The last caravan journey ends

Today we traveled 250 km to Wodonga. The drive was uneventful and when we reached Wodonga we drove to our house. We parked the caravan in front of the house and took out everything. And I mean everything. We're selling the caravan now so we had to take out about a tonne of luggage. After 2 hours we had it unpacked. Then we went inside and had lunch. I found it hard to cope with all the space. And the fridge is massive compared to the one in the caravan. After lunch and a nice cool drink we drove the caravan over to the shed where used to keep it. We parked it outside and unhooked. Then Mum and my sister went and did some shopping. While they were gone Dad and I drove to the Mountain Trail Campers store.

After selling the caravan we're going to get a camper trailer and Dad wanted to have a look at the design of the one we ordered. After a few minutes of looking around and looking at different campers we drove back to the house. After a few hours we had a shower and got dressed in nice cloths so that we could go to dinner with Mum. I didn't want to go to a dinner party because I was so tired. We got home by 11:00 PM and I went straight to bed.

Lockington

Today we left Mildura fairly early and drove 400 km to Ron and Vicki's Farm. The drove was boring and we didn't do much. When we arrived at the farm we got a phone call from Ron telling us that Vicki had fallen over in a paddock and broken her leg. When Ron arrived five minutes later we saw that Vicki was on crutches and she had a lot of trouble going up the steps into the house. We had some nibbles and my sister and I played with the dogs until it got dark. Then we headed inside and I did some schoolwork. After that we had dinner. For dinner we had some of the fish that we had frozen form Broome. After dinner we had dessert. For dessert we had Mangoes and Ice Cream. Then we stayed looking at photos and after a while my sister and I went to bed

Mildura

Today we left Broken Hill in the morning and drove 300 km to Mildura. The drove was uneventful and we saw a couple of Emus but that was it. I listened to my iPod and worked on yesterdays blog while we drove. At one point we couldn't figure out whether we were still in Wentworth or if we were in the next town. After a quick look at the map we figured out that we still in Wentworth. So we continued to head towards Mildura. When we arrived we drove to the caravan park. Once the caravan was backed in Dad and I took the jerry cans off the roof and poured the diesel into the fuel tank.

It was a very smelly job and by the end of it my hands stank of diesel. The most difficult task was getting the 20 litre/20 kilo jerry cans off the roof rack. After we had emptied the jerry cans I went and washed my hands at the water tap. After several pumps of Enjo Handwash and a lot of rubbing the diesel smell was still there. I gave up and headed inside to where Mum was cooking lunch. For lunch we had chicken burgers with bread and avocado. It tasted great. After lunch we had some yoghurt. Then we hopped into the car and drove into Mildura to have a look around.

First we drove to the Mildura Chocolate Company. It had a big glass window behind the counter where you could see how they produced all the different forms and flavours of chocolate. We ordered some of the hot chocolate that they had advertised. It tasted really good. The hot chocolate wasn't one of those crappy powder and water mixtures, we watched as they ladled molten chocolate into cups and poured heated milk onto the top of it. Then they crumbled chocolate on top of Mum and Dad's hot chocolates. You must get better service if your an adult. The hot chocs were really good and in the visitors book lots of people had written that they were really tasty.

Then we bought three bars of dark chocolate. After that we heard about the disabled people that they employed at the shop. The person who wrapped the chocolate frogs was legally blind and there was another person who was completely deaf and partially blind and was trained by a choclateer for three months. The chocolate frogs were wrapped so precisely that you could make out the shape of the frog under the wrapping so clearly that I though there was no wrapping at all.

After the chocolate company we drove to the river and watched a houseboat go through a lock. There were a lot of dead fish and we learned later that they were killed by a bacteria that lives in their stomach. The cold water sets that bacteria off and it kills a certain percentage of the fish. We got told that they were called silver bream here but in fish identification book the fish are called Bony Bream. After watching the boat go through the lock we drove to the marina and enquired about hiring a houseboat. We got taken through a few and found them very luxurious and spacious. Dad thinks that we might hire one around christmas time while Grandma and Grandpa are here.

After looking at these monster boats we hopped back in the car and drove to the shopping centre. We did some shopping and then we drove back to the caravan. Once we were back at the caravan we unpacked the car and I went to have a shower. After I had washed my hands thoroughly I finally got rid of most of the diesel smell. Some of it still lingered though. After a nice shower I returned to the caravan and wrote my blog. Then we had dinner. For dinner we had nachos. After dinner we had dessert. For dessert we had the bars of dark chocolate. After dessert I went to bed.

