Twelve Years and a Short Trip

Fog hangs lows and clings to the coast, it descended around Aires Inlet and the temperature dropped outside the car. We noticed and wound the windows up, at least today we wouldn’t have any concerns with the car overheating.

We are driving again. Shorter distances than before, making our way along the south Australian coast to a camping ground for a few nights. A few nights away from home as something to do for our twelfth wedding anniversary.

We loaded the kids, camping gear and some food into the car and set off down towards the great Ocean Road, towards Kennet River.

Along a Long Road

The road winds slowly around the coast, up short hills, round tight bends, sometimes close to the waters edge and other times it is a great drop down the the water. Eucalypts grow along the road, their smell drifting in the window as we make our way down the great Ocean Road.

Previous trips have left a few of our passengers car sick, driving too fast along the squiggly coast line. Last time we drive this road Joash “spooked”. This time I drive slower. A slower trip encourages the boys who could be travel sick to take a look out the window, rather than focus on the twists happening in their mind.

A sea mist clings to the coast after we get through Aires Inlet. We pass through the town and drive down a short hill to Moggs Creek, the sudden drop in temperate and the fog covered coast line reduce our expectations of having nice weather for the weekend. Usually we can see the coast stretch to Lorne, but not today.

The Kennet River camp grounds are located across the road from the beach.

Beach Walk

Waves roll in from the sea, a perfect tube created below the white foaming peaks before the dump and crash into the rocks. The sky is still shrouded in mist and dark grey clouds threaten a heavy downpour, which never occurs.

The boys run along the beach, determined to test the warmth of the river and to play at the beach during a summer break which feels more like Autumn.

Glow Worms

As dusk falls around us, after dinner has been eaten, the boys ask about a trek into the bush to see glow worms. I shrug at the idea, but Jacqui is keen, so we get everyone into the car for a night time drive.

The gravel road is corrugated in places, it runs along side the bush as it winds up and up the hill, taking us from the beach to the rainforest hidden behind. At one stage a wallaby makes a quick dash in front of the car, I brake hard, glad that it missed the bumper of the car. The boys try and spot it as it disappears into the bush, the excitement keeps them on the lookout for potential wildlife crossings.

Over the hill and down into the rainforest. The trees reach up above the car, in the day time we are sure that it would be a magnificent view.

We get out of the car and remember all our torches are back in the tent. So with the pretence that we know where we are heading, we join up behind a group of people who do know how to find the glow worms. Down the hill, across a bridge and along side the road, where the fern fronds hand over our heads.

If you are quiet. Walk softly. Talk in whispers. Then looking into the bushes to see glowing dots hidden in behind the leaves. The clumps and clusters shine back at us. Glow worms. Whispers of awe and marvel are heard up the gravel road.

Levi asks if he can walk into the bush and take some home. He sounds disappointed when we say “no”. Ezekiel agrees, but we decline.

I take very small steps as both the little men decide that the dark sky, overhanging trees and quiet bush is too scary to walk in. I hold them both as we walk up and down the hill, looking at glow worms, while they both whisper "Dad, I want to go back to the car now."

Home Again

We pack up and head home on Monday morning. The sun was shining when we stop for lunch at Lorne, to enjoy chips by the park. It was a nice finish to a lovely weekend.

Camping is not something we have done for an anniversary before, Jacqui thought that if we didn’t do something different then we would do the same thing we do every year. It was a lot more effort that doing the same thing, but it was different and that was just what we needed.

12 Years is a long time, even though it doesn't feel like a long time. Twelve years ago a young James stood at the alter and waited for his bride, that guy never knew what was coming. He still doesn't, but he still married to the most beautiful lady, with 6 children and a life that is always unexpected.

Love you, My Dear.

Devonport to Port Sorell

Today was the day we decided to move on, to get our cycling trip underway. There was excitement to be riding our bikes, as we packed up and ate breakfast, enjoying the time at the caravan park before we moved onwards. The planned road before us included a chocolate factory, so we are eager to get going.

Off we Ride

Down the down, past the shops and onto the road out of Devonport. Devonport, a town we stopped in to fix some computer problems and to rest, and not to rush. We stayed in Devonport for three nights, remembering how to organsise traveling food, it is difficult to not have a pantry of food to eat, I guess there are some benefits to living in an abode.

The computer issues were fixed by a new charger and some work has been completed, which means that we can move out onto the road and I am not carrying the weight of expectation of work to be completed with me.

