The intrepid travellers again ...........

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As we are both avid Country and Western music fans we found Tamworth fascinating. We visited the BIG GOLDEN GUITAR museum and they had the record/CD shop to die for if you are a C & W fan, just about every artiste you could mention both Australian, English and in my opinion the best - American. The wax works was fun and I suppose it is the only time we will ever get near the singers. Trevor is proudly sporting his "Tamworth - home of Country Music" shirt as he strums on his guitar in the van.
On leaving Tamworth we headed for Moama/Echuca, which took us three days. I suppose there is a bit of jew in us all and as we are fully equipped with water, generator and all home comforts we decided to stop off road for these three nights. It was so silent and clear, kilometers away from the lights of town and we managed without a hitch.
The area we are in now is level 4 water restrictions, as they are in a severe drought area. In this area you are not even allowed to fill a bucket to clean your car and watering gardens is completely out of the question. I really think someone should sponsor us as rain makers as it seems everywhere we go it rains, even if it has not rained for months. Every afternoon around 3pm the clouds would roll in and there would be a deluge.
We thoroughly enjoyed a visit to Parkes Radio Telescope and had a 3D journey to Mars via a very cleverly produced film, also one of the telescope workers strapped a camera to his helmet and climbed to the top of the highest point and we were able to follow his climb and enjoy the fantastic views from the top while staying safely with two feet on the ground. In the grounds of the Telescope are two strategically placed huge discs about 30 meters apart and if one person stands facing the dish and whispers a message to another person standing facing the other dish they can hear perfectly. I whispered to Trevor asking what he would like for tea and he answered 'sausages', mind you I knew the answer to that one without the modern technology of the dishes
One night we stayed in Forbes NSW and parked beside a beautiful lake, we ate our evening meal with the company of pelicans, ducks and literally thousands of pink and grey gallahs. As the evening came strange objects appeared under the water of the lake, these looked like crusty pies with a tube at one end. Gradually the most appealing long neck turtles appeared in the water, literally hundreds of them, and enjoyed the meal of bread and cornflakes we gave to them.
We passed through so many places each day, West Wyalong, Narrendera, Jerilderie and Deniliquin on our way to Moama/Echuca. Here we met the Murray River proper and it is a sight to behold. It is wide and muddy looking but was once the equivalent to the busiest highway in Australia, linking so many major towns throughout NSW, Victoria and down to Adelaide. It is over 2500 km long and is the 2nd longest river in Australia after the Darling River, and is the 7th longest river in the world. Nowadays it is a beautiful water playground with speed boats, houseboats and pleasure boats floating up and down. We spent a very enjoyable evening aboard the Mary-Ann with an evening meal under the stars whilst cruising the Murray. There are still many river steam boats here and it is said that Echuca has more working steamboats than anywhere else in the world. It was like going back in time just being at the Port of Echuca and many folk dress in the period costumes of the time.
While we were at Moama we met up again with our friends Pat and John and we are travelling together again. Pat has been given the all-clear from her surgeon to travel again and with the aid of crutches and a wheel chair is again enjoying the holiday.
We are now in Mildura, again on the mighty Murray and the river is filled with the most amazing steam boats, one we saw today in dry-dock has accomodation on board with 50 appartments, and as Trevor fishes on the river bank the sound of the whistles from the steam is almost haunting. He did slip into the mud one one evening, either the whistle surprised him or it was the excitement of a bite, we will never know.
A visit to Wentworth is a must when visiting this area, it is where the Darling River meets the Murray River in the most tranquil of settings. The old Wentworth Goal is also a visit to the past, still imposing and dauting after all these years.
I celebrated my 60th birthday while in Mildura, our campsite here is in a place called GolGol, where do they get such quanit names from? We all went out for a lovely meal together, glistening on my finger is the beautiful sapphire ring my lovely husband gave to me. All together now - ahhhhhhh.
More later.................

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Photos

The huge radio telescope at Parkes.
I think ET needed this to 'phone home'.

The muddy fisherman.
Did he fall or was he pushed?

Anything for attention !!!
Pat is definately a pushover.

The editor at work.
Not the usual office you would imagine an editor would work in - but comfortable none the less.

The Darling becomes the Murray.
Where the two big rivers meet at Wentworth, NSW.

Bath time.
Our little furry friend Freckles in the bathtub.

The mighty Coonawarra.
The Coonawarra in drydock having repairs.

Comments

[nic]

happy 60th
I know I called but just for the blog - HAPPY BIRTHDAY CJ is hanging out to see you. It looks loads of fun Nic El and CJ

[Dani and Trev]

Happy belated birthday, Marilyn. Also a belated "Ahh" about the lovely ring. We are really enjoying your blog and hope you see you again soon and hear about your adventures in person!