Silverton

Today we got up in the morning and I made a hot chocolate. Then we toasted some bread. After that we had breakfast. Once breakfast was finished my sister and I went to explore the other playground. It wasn't anything flash but the seesaw was great. After 15 minutes we got off and walked back to the caravan. Then we all piled into the car and drove to Silverton which is a town 20 minutes drive form Broken Hill. On the way we saw 3 Camels but they were pet ones.

We drove to the Mad Max Museum and got out. Then we walked inside and had a look around. I've never seen Mad Max and after seeing this Museum I don't intend to! It looks like Mad Max is a horror movie with all the freaky looking people. After an hour we left the place. Dad had spent a few long minutes talking to the guy who runs the museum so we were rather late at getting outside.

After looking around for a further 2 minutes we hopped in the car and drove to the Daydream Mine. We joined the tour which was guided by a fellow called Trent. He taught us a fair bit about the mine. First we went down a set of badly created cement steps to level one which was 18 feet down. Once we were at the bottom we turned on our headlamps. The adults got battery packs like the ones we got on the Ballarat camp last year. My sister and I were the only kids but we got different hardhats. We got ones that had a head torch with battery on the helmet.

Once we got our eyes adjusted to the dimness we continued walking down the passage to the third level. We got told about the people who worked in the mine. They were cornish people that were only 5 feet tall so the mine wasn't exactly high enough for Dad to stand in. Apparently they had forearms that were so thick because they pulled up buckets that were capable of carrying 1 tone of silver or rock. They also put boys as young as 8 years old down the mine so that they could reach the hard to access spots. The most fun they got was when the buckets had to be winched to the surface empty. Then stye hitched a ride up to the surface. A 50 kilo person wouldn't even be felt by these strong bloke at the winch.

We continued down until we reached the third level and we walked around there for a bit. Trent showed us a bit of silver and then he blacked out the mine. This happens when the candles the miners were using for light got blown out. We waved our hands in front of our faces and we couldn't see them. After that we were lead to the surface and walked back to the Acacia Tea Room. We bought some scones with Jam and Cream. They were really good.

After the scones we hopped into the car and drove into Broken Hill. We stopped for a very good lunch at Bell's Milkbar. For lunch we had warm waffles with ice cream and a massive Milkshake each. It was a very tasty lunch. After lunch we drove to the Geology Museum. It was interesting. We watched a short film about the geological history of Broken Hill. Then we got taken through the miners hut. After that we left the museum and drove to the shopping centre. We bought some chicken burgers for tomorrow's lunch. Then we bought some other stuff and left the shopping centre.

Once we were back at the caravan I rang Mitchell on Facetime. Then we had dinner. For dinner I had stir fried dumplings. Then I wrote the blog and went to bed.

Broken Hill

Today I woke up and found that I had overslept. It was already 7:00 AM! I got up and made a hot chocolate while my sister hunted Mum out of bed. Then we had breakfast. After breakfast we headed outside and packed up the caravan. Then Dad and I fixed the jockey wheel. We found out yesterday that the thrust bearing was stuffed. We had to fix it so we did it this morning. After 15 minutes we had it going more smoothly than before. Then we washed the grease off our hands and drove out of the caravan park. We were out of Port Augusta by 8:30 and heading towards Brocken Hill.

We stopped once for fuel and we didn't stop any other time. We reached Brocken Hill by lunchtime. My sister and I cunningly managed to get out of unhooking the caravan and doing our jobs by disappearing to the playground. After half an hour I thought it was safe to return. I returned while my sister stayed at the playground. When I got inside the caravan Mum, Dad and I had lunch. For lunch we fried some more chicken burgers. They tasted really good in bread with avocado or mayonnaise. After lunch we drove into town and went to the tourist information.

While we looked around Dad got the info on good tours. After a bit we left and drove to the top of a hill and sat on the big bench. The bench is about 2 metres high and 5 metres long. We climbed on it and mucked around before joining Mum and Dad inside the building. We looked at the gift shop and had a good laugh at some of the stuff. There was an Aussie slang insult generator. It had three wheel that you turn. In three different boxes the words would appear. It was a real great invention and my sister and I spent the next half an hour insulting each other. Then we drove to a different lookout.