The road out of Devonport is along a river as we head toward Latrobe, the road rises and falls along the waters edge, the sun bristling off the ripples in the water. The boys are riding down the road with songs of joy in their mind, wheels spinning and happy words being spoken.

We roll not too far down into the Information Centre at Latrobe, a green lawn lays all around an interesting looking market place, we park our bikes and sit under the shade. Jacqui and the boys venture off to look for a platypus, and Adeline and I sleep under the shade.

Chocolate

Through the town of Latrobe and back up the highway toward Devonport is [Anvers Chocolate Factory][http://www.anvers-chocolate.com.au/]. The museum is a small room with a brief history about chocolate, which is close by to the viewing room, which we all stand at, watching chocolate moulds being made, which of course makes us want chocolate, so we walk off to the testing room.

Ice cream in the sun is a wonderful thing.

We sit and discuss which direction we should go, and the choice was made to avoid the highway. Back to our bikes and back from where we came to find the turn to Port Sorell.

The road meanders along for a bit before a yellow sign that says 10%.

Up a Steep Slope

When we go up hills, in the lowest gear, pulling and fighting and tugging the weight behind me, I think in poetry and poems, and sonnets and songs. It is beautiful. My mind wanders between thoughts of suffering and pain, words drifting upon my thoughts like a nirvana or an oasis promising life but giving nothing but false hope among the pain of climbing hills.

I glance down at the GPS. 8%. 9%. 10%. At any greater than 5% for a few hundred metres I don't care for how others are going. I push forward, turning the pedals over and over, how I wish that I could turn the pedals around to match my heart rate. I stop, drink, and catch my breath, and finally start moving again, with a grunt and a tug to get everything moving again.

The boys ride past, low gears and with determination. They disapear around a corner, the hill is steep, 10%, and I cannot see the top. They push onwards, bikes and panniers swaying as they climb the steepest hill they have ever been up. Jacqui is behind, stopping to catch her breath, and behind her, on the tag-along bike, a little voice is saying "Come on Mum. Let's go!"

Hills are hard on a carbon fibre road bike. Hills are harder when we are under full-weight, pushing onwards to our camp, fully loaded panniers and a trailer on behind. We knew we would have to ride up hills, at this stage we are not bested or beat-down by riding up hills, but gradually bit by bit we inch to the top. Ezekiel and Levi are waiting at the top in the shade of a tree, Nathanael is down the road and we call him back to wait for Jacqui and her Tag-Along-Elijah.

This hill will be included in tales we tell of our adventure.

Roll into Town

Port Sorell reminds me of St. Leonards, a small town back near home. It is on the beach, small roads with no shoulders run right next to thick, brown grass. The caravan park we are staying at is less than a short walk to the beach, just walk over some sand dunes and the the crystal clear water is waiting for a swim.

Elijah likes that park over there, he likes the "wings" and the "swide" and "dat ding over dere", to which he is referring to a see-saw that is raised from the ground. He enjoys being close to the beach, having just had a swim and come back to the camp kitchen for lunch.

A family who we met at a park in Devonport said that we may just get to Port Sorell and decide to stay for our whole trip. At this stage we cannot disagree.

Footprints in the Sand. Visits in the Night.

Dear Adventurous Reader,

Sometimes you hope to see something special when camping, it is a little cherry on top of a nice cake. Some places you choose to camp at because people have said that there is a great chance of seeing some special wildlife.

We have decided to drive to a National Park with a chance of seeing dingos. The camping ground is within our given driving range for the day, along the coast and the descriptions of the empty beaches sound fantastic.

There are three camp sites to choose from along a stretch of road running through this National Park. Each sounds a little different from the other and despite the additional driving we choose to look at each of them before selecting a place for the night.

We return to the first place we scouted. It is less crowded than the others, even though there is a class of year 9 students camped there for the night.

The camp ground is covered with a canopy of leaves, grown from tall trees. There is not much undergrowth, leaving us many places to pitch our tent. The kids all climb out of the car to stretch their legs and discover sand dunes along the edge of the bush.

A site close by the small path leading to the dunes is selected as our camp. We would discover later this spot was not a good choice, but for now it was perfect.

Dunes

A short path leads to massive sand dunes that tower above us all. The boys race up the steep incline of yellow sand, up to the top and look down at us below, yelling and waving. They disappear over the ridge and a short while later return to run down, leaping and rolling until they get to the bottom. They dust themselves off, trying to get the damp, sticky sand from their clothes, and climb up again.

