take us anywhere near where we could get a coffee so we turned back towards Gawler. When we reached the caravan park we had ridden at least 20kms so instead of riding into town we had our morning break with fruit chocs washed down with coffee.

The rest of the day was spent in the caravan park as there was little going on in town and we kept warm in the van.

Monday was a public holiday so of course nothing was open. We did go for a walk into town where we found a Vietnamese bakery open which provided us with coffee and an apricot slice which we shared. Afterwards we walked quite some distance around a part of town we hadn't seen before, this part nearer the railway station. Many of the buildings were very old but now restored making it a neat, prosperous area with various cottages on short, quiet streets.

The rest of the day was spent back at the caravan park with Judy doing an annual reconciliation of her father's finances for the relevant government department, plus reading and general relaxing. Both of us are looking forward to getting the car back so that we can be moving again.

---

Photos

We made it!
Judy was pleased!