It was pretty boring and we hopped in the car and drove off fairly quickly. We drove to the Royal Flying Doctor Service museum next. It was a good tour that we got and it finished in the hangar where all the planes are stored. After that we watched the film and looked around the museum. Once it was time to go we headed back to the car and drove back to the caravan. When we arrived I went inside and did some schoolwork. After it was finished I wrote my blog. Then we had dinner. For dinner we had spaghetti bolognese and noodles again. After dinner we had dessert. For dessert we had german wafers. After desert I went to bed.

We crossed the Nullarbore in 2 days

Today we got up in the morning after Dad had clapped his hands very loudly and woken us up. Feeling very sleepy I climbed out of my bunk and made a hot chocolate for my sister and myself. Dad toasted some bread and made it nice and crispy. After a very nice breakfast we headed outside and I took out the jockey wheel and put a sway bar in. Then we drove away from the Nullarbore Roadhouse and headed east towards the end of the Nullarbore. The drive was pretty uneventful. All we did was stop at every second Roadhouse for fuel.

After a bit we reached Ceduna where the Quarantine station is located. We declared all our fruit and veggies and moved on to the petrol station. Dad filled up the car, I cleaned the windows and my sister took some photos of Ceduna Bay. When Mum came back from paying she was carrying a paper bag. In that bag there were some delicious chicken strips. They were nice and crunchy and we got 2 each. We kept on driving until we reached a small rest area.

There we stopped for lunch. For lunch we had some packet soup and bread. The toilet there was in a concrete water tank and it said 'Concrete Crappa' on the side. I took some photos and then we moved on. We stopped at Wudinna for fuel. Then we continued east until we reached Port Augusta. Once we were in Port Augusta we found the caravan park and got a site.

Once we were backed in we unhooked the car and drove into town to do some shopping. After an hour of shopping we headed out of the shopping centre to the car and out the shopping away. Then we drove back to the caravan park and my sister and I went to the play ground. We were on the swings when these people came up and we got talking. They told that they were riding from Perth to raise money for Diabetes. Then they told us that they'd been riding for 7 and a half weeks. Thats a lot of riding.

After a bit we headed back to the caravan and I went and had a shower. After a nice warm shower I went back to the caravan and started writing my blog. Then we had dinner. For dinner we ha spaghetti bolognese and noodles. After dinner we had dessert. For dessert we had some chocolate milk and some crusty bread. Then I finished writing my blog and went to bed.

The Nullarbor Plain

Today we were awoken in the very early morning by Dad who rushed us out of bed. Feeling very sleepy I made my way to the stove and made a very hot chocolate for my sister and myself. It felt like it was about minus 3 degrees but once we got in the car the temperature gauge told us that it was plus 3 degrees. We headed east along the Nullarbore Plain. We stopped for fuel at Balladonia Roadhouse and then we kept driving east.

After another couple of hundred kilometres we reached another roadhouse where we stopped for fuel and I got to fill up the car. Then we continued our drive. On the way we ate some fruit because we need to get rid of it before we hit the S.A road block in Ceduna where we have to hand over all fruit that we still haven't consumed. Eventually we drove through the W.A Roadblock/Quarantine station.

After driving through we were officially in South Australia even though the roadblock isn't until Ceduna. We kept driving for another hour and then we pulled into a rest area that is situated about 300 metres from the Great Australian Bight. We had lunch and we ate as many veggies as we could. After lunch we took some photos and walked back to the car. On the way to the car my sister farted and the strong wind wafted it over Mum, Dad and me. It stank a lot!

After we finished coughing we hopped in the car and drove away as fast as we were allowed. We kept driving until we reached the Nullarbore Roadhouse. We stopped for fuel and Dad enquired if we could stay the night. We got a powered sight and since we were in S.A it was already 5 o'clock! Once we'd backed the caravan in we went inside and I wrote my blog. After I finished my blog we had dinner. For dinner Mum, my sister and Dad had some fried rice and I had some potatoes that were left over form yesterday. Mum very kindly fried them to a light crispiness for me. After dinner we had dessert. Dessert was Strawberries with whipped cream. After dessert I went to bed.

Fraser Range

Today we got up pretty early to make a breakfast of balked beans on toast with eggs. We decided to make it because Mum said yesterday that she felt like a nice fried egg. So we had to all get up really early so that we could fit it in before we had to leave. It tasted great. After breakfast we headed outside and hooked on the caravan. Then we drove out of the caravan park and headed south towards Norseman.

