THURSDAY 22 APRIL     MILDURA TO PETERBOROUGH     425kms

Another hot day – got into the 30’s.

A routine drive again today. I worked out that this was the fourth time we had travelled west, via this route. And we’d come east across it, five times. That was nine. Probably, by the end of this trip it would be ten. No wonder it seemed less than interesting.

There was the usual inspection at the SA border quarantine point. We had passed through this too many times to be even slightly tempted to carry something we shouldn’t. The van fridge and some cupboards were checked, and the Chescold fridge in the back of Truck as well. My greatest fear was that, one time, the inspector would ask to check the storage area under the bed. Not because of any contraband hidden there, but because everything loose in the van traveled  on that bed: TV, electric frypan, books, empty fruit bowls, toiletries bags, radio, washing basket, and so on. The extra storage on top of the cupboards in a poptop was great when parked up, but everything that normally lived up there had to come off for travel. Clearing off the bed, to lift it up for inspection, would be a real pain.

Interstate again….for a while this year it looked like that would be an impossibility in 2010.

We stopped at a supermarket in Renmark to get some vegetables for tonight’s meal, and fruit for lunches.

There was another stop at Morgan, in the large parking area by the punt that took vehicles across the Murray River.

We had morning smoko there and watched the punt travel back and forth across the river.

Obviously, we didn’t know it at this time, but the slope behind the vehicles, in the photo above, was where – a few years later – M would slip, sit down on her ankle and injure same. Despite the injury and pain, she managed to drive Bessie to Mildura, where she was found to have broken the ankle!

Although there had been fewer locusts since Mildura, we still needed to clean the windscreen again.

On the gradual uphill stretches to Burra, the engine temperature seemed to be a bit higher than usual. This might just have been an effect of all the replaced bits of the engine. It might not behave quite as it used to. We certainly hoped that was the explanation, anyway!

Lunch was had parked by the creek in Burra, watching the ducks on the water. It was a pleasant spot for a break, with its heritage buildings. As usual we said we must actually stay here for few days, sometime.

We pressed on, to Peterborough, arriving there mid-afternoon. Again, this was quite a long enough drive for John.

The Peterborough Caravan Park was a really pleasant little one. We paid $24 for our powered site, and had adjacent drive through sites, not intending to unhitch. Just passing through on the way to elsewhere.

After the minimal set up, we walked to the town centre. Had a bit of a wander around town. Posted a couple of birthday cards, timed to arrive at destinations early next week.

The Information Centre was shut – a pity, because a browse would have been interesting.

The way back to the caravan park was uphill, which made it all a rather hefty walk for John, but he managed.

Another clean of the vehicles was required. The insect carcasses made it look as if  someone had thrown eggs at them!

Some cloud had built up through the day, and it helped make for some interesting dusk photos.

After happy hour, our dinner was potatoes cooked in foil in the electric frypan, bacon, eggs, tomatoes. M did her own catering, mostly, on such trips.

The night was warm.