Crowne Plaza Hotel Vanuatu Resort Port Pirie

Hello everyone, at last, and very belatedly here is my last blog of this trip. I have been back in Perth for a month but have been caught up in the tangle of immigration bureaucracy and other personal bits and pieces but at last I have found time to sit down and write this.

My last entry was from Mount Gambier and from there it really was a dash for home, driving up to 12 hours a day, pitching the tent ( provided I could find somewhere to pitch it but more of ...

Well we had planned to do a really long day driving to escape the heart of South Australia...it followed. Chris was getting tired so I suggested we stop anywhere close to the coast for dinner.
As we pulled in to the Caravan Park we landed next to another family with two little girls who recognized our Van from a town or so earlier. We pretty much have the same van.Chris and Steve got chatting and you know how two boys can be when comparing ...

... noisily.
We have set up camp in Lynne and Bill's lovely driveway which even has a carport roof for us. Jav backed the van in with ease (especially considering it was his first time backing the van at all). Hooked up all the water and toilet facilities for the first time too. Great facilities at this "van park" and all free !!
Weather was lovely and warm (shorts and t-shirts which was a nice change for us ...

Right then...

From Esperance we scooted 100km East into Cape le Grand National Park. Arriving in the later afternoon sun, this area of granite outcrops and bleached white beach lapped by aquamarine waters was impossibly beautiful. We were even greeted by a local family of roos with a cute but slightly ratty Joey tucked away too. It was this family that also had me scratching my head the next morning when I heard the strangest muffled growl ...

... you through narrow opening's, some being only 2 meters apart. The shear height of the cliffs and the red colour of the rocks is as they say, Truly remarkable! On the last day we walked around the small town which only took a blink or two and then drove around to look at the old brewery, post office and other stuff while consuming icecreams. One thing to mention is that this ...

... that we are going to turn off to the historical town of Mintaro; there is a maze and a pub that has captured Greg's imagination (no it doesn't have a TAB in it)!! When we do turn off the main road to access Mintaro it is comedy capers because he can't read the signs early enough to give me advanced warning of a right turn. I have a few annoyed cars banked up behind me as I am driving cautiously at 85km and have no hope of turning suddenly. After another missed turn, we found ...

... with a few shops and a bowling green every town seems to have a bowling green.The main memorys from here are buying a spatchelor and chasing massive Herons trying to take there picture oh yeah we went to the butcher and bought sausage and egg and that made a fine meal . Kingston- We didnt stay in Kingston there was'nt alot there only a giant lobster. Robe- We stayed in Robe cos the ...

... and cooking up all the veg to chuck straight in a sauce for dinner. This lead to us overloading on vitamins over the next few days - quite a novel experience for backpackers I believe! To add to the palarva, we were swarmed with flies whilst cooking everything up, yet they appeared to lack any interest whatsoever in any of the food ...

... a boozy weekend at the Clare valley for the gormet weekend, enjoying lots of food & wine "samples". Malc took us of a tour of the Taylor factory, showing us wine through every part of its process. We had many a boozy weekend infact, Malc aquired free wine thru his job & both he and Suze are fellow alcos... many a memory, but all really patchy! Malc if your watching... what is Birthday cake Cheese???

Hello from Oz! Well, after 20 hours in the sky and 2 on the road, I have made it to Berri, South Australia. I have been to orientation in Sydney and am now with my host family. Berri is 15 hours ahead of central time at home, so I am still pretty tired during the afternoon. My host family is very kind, and I am really looking ...