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Sunday 12 September 2010

A Sunday Drive




Sunday, 12 September

Norseman birds wake up at 3.30 am! The first car left the caravan park at 4.30 am, with another two gone before 6.00! Needless to say, we were up bright and early and hitched up before 7.15 am.

Today we headed across the Nullabor – the first part of the journey was through forest with small trees and low scrub. This quickly changed to grass and low scrub and long, long straights. We started measuring the straights and after a 50 km stretch we came to a bendy bit (three bends in 10 kms) before the long straight of 90 miles or 146.6 kms in the old money.

We arrived at Caiguna (our intended overnight stop) before noon, had a quick discussion regarding sitting in a gravel yard behind a roadhouse for the afternoon or continuing on to Eucla and having an extra day on the Eyre Peninsula. The Eyre Peninsula won out, we had lunch and continued the drive. We ended up doing 710 kms today, although it was very easy driving, with both of us taking turns. Traffic wasn’t very heavy – mainly trucks and caravans with the occasional car.

There wasn’t really much wildlife about, apart from a few dead kangaroos, three eagles, three blue tongue lizards and a snake, plus another snake with a flat head which definitely looked most unwell! There were plenty of decorated trees, though, with bores travellers hanging various items of clothing (one guess what items!) and shoes on the trees. We even came across piles of rocks dressed in clothes.

Immediately after leaving Caiguna, we passed a sign informing us we had now entered Central Western Time and should put our clocks forward 45 minutes. Not an issue, except it has made life rather confusing – Telstra at Eucla is on Western Standard Time, as is the television.

We are staying at the Eucla Caravan Park, which is quite a surprise. Situated on top of the escarpment, we look over the Great Australian Bight. The caravan park is part of the motel complex, has gravel sites and a modern, excellent amenities block. Being off the highway, it should be much quieter than the rear of a roadhouse.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

In case you don't know - the SWANS lost:( So pleased my team had an extra weeks holiday than yours.

Kanonymous