They come back after a long walk, talking of dingo’s foot prints showing in the sand. Elijah excitedly tells us how he found them, "Dingoes! Dingoes!"

When the night falls around us, after dinner, we venture off into the vast sand dunes to see what we can find. A torch and some hand holding are not enough to comfort the little Lads, who, with all the excitement of finding dingo footprints, are quite sure they are hiding everywhere.

We retreat to the tent, get ready for bed and await the morning, when adventure in the sand dunes should be a little more desirable.

The Great Australian Bogan

We have seen kangaroos, thorny devils, eagles and now we encounter another Australian animal, The Wild Australian Bogan. They travel in packs with cubes of cheap beer tucked away in the tail end of their ute. Arriving at campsites after work has finished for the week, when the sun is down, they setup their tents with a beer in one hand - or if not in hand then not far away.

They will complain if the beer is out of reach or not within three paces. Citing another Bogan as having taken their beer.

You can tell the leader because the others will quieten down when he starts to talk and allow him to interrupt while they are mid-sentence. The leader will curse the most when he talks, as a verbal sign of his authority. Often times it will be his car they arrive in.

Their language is fowl. The use of adverbs would make Stephen King cry and usually begins with an "F". Very rarely will an adverb or adjective not be a curse word. Oftentimes the landscape of their speech is dotted with other curse words that, if spoken in public, would make babies cry.

And so, after 11pm our campsite is visited by the most common variety of Australian Bogan. They arrive and setup camp and talk. They talk and talk, all through the night.

Their discussion is loud enough to wake me up at various points and, instead of drifting off to sleep with the sound of waves, wind, or rain, I slowly drift off to drunken discussions about their home, or work, or topics I quickly forget. It is terrible.  When the sun has risen, while the boys are stuck inside the tent because of the rain outside, we hear them talking. Foul language flowing freely. Finally, when all the words have been said and we emerge from the tent, they fall silent. The soberness of morning has struck and they go gingerly about their business, occasionally calling on the only "mate" who has slept, with adverbs to try and wake him.

Sand Jumping

In the morning we pack up the tent between the rain drops. It started raining sometime before sunrise and we are kept inside the tent waiting for it to pass. Since the rain is not going to stop just for us, we get to work and have the tent away and the car packed early, leaving breakfast until we get onto the road.  With the rain drizzling we head once more for the sand dunes. The sand is damp and looks solid on the surface, but it is not. Sometimes your ankle disappears below the sand when taking a step.

Elijah runs across the surface of the sand, beating three of his brothers to the tree-covered mound we set as a destination. He laughs and does a little victory dance. Joash almost drops to the ground in disappointment but we turn towards the hills where the footprints were discovered yesterday.

Ezekiel tries to get his bearings. Nathanael points to a small hill. Levi runs and looks at the ground. The three of them, all at once, tell me this is the spot where they found the footprints. "Dad. It was right here." Zeke searches, "Oh! There's some more!"

The intrigued all gather around him. Yes; in the sand are some dingo footprints. They must have been out in the night. We look all around to see if there are any about. They are an enigma, but at least we have found traces of them, unlike the cassowary.

The rain starts to fall, heavier than the occasional drop. I marshal the troops to head back, but the dunes look like far too much fun to leave in haste. So, as the rain falls, we jump from small hills like it is a long-jump competition, each taking a turn. We choose a flightpath, run, and then jump over the edge, falling and rolling in the damp sand.

By the time we get back to the car, sand is in our clothes, we are wet - water is dripping from our hair - and we need to clean ourselves up. Cleaning is difficult when all that is provided at the free-camp is a drop toilet. We do our best, knowing how dirty the car already is and then squeeze into the car for the next day of travel.

The Wind Howls

Dear Adventurous Reader,

Tonight we are camped on the edge of Australia's eastern coast and the wind is blowing very strongly from the east. Our tent is close to trees that provide some shelter from the wind that is trying to push our tent over. We have anchored the tent with some of the cliff's rocks to keep the pegs in the ground.

It is our first night of camping in wind. We have had crushing rain at Babinda and dusty air at Coober Pedy, but most other places we have camped have been without too many issues. Tonight however, we fight the wind.

