THURSDAY 12 FEBRUARY   PORTLAND TO MINJAH   148kms

It was a pleasantly warm day today, but increasingly windy.

We had a quicker pack up this time – yesterday’s preparation made a real difference. Hitching up was easy. We were away from the park just after 9am.

Followed the Princes Highway to Warrnambool. We had to go to the Post Office there because R had posted a letter to John, c/o there, instead of sending it via home. John found a place to park the rig not too far away, and I walked to the PO and collected the letter.

John stayed in Truck because his leg was hurting a lot. When we were hitching up, he pushed the van to line it up better – and he shouldn’t have.

We had to back track a short way, then took the Caramut road north. It was a pleasant drive through the farming country, to E and A’s farm at Minjah, a bit south of Caramut.

Was great to see E and A again, after so many years. They are still very sprightly, at ages 69 and 70, though A needs a knee reconstruction – the toll of a farming life.

They had us park in front of the machinery shed, where we could plug in our power lead. Nice and level, too.

We had great meals and indulged in much travel talk. John and A got on really well – they have some similar traits! I did not realize that they had done so much travel – they have been to all the places we want to see, and then some. Cape York, the Gibb River Road, the Gulf Track, Tanami, Canning Stock Route, and so on. A son took over the running of the farm, twelve years ago and this has enabled the travel. They have a Disco and camper trailer now.

They have not as yet done the Simpson Desert crossing, which we are tentatively looking at for next year, so we discussed the possibility of joining up with them and doing that together. I would enjoy that. We will keep in touch.

It was quite a late night – we just did not run out of things to talk about.