We awoke at 6am. We finished packing and left at 7:22am. As we tested the lights, I broke the Hazard light switch (it fell inside the dash, Marg got it with her crochet hook). We leave on a weekend to beat the traffic and again there was bugger all traffic.
First stop was BP Dandy(8:02am) to weigh our rig. 5,600kgs and $17 lighter, that includes fresh water tank full (150 litres), Navara fuel tank full (80 litres), Evacool fridge/freezer Full, fridge/freezer in fiver FULL, and all our shit on board. It came in 205kgs under the mighty Navara's GCM (Gross Combined Mass of 5,805kgs) I was happy. Left the BP and a few turns later, we were on Eastlink heading towards Maccas on the Western Ring Rd just past the Geelong turnoff. We arrived at Maccas at 8:48am, and had brekky, I had a couple of sausage and egg McMuffins while Marg had the bacon and egg with a coffee, I had an orange juice.
Just as we left Maccas and had just turned onto the Western Hwy, Lukey rang to ask when we were leaving. Bright boy, our son, I had told him when we were leaving. The traffic was light and we arrived at our 1st Rest Stop at 10:36am, just past Ballarat, our next Rest Stop (11:54am) just past Great Western. As we entered Horsham we refuelled at the Caltex and then headed to the Horsham Riverside Caravan Park, arriving at 12:56pm and were alotted site 52, a drive thru.

While I set up camp, Marg made her special chicken sangas with her secret ingredient. Chicken.... They were YUMMA.
As we now have VAST and a PAY TV STB, it means that I will erect the Dish for each night's stop.

As I am writing this, I am watching the Saints leading the Pies and Marg is having a 'powernap'. If you ask me, she is 'dead to the world'.

Bye for now.


Tomorrow, we head for Hahndorf.

It was a cool night about 4am, I threw off my blankets and replaced them with my sleepingbag as a blanket. I was warm as toast. I awoke about 6am, listened to my radio through my headphones. After the 6:30am news, I got up and wandered over and had a shower. Marg got up about 7:30am, and I continued packing up and were on the road at 8:27am.

After 89kms, we stopped at our 1st Rest Stop, arrived at 9:35am. Next stop was at the Quarantine bin (55kms at 10:24am), where we threw out a tomato and 2 bananas. As we drive, we listen to Richard Fidler's Conversations, I downloaded 100s of his podcasts. They are brilliant and keep me awake while driving. When we get sick of Richard, we have over 7,500 songs on our iPod to play and I sing along with them. Marg tries to sleep. After the Quarantine bin, Marg had a sleep and I was interested in Richard's guests. SO I drove 185kms non stop, I felt OK, but in future, I will stick to a lower number. Next stop was at Tailem Bend (185km at 12:38pm), where there was a Bakery next door to the BP, so while I filled up the mighty Navara, Marg walked next door and ordered pies and coffee, I parked out the front, (see photos) and we sat out the front of the Bakery and had lunch in the sun. It was quite pleasant. After lunch, we had an easy 73kms to Hahndorf arriving at 2:01pm.

Paid Felicity $75.60 for 2 nights and put us on site 31. A lovely grassed drive thru. Felicity also gave me some tourist 'stuff' on Hahndorf and surrounds, while I setup camp, Marg has picked out where we are going tomorrow. For example, Mt Lofty lookout, Chocolate factory and then a heap of shops in Main St.

Dinner was Marg's special chicken sangas that she makes for our travelling lunch, BUT as we had pies, those sangas were eaten for dinner.

Tomorrow, we are doing some serious sightseeing around Hahndorf.

It was a cool night about 4am, I pulled a blanket on over my sleepingbag, which I use as a blanket. I was warm as toast. I awoke about 6am, listened to my radio through my headphones. After the 6:30am news, I got up and went on the Internet. As it was a 'no hurry day', I let Marg sleep in and sleep in she did, eventually waking after 9am. She told me that she had a wonderful sleep. Mine wasn't too bad either. We had brekky and got organised and was driving out the Caravan Park at 10:31am. As we are in the Adelaide Hills, I thought we would drive to the A17 road which we will follow tomorrow. There are some decent ascents and descents between our CP and the turnoff. Hopefully, we will be OK.
After doing a U turn on the A17, we headed to the Mt Lofty lookout, arrived at 11:03am and paid $3 to the ticket machine. We walked out to the observation deck, took photos, checked out the souvenir shop (amazingly, didn't buy anything) and left. Followed Tom Tom's instructions to the Woodside Cheese factory and Melba's Chocolate factory, which are next door to each other. Tom took us along the scenic road and the scenery was stunning. Arrived at the factories at 11:55am. The cheese factory isn't as good as the Maleny Cheese factory, but I still bought some Brie, I didn't like the Goat or Buffalo cheese, I will stick to the good old cow's milk. Into Melba's next door, well that saying "a kid in a candy store'. Well, that applied to Marg and me and $50 lighter, we left with a bag full of choccy bits. We will be sick. Headed off to Hahndorf's Main st.
Yesterday, as we drove down the Main St with the fiver attached, there were millions on Main St, today, not that many, we managed to park the mighty Navara in 3 separate spots. We ended up walking the full Main St on both sides, some of the shops were closed but still plenty opened. We had lunch at Ottos' bakery, nice homemade pies. I see a trend developing. Finished up at Udderly Delights for coffee and bought some more cheese. Arrived back at camp at 2:20pm.
We were both knackered, so Marg managed to have a nanna nap, while I buggered about on my laptop. It was a magic day.