The drive was pretty uneventful except for the time when 6 bikies zoomed past. While we were driving I did some more schoolwork. Once it was finished I listened to my iPod until we reached Norseman. Just out of Norseman we passed a burnt out truck trailer. When we reached Norseman we pulled in at the roadhouse for fuel. After we were fuelled up we headed about 80 km east until we reached Fraser Range Station. We stayed here on the way across.

Once we were backed in we had lunch. For lunch we ate all the veggies that we could eat because we're crossing the border into South Australia tomorrow. After lunch we lazed around and listened to the radio. It announced that yesterday night there had been an accident just out of Norseman. A truck that was carrying some flammable liquid had rolled and caught fire. We saw that same burnt out trailer just out of Norseman. After listening to that I read a few magazines. Then I wrote my blog. After that I did some more things on the computer. Then we had dinner. For dinner we had potatoes. After dinner we had dessert. Dessert was german wafers. After dessert I went to bed.

Boulder

Today we got up in the morning and I made some breakfast. We've been out of the tropics for a few days now and we woke up to a freezing 10 degrees Celsius. After we got over the freezing weather we got the car hooked onto the caravan. The water that came out of the tap that I washed my hands in was so cold that I thought my fingers would drop off. Then we hopped in the car and drove off. While we were driving I did some schoolwork.

After 2 hours we arrived at Kalgoorlie. Last time we did the super pit tour but this time we just pulled into the caravan park and set up the caravan. Then Dad gave the towbar and the coupling a good hose down. After that we all hopped back into the car and went shopping. While we were shopping the Dad spotted some Chicken burgers that we could fry. So we took a pack and added it to the trolly.

After finishing our shopping we headed back to the car and drove back to the caravan. Once we were back at the caravan we put the shopping away and had lunch. Fro lunch we had those chicken burgers fried to the perfect crispiness inside some long bread rolls with avocado and cucumbers. It tasted rather like a Subway roll. After lunch we had some chocolate milk and some bread with it. Then I did some drawing.

After finishing it I did some schoolwork. That took until dinner to finish. After it was finished we had dinner. For dinner we had some chicken and noodle thingamajig. After dinner I wrote my blog an dried the dishes. Then we had dessert. For dessert we had some fruit. The Strawberries tasted really good. After dessert I went to bed.

Menzies

Today we got up in the morning and I made some breakfast. After breakfast we drove off. We drove until we reached Leinster. There we stopped for fuel and and Dad bought some early lunch. We had some Hamburgers and Mum and Dad shared a Cheeseburger and a hamburger. While they ate, my sister and I shared a Hamburger. Then we kept driving. We saw loads of Wedge Tailed Eagles on the side of the road. They were feeding on roadkill. The wingspan of a full grown Wedge Tailed Eagle is supposed to be 2 metres. Today we saw them up close. Just as the car rush past I saw them stretch their wings and take off. The wingspan is really 2 metres but up close it looks like 3 metres.

Just as Mum stated that there were no more eagles we were scared out of our skin by an enormous shape that appeared out of nowhere. It soared right above us for a split second before we rushed past. We didn't hear a thump but we stopped anyway. I wasn't really happy at the thought that we might have hit a Wedge Tailed Eagle with the caravan. We didn't hit it and Dad thought the reason for that was the won that the caravan was pushing. Our caravan slopes down at the front and the wind rushes up it when were doing 110 km/h. Dad suspected that the eagle got sucked over the top of the caravan. The Eagle had been right over Mum's window and it looked like it would have crashed right through the caravan.

After that we started driving again and Mum cut up some fruit and shred it around. Then we kept driving until we reached Leonora. We stopped for fuel there as well. After a quick stop we were driving again and didn't stop until we reached Menzies. Menzies is a small town which has the smallest caravan park that I've ever seen. It wouldn't have more than 30 sites. We were not alone though. There were some motor homes and two other caravans. Once we were backed in and set up I went inside and did some drawing.

After I finished it Mum and Dad drove around Menzies and filled up the car. While they were gone I tried to do some more drawing but none of them turned out any good. Then Mum and Dad came back. After that I went and had a shower. When I got back I wrote the blog. After I finished it I did some stuff on the computer. Then we ha dinner. For dinner we had Nachos. After dinner we went to bed.

