Phoenix & Eric's Australian Adventure

Still being on SA time me and dad where up to watch the sunrise on my walk this morning. After packing up we drove the short distance of 107kM to Esperance and was on the foreshore at 8:50am on a lovely sunny day. We met up with our friends, daughter and her husband and two kids who live in Esperance for lunch. After lunch we came back to Ernie and went for a walk along the beach before relaxing for the rest of the day.

As expected due to the time change i got dad up at 3:30am WA time (6:00am SA time). After my walk in the dark dad tried to get back to sleep but to no avail so we all got up had breakfast and was on the road by 5:31am. We still had 545kM to go to get to Norseman. We stopped for fuel and for me to have a walk at Cocklebiddy Roadhouse. We finally arrived in Norseman around 1:00pm. We refuelled and parked up and had some lunch and a walk to stretch my legs. We then drove another 92kM to Salmon Gums where we stayed the night. Dad says he was tricked into staying here as there was a pub only 5 minutes walk from the site, but what day was it MONDAY and what day does the pub close, you guessed it MONDAY.

Today is the start of the 1200kM drive across te Nullabour. We are going to do it over two days as long as dad dosen’t get too tired. We packed up most of our things last night so we could get an early start, so on the road by 7:30am South Australia time. We travelled 482kM to Madura where we stayed at a campsite at the roadhouse overnight. During this part of the trip we crossed over from South Australia to Western Australia as we passed though Eucla, due to the daylight saving in SA our clocks went back 2 1/2 Hours. After my last walk we went to bed by 7:30pm WA (10pm SA) for an early start the next morning.

I got Dad up about 6:30 for my walk and there are a few breaks in the cloud. We finally had breakfast which Dad cooked on the BabyQ and we sat outside to eat it. This is the first time in 8 weeks we have been able to do this. The car is now fueled and the fridge stacked ready for Day one on the Nullabor. The rest of the day has been cloudy but warm and on my evening walk we saw a dolphin playing with it’s food (Octopus) in a flat as a pancake bay. It’s now 8:17 and i am laid in Dad’s place on the bed as the sun set’s.

Mum and dad have decided that we will travel to Ceduna today for a couple of days rest before we attack the Nullabor. We woke up this morning to another reasonable day and on the way we called into Port Gregory and Streaky Bay. At Streaky Bay we had a long walk along the foreshore as the jetty was out of bounds due to it being repaired. Finally reaching Ceduna just after lunch we setup and then had a walk along the foreshore. We then sat outside of Ernie taking in the glorious weather 27 Degrees, we even managed to sit out for tea and finally went in about 7:30.

After having 62kph winds for the last two days we have finally set off across the Eyre Peninsula passing through Lock and our final resting place for tonight of Venus Bay. The weather got better and better the closer we got with beautiful clear blue skies and very little wind. After setting up we went for a walk down on the beach and round to the pub for a quick beer in a beautiful setting. I got to sunbathe while we all sat outside the van until 7:30pm, a lot better than being stuck in side Ernie.

Leaving at 7:45 this morning we travelled 335kM to Whyalla arriving about 12:30 and booking into the same caravan site as we stayed at four years ago. When mum looked at her memories on her phone it is exactly 4 years to the day since we stayed here.

We went for a walk to the pier and then on the way back i got to play on the beach. The weather is pretty much the same as it was four years ago windy, cloudy and no sun, lets hope tomorrow is better.

Today we have packed up and are moving to a free camp at the side of a pub at a place called Lower Light. The rule is as long as you purchase a drink or a meal you can stay for free as long as you are self contained. The weather is beautiful and 32 Degrees so we are sat outside the pub having a drink. Mum booked her and dad in for a meal tonight leaving me in Ernie to look after things. The pub was very busy with it being snitty night $12 and dad’s mixed grill being only $25 and beers being very reasonable.

A much brighter day so we have a walk into town, then to the sink hole garden and to ‘The Lakes’ area which has a lookout over all of Mt Gambier. After tea we went for a walk along the old railway track to where the turntable and goods yard are, we walked past the old railway station and the new gardens / play area that has been done.

It’s been raining on and off through the night and me and dad have just got out for my morning walk. 5 minutes later it started to rain again so the walk was cut short. Back at the van and the rain comes down for the next SIX hours so not able to do anything. About 2.30pm it started slowing down so we ventured out to the ‘Blue Lake’ driving upto the carpark and then doing the 4kM walk around the crater.