7th Street Motel Mildura

During the night I heard the continuous rumble of trucks go past on the Sturt Highway, which runs past the Paringa Lutheran Church where we were staying. After yesterday's scenario, with the rough and sometimes non-existant road shoulders plus the traffic, I thought we were going to be in for a tough day.<br><br>However, the good Lord blessed us with a great day and a State Government ...

After another look at Mad Max's Car and Silverton we headed south through the saltbush to Mildura. We were all very excited when we hit border into Victoria. We set up camp on the banks of the very picturesque Murray River and went into town to see a lock and a paddleboat.

... the world's shortest official mountain, which towers 43 metres above the surrounding plains.<br><br>Luckily, our mountaineering skills run deep and we had driven to near the top within minutes. The final ascent was quickly accomplished; the summit was ours!<br><br>By evening we had crossed the wheat fields of the Wimmera and the Mallee scrub lands and reached Mildura and our first night with Hilary and ...

... Dad also bringing something very unmanly as well like hot chocolate. The amusement of the day would have to be Ken shouting "Monica" across the oval and "you won't get this in England". Not too sure what he was referring to there. But as the halftime siren sounded no one would guess the horrible event that would unfold. Would it be me attempting to kick a footy with no shoes? No. Would it be Dad ...

Departed Melbourne for Hattah-Kulkyne National Park at 8AM, we arrived at our campsite about 3:30 and were greeted by a group of apostle birds. We then found a way through a dense stand of redgum saplings that were on the old lake shore and went for a walk on the lake ...

... has her first Cornett practise in a park in West Wyalong away from anyone. Just a quick stop in Narranderra vistors centre to play the big guitar, look at the Tiger Moth Museum and work out what food we have to dump and what we can keep for the fruit fly exclusion zone. On the Hay plains the landscape is getting ...

... Sydney have their wines e.g Doyles, Tetsuya, etc. We purchased a very nice bottle for Belinda's birthday, which we shall open in a couple of weeks when we get to Canberra. They still use the very old method of open air crushing, fermenting and storing the wine. We saw some interesting sites also - a ute covered in turf - advertising his business of course! And the Cell Door open - we thought that was very clever!! Also went to Wolf Blass winery - very ...

... that none of this pain was worth it. The major fact was that if we worked for the fourteen weeks needed for the second year visa and managed to get it then as we were only breaking even financially at best then we probably wouldn't have any money to stay in Australia. After rent I think I made sixty five dollars over those nine days and that's not taking into account food. Because of this we decided to enjoy the time (three months) and continue on ...

... and then we collected firewood for our BBQ tea. We were unsure if it was a fire ban day or not but decided to keep the fire small and on the gravel and cooked up our chops and snags to go with our salad. It was yummy and the "Flip Flop - Rose" that I had bought was certainly drinkable so decided to get some more tomorrow. Again we played a few card games and it was a relief to have no flies or mossies bothering us so we all had a read ...

... up some sausages. As one does. I leave the pan unattended for a moment and catch sight of the resulting smoke that billows over to the more permanent homes of residents. I rescue my snags and tuck in. Some busy-body must have alerted the ranger. A little brusque in his manner, a chap pulls up in his ute and barks something at me. Something about not yet paying the overnight fee. I hand him his money and dispatch him with equal abruptness. The sunset adds slashes of pink to a blue ...