Dinner was a frozen meal, we couldn't be stuffed to cook anything.

Tomorrow, we are stopping at Port Augusta for an overnighter, before heading slowly towards Alice.

Similar to the other nights, about 4am, I pulled on my sleepingbag as a blanket. I was warm as toast. I awoke about 6am, listened to my radio through my headphones. I got up about 6:45am and got on the internet. We weren't leaving until after 9am, to avoid any Adelaide traffic. Marg got up about 7:30am, and I continued packing up and were on the road at 9:12am, after talking to our neighbours.

We left Hahndorf and we were in the middle of the Adelaide Hills. Boy, did they test the mighty Navara, but we got up and down and eventually made it to A1 highway at Gepps Cross. After 106kms, we stopped at our 1st Rest Stop, arrived at 10:35am. Next stop was Rest Stop, just south of Lake View (75kms at 11:47am), where we were surrounded by Wind Farms. We listened to 6 Richard Fidler's Conversations during the trip. Again very interesting. Next stop was for Fuel at a BP just past the Port Pirie By pass at 12:37pm. Just down the road we stopped at another Rest Stop and had lunch (12:56pm), which were Marg's world famous special chicken sangas. They were YUMMA.
After lunch, we only had 72kms to the Big4 at Port Augusta, arriving at 2:02pm (1 minute later than Day 2's arrival time, who said I am mad with figures), just near the Stuart Hwy turnoff.

Paid Jenny $35.10 for 1 night and put us on site 10. A gravel drive thru.

Dinner was garlic bread and potato gems, followed by chocolate. We aren't in the cooking mode yet, but will be soon.

Tomorrow, we are off to Woomera for 2 nights, about 180kms away, SO we will leave about 9am and take our time.

I slept like a log until 5am, pulled on my 2nd blanket. I awoke about 6:30am, listened to my radio through my headphones. I got up about 7am and got on the internet. We weren't leaving until 9am ish, as we only had 180kms to go. As it turned out, we left at 8:31am. Drove out of the Big4 Port Augusta CP, turned right, about 100 meters turned right onto the start of the Stuart Hwy, which goes the whole to Darwin. That's why we stay at that CP, it's on the edge of town.

After a few kilometers, the views were absolutely stunning. (My photos definitely do not do justice to the scenery). On our right, we had the Flinders Ranges, but I couldn't take photos as it was looking into the morning sun, but on our left the scenery was just beautiful. Our 1st stop was for some scenery photos (9:24am), followed by another scenery stop (10:33am). As we are now in the Outback, I will be topping up with fuel at every roadhouse along the Stuart Hwy. At 10:55am, we pulled into Spud's Roadhouse and topped up, then drove the 7kms to Woomera Travellers Village, arriving at 11:13am.

You maybe wandering why my tmes are so accurate, while driving, I take them from my GPS "Harry Hema", he records every trip we do. That's how I create my daily trip maps.

We pulled up at Woomera Travellers Village, the Office was closed, but 'Hoffy' had a note on the window, Frost on site 20. So we setup camp on site 20. Had lunch, which were Marg's world famous special chicken sangas. They were YUMMA. (Marg made 2 loaves of sangas before we left home and froze them).
During the afternoon, we drove around 'downtown Woomera'. First off, it is a very neat and tidy town with heaps of houses, well maintained and 2 and 3 floor accomodation buildings, the only problem is that probably 90% are empty. It is like a ghost town. It is a 'Dept of Defence" town.
During the arvo, we both managed a nanna nap. It was beautiful. I was a tad tired.

Dinner was cereal, We couldn't be stuffed to cook anything. YET.

Tomorrow is sightseeing day, we will drive to Roxby Downs, maybe Andamooka and then checkout Woomera in detail.

I slept well until 4am, pulled on my 2nd blanket. I awoke about 6:00am, listened to my radio through my headphones. I got up about 7am and got on the internet. Marg woke and after we showered etc, we left at 8:13am and headed directly to Andamooka, then over to Olympic Dam mine, into Roxby Downs to Woollies and then drive around Woomera.

Shortly after leaving Woomera, the landscape was treeless and beautiful, as we drove along, I spotted Wedgie the Eagle on the edge of the road, so we came to a stop and drove slowly towards him with my camera at the ready. I snapped him. Continued along until the scenery was so overwhelming that I had to stop and capture it in a panoramic view. We arrived at Andamooka at 9:34am about 104kms. We drove through Town and decided that the Andamooka Yacht Club looked good for a coffee. It is run by a young couple who left Sydney for a different lifestyle and they got it. We then visited the Post Office which has a great display of gems. We headed to the public 'noodling' area and did some speccing for opals. Didn't find any.

Left Andamooka and headed to the Olympic Dam mine and turned around in front of the security gate, before driving into Roxby Downs. We had lunch at a cafe opposite Woollies, before buying a few items and then heading back to camp. I dropped Marg back at camp before I checked out town and took some photos.
I was told by one of the locals (he has lived here since 1972), he said Woomera has approx 100+ currently living here BUT all buildings are fully maintained and furnished and will have more Dept of Defence personnel living here when their next operation starts.

Dinner was a beautiful pizza made on site at the CP. It was YUMMA.

Tomorrow, we drive to Coober Pedy about 375Kms.