It is a wonderful place. We drove down a sealed road off the main highway, passing through a small town. The boys watched for kangaroos along the roadside as the road got narrower, before we turned off onto a short unsealed road. The trees are not as tall by the beach, more bushes between grass and sand.

The campsites are sectioned off with big logs and long, thin grass. A wind break of bushes is alongside the red cliffs that stretch down to the deserted beach below. The sand is soft and yellow, running to the horizon up north with unseen towns along the coast. Southwards, however, you can see the lights of a small coastal town twinkling in the weathered dusk.

We found our campsite along the cliffs, behind the wind-break-bushes. The wind pushed the tent to a lean. We had to be quick to get the fly over and anchor in the ropes, using the cliff rocks which we brought up from the beach, as added weight. Still, the strength of the wind pushes everything about, shaking the tent.

During the night the waves crash against the cliffs, like a rolling thunder that never ceases. And drifting off to sleep, with the sound of the waves breaking, safe inside our tent, is relaxing.

The wind has stopped when we wake in the morning. The sound of crashing waves continues, yet now it is more peaceful. Zeke and Levi watch some kangaroos boxing, as the sun is still close to the horizon, choosing to wake at an early hour. The boys explore, climbing trees and finding shallow caves carved into the red rocks on the beach below. They continue to collect bottle caps and smooth rocks.

The sun is bright after breakfast. Encouraged by a good night sleep Jacqui takes the boys who are game enough to the beach for a swim. Strong waves knock them under the sea water and they rise with grins of their faces and start body surfing towards the shore.

Adeline runs into the water grabbing great handfuls of sand and carrying them back onto the shore. She too, is knocked over by a sudden, small wave and after a cuddle is happy to play again.

Camping has encouraged us to find hidden places, instead of taking two days to drive 1,600kms we are stopping and seeing more of Australia. Redcliff is one place we regret not staying at longer, though we will stop here next time with enough provisions to be there for a few days. I will hope that we are set up before the wind begins.

Deep, Dark Storm Blue

Blue. Deep, dark storm blue are the colour of the clouds as they roll into the hills. They pass by, cutting the top of the hills and threatening to rain heavier than the Titanic. They move ominously through the sky as we peer through the car windows wondering where we will camp tonight.

The road still lays before us. It is sad to leave a place like the Wet Tropics of Queensland. There trees stand tall, the water falls over rocks, that although they have been there since creation, seem purpose built to be used as water slides. Jacqui and the boys have loved every second playing in the warm, clear river water.

We stayed an extra day near Townsville to visit one last natural water slide. Trying to hold out a little longer before our drive south. It was the threat of rain that made us hurry to move and what has been keeping us going homeward - however reluctantly.

Rockhampton

The lure of discussing fast food drive us further than a free camping site and into a disappointing evening.

There was a free camp north of Rockhampton on the highway. We stopped for a break, hindsight would have told us to stay the entire night. But we continued the drive south to Rockhampton, opting for a fast food dinner as a morale booster for some tired boys. I will remember nothing good of that meal, I could not finish it because it was so terrible.

To add to the meal we had to find a place to stay for the night. At 20:00 hours. I would guess there is a kind of caravan park collusion going on, because each unpowered camp site was between 22-30 dollars and each additional person was $10, regardless of age. That is a very expensive camp site for us and being late it is not a great offer. We rung around but everywhere was the same cost.

We drove down to a suburb and despite the sign on the door saying "Ring, and we'll get you in." We were turned away, from a caravan park at 8:45 at night, "Sorry, but we're closed up for the night." He said and went back inside.

We drove back to Rockhampton and found a park that would take us. $80 a night for an unpowered, single tent site. I know we have a lot of children, but we are not going to use $80 worth of their equipment in the 12 hours we will be there. I am sure this will be the topic of another rant.

Rockhampton may be a nice town but I will not remember it as one. If I was to use a visual metaphor to describe the town it would be; a crudely drawn penis on the inside of an unclean toilet stall.

The Monsoon is Coming

The end of the dry season is a marvellous time to be in the north. The rivers aren't yet running fast, so there are plenty of places to swim and explore smooth rocks as watersides. The weather is a fantastic 30 degrees with nice cool breezes in the evening to cool the tent down. There are many sightings of cane trains pulled heavy loads along the road.

Heading south was a sad time. The mountains that lead up towards the tablelands slowly faded to hills that rolled closer towards the horizon. The trees became less dense and less green, slowly edging into the yellow, long grass that surrounds much of the Mackay to Rockhampton region.

