Week 13 Beginning 26th Sept 1998

 Day 86

The day we:

• decided the best thing to do today was leave town as it is Grand Final Day! Made a picnic lunch and headed of to the Fleurieu Peninsula. Stopped off at Mt Compass wetland boardwalk then on to Victor Harbour
• had morning tea on the foreshore and the boys chose to stay there and play mini golf while the old folk walked the causeway that stretches across to Granite Is where they looked for Fairy Penguins and whales. Could have taken a ride on a horse-drawn tram or a camel but we enjoyed the walk. 
• Drove on to Port Elliot, up The Strand to Freeman's Knob Lookout from where we could see Horseshoe Bay (we remember swimming there Christmas holidays '76-'77). Travelled on past Middleton Beach where we spotted two whales playing
• arrived at Goolwa, crossed on the ferry to Hindmarsh Is and found the Mouth of the Murray. Ate our picnic lunch here with a Spoonbill, Terns, Pelicans and Cormorants. Returned to the township of Goolwa to visit the Info Ctr, drive past the Bird hide (they knew we were coming again) and The Barrages that cross between the fresh and saltwater and found the area teaming with birdlife
• at Currency Creek we went on a short walk upstream where we got a close look at a towering rail viaduct, a canoe tree, cave and waterfall. Adrian went trailblazing across the river and had trouble getting back
• came home via Strathalbyn, another quaint old town with a lovely park by the river
• got back to town just as the Crows hit the front so went for a walk on the beach so as not to listen
• went out to Pizza Hut for dinner amidst blaring horns and silly people celebrating a Crows' win

Day 87

The day we:

• began to feel we were GOING HOME. Eric went for a run while we packed up, not many more opportunities for him to get away with this. As we drove out of the park we could see all the vintage cars, trucks, etc assembling on the oval opposite and many spectators arriving with deck chairs to line the streets as the RAA Bay to Birdswood Run (the largest historic motor vehicle rally of its kind in the world) gets underway. We wonder if Ian and Kate Cuss are in town. Last night the old Burra Fire Truck was on the site beside us, there were many vintage cars, some with matching vans staying in the park and people all dressed the part
• pulled over at Blanchetown for morning tea at a lookout point on the banks hight
•  above the Murray River, our river. Its amazing how the character of the river changes from the high country to the ocean
• had lunch at Monash Park where once a fabulous playground was built by a local engineer out of scrap metal. Unfortunately, due to legal liabilities much of this park had to be dismantled in the 80's, still our boys enjoyed the new equipment not knowing what they were missing. They really enjoyed the giant Tarzan Swing, would have loved to have seen them on the original 50m slides
• had originally planned Renmark as our destination but the pull to get home now is overpowering Eric and the boys. Eric wants a big bed and ensuite, the boys want to play Warcraft, I'm happy either way, its such a lovely day to enjoy the river and we'll be home a long time
• arrived at Mildura, boys want a modern park, Mum wants a final bush camp out of town, we compromise and stay at Buronga on the other side overlooking the river with town lights reflected in it

Day 88

The day we:

• wake to the final day of this family adventure, Dad and the boys are ready for home, Mum would still be quite happy for another bush camp
• were packed and on the road by 8am, had a leisurely drive to Swan Hill where we had morning tea on the banks of the Murray beside the canoe club where the Murray Marathon finishes
• were back in the car in no time, boys can only think about computer games
• stopped at Cohuna for an ice creamand to ring home to check with Cara that the house is free for us to move into. Uh Oh! They haven't moved out yet as they'd not expected us until tomorrow. Now Libby definitely doesn't want to arrive home but the boys and Eric are too close to home to consider not going there. Another phone call explaining we can't stop so we'll share tonight
• had lunch in Echuca, bought baked potatoes from an ice cream shop. Lesson learnt; buy ice cream from an ice cream shop and baked potatoes from a take away shop
• pushed on home only to find Cara and Craig had made alternative arrangements so they packed and we unpacked
• all enjoyed being home once Libby was happy Cara and Craig were happy. All a little fazed by having so much space, you have to walk so far just to put the kettle on, and the benchtops look so unfamiliar being white not yellow! Both boys couldn't get enough TV and Nintendo. Computer is at Zol's, Eric was deployed lshortly to retrieve it
• are all a little sad this great experience is over, everyone agrees it was wonderful

Cara has left us pies and bread from the bakery for tea, how thoughtful

 I COULDN'T LIVE WITHOUT

LIBBY

• the clear plastic zip bags we all kept our undies and socks in, it made it so much easier to find them
• the bird book, we identified 230 different species on our travels
• the travelling wash bucket that saved me so much labour and trouble along the way, not to mention time spent in laundries

ERIC

• the tool box that we relied upon so often to do running repairs
• Bush Camps and Rest Areas mentioned in 'Around Australia' and the Free Camping Guides to W.A. booklets
• that first cold beer after a long day

ADRIAN

• his hat and sense of humour

LUKE

• UNO cards and fishing gear

WE DIDN'T NEED THE

• campfire drum
• extra esky

WE SHOULD HAVE HAD

• a disposable underwater camera for snorkelling

BEST BUY

• month long pass to National Parks in W.A. (saved us heaps)

INTERESTING STATS AND OTHER TRIVIA

• Distance travelled 21,735kms
• Finished the trip with only three of the eight tyres we started with (blew a tyre on the camper out of Port Augusta and couldn't match it in Coober Pedy so bought 2 new light truck tyres, in Darwin put two new tyres on the front of the car - as anticipated before we left, blew a rear tyre on car in Broome by a sharp rock)
• replaced cable of van in Pt Augusta and light fitting in Howard Springs
• Replaced car's water pump in Kununurra
• new battery in Adelaide
• used 22 rolls of film
• petrol cost $2,346
• park fees cost $1,550
• Groceries and Grog cost $2,773
• Repairs/Tyres cost $1,323
• Tours/Golf cost $1,150
• Total $9,142 ++