Australia here we come!

16/9/12

It was fairly cloudy this morning and we were on the road by 8.38am. We drove 12kms to the Mundrabilla Roadhouse. We stopped for photos but not for fuel. Then we drove through beautiful flat country with a low mountain range to our left until the road took a very sweeping left turn towards the range. Then we headed up the Eucla Pass.

We stopped at the Eucla Roadhouse for fuel and walked behind the buildings to take in the view to the coast and the old Eucla Telegraph Office. Then we drove to the memorial called the Travellers Cross and the Eyre Memorial. Edmund John Eyre camped near Eucla in 1841 during his epic crossing of the Nullarbor. Then we drove back down the Range and went to see the Old Eucla Telegraph Station. All the timber work has gone but the stone walls are still intact. Sand has been blown from the surrounding sand hills and has almost covered the building.

Then we drove back up the range and continued for 12kms to the South Australian border. Yes it is true that I did a couple of star jumps on the South Australian side of the border. I was so glad to be out of 'Woostern' Australia I wanted a beer to celebrate.

The road from Eucla followed the coastline closely for a long time and the scenery was beautiful. There were three lookouts where we could view the cliffs of the Great Australian Bight and the beautiful blue water of the Great Southern Ocean. Each was very spectacular.

At the first lookout Karen nearly got chased by a very fast moving shiny black snake. Luckily for her she didn't see it and got in the car when she was told. That was the first time in our married life she has done what she was told to do. Good timing Karen!

We continued on and stopped for lunch at the 52km Peg Rest Area. Next we stopped at the Nullarbor Roadhouse to use the toilet only. Karen felt guilty about using their facilities without spending any money so she bought me the world’s dearest paddle pop. I got to eat the paddle pop while getting earbashed for two hours about how dear it was. Life is so great in the wilderness!!!!

After leaving the Nullarbor Roadhouse we continued on and stopped for the night at the 222km Peg Rest Area. That night Mary-Anne amused herself by every now and then reminding Karen about the paddle pop.. I could have strangled her!!!