Yet, it was the coming of the wet season that made us move south. For four days we travelled, watching the deep, dark blue clouds roll over the hills. Each day wishing a storm would not be where we decided to camp, we did not see rain until the small town of Miriam Vale where we stopped for lunch. The plan was to head toward the beach for a few nights, but the thunder and lightning made us travel inland, toward Toowoomba.

I think we need to be a little more prepared to stay in the rain. Our tent handles it fine but we have little space to handle a day in the rain, the last time we were caught we took the train to Kuranda.

So we pitched our tent below a car port and enjoyed the wonderful company of family we do not get to see very often. The road has taken us to many places and it lead us to relax with family, it was unexpected and enjoyable. It didn't rain in Toowoomba, even though we were protected below the car port.

People are the Most Colourful Thing on the Road

Dear Adventurous Reader,

We met The Germans again. As I write they are playing a board game with the older boys, in a camp kitchen, during some downtime in Cairns. The last time the boys hung out the The Germans was in Coober Pedy, playing Uno with the Miller boys.

It is funny the people you meet on the road. There is always a story to tell to someone who passes by. An introduction is an opportunity to tell your experience and to hear theirs.

"We come from the south. We have driven a long way. Yes that is our car. It overheated in the outback." I say, explaining our trip. We all have stories to share of the adventures we've had. We talk for a while, sharing places to stay or things that we've done.

I have spoken to many Germans in the northern parts of Australia.

We met Dmitiji and a few of his traveling companions in Mission Beach. He said Australia is "happy making". The sun, the beach and the friendly Australians make for an enjoyable experience. They are all looking for work so they can extend their visas. I have emailed with him since to see how he is going: they are changing their plans, as often happens on the road.

I chatted to three Germans down at Josephine Falls about the fear of traveling Australia, where every animal wants to kill you.

We met a nice Chezc couple in Townsville. He suggested a few spots to stay at as we head south. They are well travelled and look like they could go deep into the outback with their setup. We complained about how expensive Australia is, actually that is a great topic with all travellers and we talked of the wonderful places they had seen.

There was a couple from Bundaberg whom we met at Coober Pedy. They wrote a poem about Hannah's knee injury. We met them again in Alice Spring and shared a meal and they told stories with the Millers until the stars were out.

While we were waiting for the Millers in Babinda a bus arrived. The couple got out and slowly managed to park their bus amongst the trees. The kids from the bus popped their heads out and our boys disappeared and played Uno in the bus. We missed saying goodbye because of the rain, but we met them again just out of Townsville and we stopped another night there because they arrived.

We watched a fire burn across the Bruce Highway while near Townsville with a couple who have been on the road since the start of the year. Their three kids in a caravan had seen most of Australia's coast inside 12 month and they were wondering how much time they would need to see it all. Their kids had a ball with our boys, playing many games of tag on the playground. We even had them helping with our dishes so our boys could go play tag faster.

Simon, Daniel and Andrè whom we met in Coober Pedy, have become known as "The Germans". They started talking to the boys in the camp kitchen, and then along with the Miller Lads played a few games of Uno.

The following day we left and didn't make it to Uluru, we stopped in Marla instead. They went onwards to Darwin while we were tracking back down to Uluru. They met us again while we were unwinding in Cairns, stopping by to wait for friends who were traveling.

They boys played Spy Alley with them. I am unsure if it was the rules in English, or the rules spoken by three very excited Aussie lads that confused the German guys, but they managed to suffer the confusion and play a full game. I think Andrè came out the winner. I found out via email later that they enjoyed the game.

A Long Way

We have traveled a long way and it is the people with shared experience that really bring travel alive. Everyone we have met have their stories to tell, everyone we have met have shaped our travel in some way, a kind direction, time with the boys, playing or a lengthy chat. Ron assembled a set of leads to charge my laptop from the car battery, which was fantastic. The people we met have been so kind to us.

I am glad to have them in our tale because they have helped us in some way. The road seems to come alive if you take the time to have a chat with strangers, there is no guessing what will happen in the future, or if you will meet again in some strange or quiet place.

From Mission Beach to Bluewater

Dear Adventurous Reader,

The water is flowing gently. The ambient noise is now familiar, gentle breeze in the trees, cicadas chirping in the trees, a quick rush of a small lizard into the bushes and the slow moving water, easing gently over rocks.