Mt Magnet

Today we got up early in the morning and I made some breakfast. After breakfast we got dressed in long sleeved T-shirts and long pants for the mine tour. Then we went puttied and packed up the caravan. After that we hopped into the car and drove around Newman. We found the Masonic lodge and Dad took a photo. Then we drove to the top of the hill and Dad took some more photos. After a lot of photos we drove back into Newman and headed for the visitors centre. There we got decked out in safety goggles, a hardhat and a high vis vest. Then the tour bus arrived and we climbed aboard.

The tour guide gave us some background history about the mine and told us about the big Haul Truck that was standing in the front garden of the visitor centre. Then we drove off to the Mount Whaleback mine. It got named that because, before mining started, the arial image of that mountain resembled the back of a Humpback Whale.

Once inside the mine we drove to the lookout area. It was the oldest part of the mine and had some of the machinery on display there. There was half of the crushing part of the crusher. There were also some pump pulleys and some old shovels that used to go on the front of the big earth movers. One of the tyres from the trucks had been placed there to sow you the actual size of these monster tyres. They were 3 metres in diameter and weight 2 or 3 tons without rims. With the rims the total weight of the tyre was 6983 kilograms. Thats nearly 7 tons!

After a bit I moved to the binoculars that were there. I looked through them and was amazed to find that I could watch the expression on the operator's face in the big earth moving machine! The mine is the biggest single pit open cut mine in the world and is 5 km long and nearly 2 km wide. The big earth moving machine was on the other side of the mine and looked like a minute model without the binoculars.

Then the tour guide called us all in and we listened to a talk about the different operations in the mine and why the ground had holes in it on some of the levels. The reason for this is that they put these 17 metre deep holes in the ground is for blasting. Once the drilling rig has finished drilling the explosive truck comes along and stuffs the holes full of a type of explosive that is made from diesel and some other type of non dangerous explosive. Then they clear a kilometre radius and blast. We didn't get to see a blast because we within the 1 kilometre exclusion zone.

After that the tour guide led us to a pile of rock where we got ziplock bags and could chose any rocks that we wanted and put them in our ziplock backs. We got some of the high grade iron ore and a really heavy rock that should only have weighed 1 kilo. After that we piled back onto the bus and drove back to the visitor centre. At the visitor centre we handed in purr safety gear and we drove off back to the caravan. When we arrived we hooked on the caravan and drove off.

After an hours driving we stopped to have lunch. After a very quick lunch kept driving. On and on we drove until it felt like it was next year. Finally we reached Mekatharra where we stopped for fuel and stretched our legs. Then we kept driving until we reached Cue. Cue is a nice little town but the caravan park didn't have anymore powered sites so we drove a further 80 km to a rest area called The Granites. It's 5 km out of Mount Magnet and we were there all by ourselves.

Once we found the turnoff we backed in and then we went inside to write my blog. Pretty soon Mum told us dinner was ready so we took a break. Dinner was Beef Stroganoff with noodles. After dinner we had dessert. Dessert was some Paw-Paw. After dessert I finished writing my blog and went to bed.

Newman

Today we got up fairly early and I went outside to crack some more rocks in search of iron ore. Then I went inside and made a hot chocolate for my sister and myself. After breakfast we drove off. While we drove I listened to my iPod. After 2 hours driving we reached Newman. The first thing we did when we arrived was go to the tourist information and book a spot on tomorrows mine tour. After that we drove to a caravan park and got a site. Once we were backed in we rolled out and cleaned the awning. Then I went inside and wrote a bit of todays blog. After that I did some schoolwork. Then we had lunch. After lunch we drove around Newman until we found the shopping centre.

Once we found it we did some shopping. We got some chocolate milk as well as the stuff we needed. Then we walked outside and packed the shopping into the car. After that we drove to the lookout on top of the hill that overlooked Newman. We took some photos and then Dad started talking to a guy that standing next to us. It turned out that he was from Rutherglen! The people that you meet while travelling is just amazing. After an hour of talking Dad decided that it was time to go back to the caravan.

Once we arrived at the caravan I went inside and did some drawing. Then I went and had a shower. After a rather cold shower I returned to the caravan and did some more drawing. Once I was finished I finished writing the blog. After that we had dinner. Dinner was Nachos and cheese. After dinner we had dessert. Dessert was a choc-berry milk that we bought earlier. It tasted OK. After that I went to bed.