4 Days, 4 States and a touch of Adventure

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!

 

Open Road

Wide Open Road

Odd Emu's

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!! ).

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...

Wilpena Pound, Wangarra Lookout