The only noise that upsets the tranquility is the boys swimming in the water. Splashing and encouraging each other to go on further, past what is comfortable.

The butterflies float through the trees. The illusive cassowary is still unseen by any of us. The parks up here are marvellous and warm and the sweat drips from your brow as we make our way back to the start of the walk for some lunch.

Mission Beach

Jacqui had wanted to stay in Mission Beach, it had been something she did 20 years ago with her family and the picture she painted made it sound wonderful. So we stopped into the the same caravan park and stayed two nights.

The park was a park. Nothing fancy, except the swimming pool which is an attraction to the boys and Jacqui. The tent was barely put up and their bathers were on and they made a line straight to the pool.

I used the time to do some work.

That evening I chatted for a long time to a man from Holland. We talked about the cost of living in Australia, about work, about his travels around Australia - he said he saw a cassowary - and about anything in between.

An discussion on the road is fantastic to have, talking experiences and hardships and it feels like you have made a friend. In the end you part ways, each to your own adventures to see the sun rise and set in different places. You shared an experience and a long talk and all that remains is the memory.

The next night I talked to Dmitrij for a few hours. Again we talked travel, work, life in Germany. He was traveling with friends looking for work to extend their visa. Every day he valued being here, as it was without the stress of life in Germany. We exchanged email addresses and someday we may meet again.

We head south

We have stayed up this way for twelve days. Long slow travel is nice and relaxing. It has been kind to our little people who do not struggle to get into the car seat as much. It has been kind to the older boys who are beginnings to enjoy sitting next to each other again.

We drive down to a planned rest area. It was only 200 kilometers and it was an easy drive. Having driven more than 6,500kms doing 200 seems easy. Most of us rest in the car, some stay awake and play. We stopped for a slushie.

Bluewater. A nice name, a place with nice reviews on WikiCamps and a recommendation from a couple we chatted to at Babinda. It was an excellent place to stop, cold showers out the back of a toilet block, a large playground for the kids to run around on. No crocodiles, from what we could see - although they had been spotted here previously.

We met a family who have been on the road since the 2nd January. They are heading home, southwards. The boys play on the park, they are loud and run until everyone is tired which took a long time to happen. Adeline joins them on the playground, yelling if we took her away to wait for someone to watch her.

Meeting other families on the road has been a highlight for us all. New friends. New adventures. But it is extra special if they have kids too, our boys will run and play and yell and plot together. Everything they were doing with the Millers, but now with new friends.

Crystal Cascades

Dear Adventurous Reader,

While we were up in the Tropical North we visited a number of natural waterfalls with running rivers and deep, lush rainforest. One of the places we visited was Crystal Cascades, a beautiful rainforest area out of Cairns.

Finding the Others

There is a narrow, worn concrete staircase leading down to a swimming area. I could hear the boys while walking the path above, splashing, swimming and yelling. I walked down the steps, carefully watching my footing; although the steps were concrete they were not well spaced nor easy to descend.

They boys had found a few spots along the river where they could use the rocks as a natural water slide, following the rush of water down each level of well worn river rocks and beautiful water falls. Their yells of delight filled the air.

As I got to the bottom of the steps I was greeted with becoming calls to watch as they conquered the water falls. "Dad! Watch this!" Levi pushed off from the water fall, with his snorkeling mask over his eyes, sliding down the smooth rock into the crystal clear pool below.

The other boys followed.

The little boys snooped between rocks in search of beer caps, their new favourite treasure to find when we stop. There is no shortage of beer caps in Australia, due to the abundant beer, beer drinkers and responsibility to littering that those two things produce. Four X is the most frequent, one day they may find something more special.

I had been working. Sitting beside the running river. It was time to work, so I braved the march flies, found a lovely rock and did some work for the afternoon. It was pleasant to sit against the stones and tap on my keyboard. The sound was wonderful.

Time to Swim

The only problem with me working is that Jacqui doesn't get to swim. She spends her time juggling Adeline and the little lads as they potter between the rocks and brave to fast rushing water. My battery ran out, so did my work so by the time that I found everyone else, upstream, Jacqui was looking forward to a swim.

Toes in the water in a calm spot, Jacqui has been taking her time easing herself into the water and it is not very cold up here. Finally she pushed off and found a nice deep spot to go under. It wasn't long after that the boys urged her to follow them down the natural water slides.

