I have once again travelled (3 weeks ago) and
also stepped up to a new role new position, new adventures and well, the
Ilse-way, a whole new state (not like state of exhilaration but a new NATIONAL state). What would all this be
if we could not throw in a +/- 3000km roadtrip to get there.
When I say open road…I mean OPEN road, wide open with
nothing but road kill and the odd emu!
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| Open Road |
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| Wide Open Road |
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Odd Emu's
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I started my travels on a nice cool, wet and humid morning
in the GOLD COAST, me and Big RED / Sebastian were ready to go. Big red had
been pimped - new tyres make for a new car!
The trip went as follows – GC –Port Macquarie via the New
England highway (no pacific highway this time– over did that one on my last
trip). Might be a few years before I want to do that one again.
Port Macquarie to Wagga-Wagga, mate! Followed by Wagga-Wagga
– MILDURA and Mildura to the FLINDERS RANGES, Wilpena Pound Resort. When I told the Universe I was considering
SA (South Africa) I might not have been very specific and ended in SA, South
Australia…
When departing PortMac I was on the road before you could
say, GOOD Morning! Being the breakfast person that I am, as I filled up on fuel
I knew I needed something… unfortunately McD and KFC were nearby… I went McDs
as I didn’t think KFC was quite fitted for the coffee side of things. I went ahead
and took an Aussie brekky burger, it’s got no egg, a patty and bacon, so I can
do that, I think (I’ve heard that some egg McMuffins the egg is a bit on the green-side…).
Anywho, top 5 worst breakfasts of my life…I bit into the burger… first we taste
the sweetness of the bun, reminding yourself it’s sweetened white bread, fake
bread if you like…then there is a distinctive bacon taste and pig-like after
taste, but the after taste and the patty-taste that should follow, is literally DROWNED by the amount of barbeque sauce
and mustard...is that mustard? That trickles, nay, POURS, down my throat - I’m
not much of a sauce person in general, but this story was out of control. I
slowly closed my nose, held my breath and chewed, took a sip of my coffee,
which tasted like I had BURNT the solid bean and then just chewed it… as every
hair on my body and nerve ending stood upright and screamed to my brain, my
stomach my HEART - this is just not right!!. My question to you is, it was
McDonalds coffee, not McCafe coffee… so by the press of a button it makes
coffee and milk and cappuccino, no room for human error…why then can we not fix
machine coffee to taste better- one setting - less burnt.
Drank a load of water and held out for the next coffee stop
– thank you McDonalds, won’t be needing to do that again, next time I’ll have
KFC…:-/
On the road to the Wagga-Wagga,
where it turns out to be a lovely warm 37 degrees! In the southern almost
outback NSW. Booked into Mantra, somewhere where I can get breakfast and MAYBE
just MAYBE dinner room service after a long hot and dirty 10 hour day. PITTY,
that on the website they don’t mention the restaurant being closed, but what a
cool restaurant it would be – tops in Wagga I’m sure.
In a place with the name WAGGA-WAGGA, with an extreme heat
wave, an unquenchable thirst and the hunger of a lion- I venture out the door
in search of an ice-cold beer and a steak… that’s what I would do in a place
called Wagga-Wagga (a better option than room service anyway). But WHICH
PUB…I’m surrounded by 5….Oh, the hardships of a country town.
The theory behind steaks in ‘smaller’ towns or rural towns
is that in small towns you get big steaks, the SMALLER the towns, the BIGGER
the steaks… 300g wasn’t just 300g…
The next morning I woke up in a sweat, it was dark and I was
sure I must have hit a fever– Tick Bite fever, it must be those ticks!! As I
turned on my side I noticed it was 7am… the sun was HIGH and burning through my
curtains, it IS WAGGA WAGGA…and it’s already 37 degrees…and you might as well
be in a steam room - no fever here.
A good little wonder through town and I’m on the road again,
Mildura-bound. Today the road gets straight-er and flat-er… I drive past a
state line that says OUTBACK NSW and I can’t help but feel slightly excited
about the fact that I just entered a bit of the Outback, I steer into the first
and only petrol station, here in the outback I’ve heard, you don’t mess around
with petrol or running out of it, I haven’t seen the movie no, but I’ve heard
all about it. THANK GOODNESS I DID!!! I don’t think there was any civilization
for the remainder of the potential 4 hour journey, rock into Mildura with its
green gardens and water everywhere, it’s a STINKER and once again, my choice of
accommodation’s restaurant is closed. Not even a fridge in which I can put my
cider.
There’s a McDonalds next door, but I smell KFC… Well played
Macca’s…well played… but I won’t fall for that. I try to do the right thing and
go to Subway… I am so turned off by the cleanliness of the place but I still
think, it’s got to be safe right? It’s just hot outside that’s all, mind over
matter still wins, and I could not lose the thoughts of what I had consumed. I
say prayers and hope that I won’t regret it in the morning…not something I want
to deal with on a hot roadtrip day, and the final day to top it.
Up and adam at the break of dawn and we’re off to South Australia
today, I even had a GOOD coffee AND a toasted sandwich, so I didn’t need to eat
the delicious apple I bought at Coles, which I thought was slightly overpriced
but was worth it in preventing me from ever eating McD for breakfast again and
not eating breakfast at all.
As we travel along the signage for fruit fly areas – NO
FRUIT BEYOND THIS POINT!! Drop your fruit eat your fruit signs get bigger and
more intense, and I think as the previous time, nothing would come of it (threw
away a whole bag in NSW as I entered VIC, and there was NO checks…). More
signage and I get concerned at the ‘inspection area ahead’ sign I take a bite
of my apple, or at least sink my teeth into, as I turn the curve, the speed limit drops to 25 and I drive into
an inspection site. I plop my apple on my seat and swiftly move it into the
cubby hole…as we learn, when the officer talks you smile and act like a damsel,
like the dummy that can’t read or or the driver that can’t see the signs (those
real signs you expect from drivers). Morning, open the cubby hole he says (sure
– slow motion *how DOES he know?!*) Do you have any food? Uh, Uh,I have one
apple, open cubby hole, pick up and give it to him (I hope he saw the teeth
marks in it and realised I did TRY!! ).
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| Mountains!!! Must be close now! |
Later that day as I start heading towards the visible mountains
the direct surroundings become monotonous and the boredom and countdown kick in
for a good solid 2 hours (when you see mountains it feels like it should be getting closer...but it doesn't) HAWKER, my little 4-man town, my SAVIOUR. Stopped in
the little town Hawker and caught my breath, my second breath, as jumped on the
last 53km to the resort waving and smiling at the wallabies and emus I pass by,
thanking them for their cooperation of staying on the side. The views are
nothing less than MAJESTIC and I am reminded of how blessed I am.
I arrive at the lodge, big red did well, he held his side of
the deal very well, and did add some extra miles to his little life. I am taken
to my room, meet my boss and start settling in. I could be happy here, amongst
the walks the fire warnings and the responsibility of being a duty manager of a
60 room resort and 300+ campsite national park resort.
Let the Adventures begins I guess...
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| Wilpena Pound, Wangarra Lookout |