This is one of the reasons why it has been difficult to drive away from the Tropical areas. Lush rainforest, rushing waters and waterfalls, rock slides and wonderful afternoons beneath the glorious green. It was difficult to leave and even more difficult to think about now we are south.

Green Island

Dear Adventurous Reader,

It would appear that I get travel sick. My weak inner ears fail at determining balance when on a boat, I even felt close to seeing some of my breakfast. I am not sure if I turned green, but a I felt it.

Everyone else traveled fine as we took a catamaran over the lumpy waves out to Green Island. A nice, peaceful island about an hour out of Cairns, by boat.

The sand is yellow and the water is a nice turquoise blue, with white peaks forming by the steady wind. There is a resort somewhere behind the rainforest that has grown from the island cay. This is the only island that is on the Great Barrier Reef that has a rainforest on it.

We walk the boardwalk through the trees to find a nice snorkeling location and let the fight begin to find who will be first to use the snorkels.

The boys swim in the warm sun, in the wonderful waters of the Great Barrier Reef. I sat in the shade, watching the Buff Banded Rail fight over the food scraps; they are a small ground-bird hell bent on taking food scraps and biscuits that may be in your hand. One leapt toward my face to try and absconder a biscuit I was snacking on.

Jacqui, Levi and Zeke went for a long dive, spotting fish and a little bit of grey coral. The rest of us took a walk along the boardwalk, past the crocodile house, through the forest.

Glass Bottomed

Below the waters, under the glass bottom boat the fish swam in great numbers. Flowing in and out between rocks and coral. Huge clams sat on the bottom of the sea bed. Small fish of electric blue, swam together with huge fish of black with yellow fins. They all had names that I cannot recollect.

Spaghetti coral waved as the wind blew above the surface. The small boat rocked back and forth and we all looked below, peering through the glass in the bottom of the boat. It was not as pretty as Vanuatu, but it was pretty amazing - like with the desert, it helps if you look long enough to see the creatures that make there homes where we do not.

The guides at the rear of the boat threw some food into the water, bringing fish and seagulls to the surface. Large tropical fish took the food in a frenzy which we couldn't see, the seagulls squawked and took what they could - we were not sure who got the most food out of the fighting animals.

Return Journey

A strong wind and rough waves made for a lumpy ride home. The boat rising and falling as the waves moved below, sometimes taking a leap from the water and crashing back down. I sat at the rear of the boat while Jacqui and the children got a tour of the wheel-house.

"Roughest seas we have had for a while." The skipper said.

They got back to the seats at the front of the catamaran in time for Adeline to vomit from the sea-sickness. They all joined a very unhappy father, who had tried to sleep, at the rear of the boat for the rest of the way home.

Sea sick, or not, we all enjoyed some expensive and all-to-greasy fish and chips for dinner on the Cairns waterfront. Soon the dark clouds rolled in and we drove back down to our free camp to retire and recuperate.

Scenic Railway to Kuranda

Dear Adventurous Reader,

An old railway runs from Cairns up into the mountains beyond. A railway constructed by the labor of many men, facing hardship and death everyday. Today we took the easy path and paid money for the train ride to the small town of Kuranda.

We love trains and railways. All of us like old railways with a story to tell, especially one of hard work, of toil and men of the past shaping a peaceful path through a treacherous mountain. Before the steam engine could make the journey, men went before to forge the path. Pick axes and dynamite used to blast and hack their way through the difficult terrain.

Today engineering is a different feat, we have made it easier for ourselves. In the days of old paths were created on the sweat and shoulders of people who would dare to prove what seemed impassable was not.

There are 15 tunnels hewn from the mountain side, the longest 490 meters. There are many bridges spanning gaps small to large. One bridge is built on one of the two switch backs where you can see the engines pulling up front and the last carriage following behind.

The train slows down on one switchback as it passes a large waterfall. People move from one side of the train to the other, making sure to take a photo or to store an image in their mind. The rain from a few nights ago not going to waste with the magnificent scenery.

The Kuranda Scenic Railway has a video that displays photos at opportune story moments, telling us the tale of the railway's creation. It is neither loud or annoying, often times the children's excited voices drown out the words it speaks to us. It tells tales of wonder and explains magnificent views.

Tourist Town in the Mountains

We pull into Kuranda. The station is surrounded by wonderful green trees and large flowers. There are some steps leading toward the town which we follow.

Kuranda reminds us if Sorento, across the bay from where we live. The prices at the shops also remind is of Sorento. The town seems to run on the tourist dollars that arrive, there are many indigenous, new-age and specialty stores along the street, all catering to the whim of someone looking for a bargain or for a memory.

We walked into the rock candy store, just standing inside that place made your teeth start to decay. There were so many colours and flavours of rock candy to choose from, with a video to demonstrate how it was made. We put that on the list of places to visit on the journey back towards the train.

We ate a cheap lunch of Nutella on bread. We took a brief stroll though the rainforest before rushing back towards the train for the ride home. We spent more time sitting on the train than wandering the streets of Kuranda, although if we had more time we would have walked the rainforest instead of finding shops to take our money.

Down Again

Back down the mountain, making the slow trip with the train again. The same video played but reversed the explanation points. The boys hopped between seats trying to find the best view as the train slowed at important sections, once again. Adeline had the afternoon sleep she had been fighting since lunch.

Kuranda Scenic Railway was a slow ride through some beautiful scenery. We loved the idea of seeing that part of the world by train, in old style carriages, going slowly up the mountain to see the views of Cairns and the forests below.

Come So Far, Seen So Much

Dear Adventurous Reader,

We have spent the past few days in Cairns not doing much at all. We put our feet back on the ground, found our bearings and let our hair down. In other words we: Stopped traveling from place to place so quickly, caught up with work and washing and went for a swim everyday.

Come So Far

Only after seeing the map did we realise how far we had traveled. Three weeks, as fast as the car would take us, up through the middle of Australia. 6,200kms of open road and adventure. We saw two states we haven't been in before, been as far west and north than any of us have been in our lives and driven a longer distance inside three weeks than we normally do in three months. Whirlwind.

Seen So Much

The road is open. The road is long. We are tired. We have seen so much but there is still more. We are a long way from home and the longer we stay here the more refreshed we are and the more enjoyable our travels should be.

So we stop. We swim. We refresh.

So Long, and Thanks for All the Memories

Our good friends, the Millers, are departing our country today. They managed to inspire, educate and encourage us to do something a little different. We spent around ten days getting ready to follow our friends on an adventure that has been so much fun.

I Will Remember...

... hearing the Millers tell stories of their adventures on Friday nights, that is how it all started. Lounging around our living room after eating a large meal, the boys outside in the dark, playing nerf wars in the paddock. We would sit inside telling and listening (mostly listening) to stories of previous adventures.

... sitting in the sun on a lazy afternoon, chatting to Tony over a very long coffee at the local café.

... Bangaroos

... the sun setting against the rocks and trees in Alice Springs, the burnt sienna rocks on the hills glowing between the grey gum leaves.

... Hannah playing the mandolin as the sun passes below the horizon and the breeze turns cool, her tunes setting the mood of the evening - relaxed and chilled out.

... watching Gabe with Adeline, walking down paths holding hands.

... the boys jumping around play fighting with Elisha and Ezra. It seems that any stick could be Thor's hammer in the outback. It would seem that a stick fight is more important than putting a roof over our heads for the night.

... the meals. Eating either what was planned, or what was thrown together from the emergency stockpile. It is amazing what you can accomplish with a single pot.

... Zombie Buses.

... Hannah's knee. Outback Australia left a very impressive imprint.

... driving slowly through hot desert plains wondering how the air conditioning was like in the car following us. I love the Millers so much for journeying through the desert with us and our broken car - thanks for not leaving us on the side of the road.

... sitting under the stars in the outback. It is was long hot day of driving and we finished in an arid landscape, over looking an almost-empty lake. We sat under the black veil of the sky, stars twinkling in the Great Beyond and we chatted, and we laughed.

Then They Went Southwards

Saying goodbye the day you drove off felt unfinished. We had spent such a long time traveling throughout red sands and along long roads that saying goodbye so quickly seemed unlike how things had come to be.

In a way it felt like we would meet again soon. I hope that to be the case.

Millers, you have inspired us, encouraged us and showed us that things can be done a little differently. We are a little ways out of Cairns, in a free camp, in our tent and we are not rushing homeward. This is such a long way from where we were three months ago.

Enjoy your journey home for the winter months. While it may not warm you up, you can remember how hot it was driving across Australia. We will remember that drive for a very long time.

Boulders. It's Beautiful.

There are butterflies in the trees. They are flying around the leaves of trees about 4 metres high. They are tasseling with each other, in an un-orchestrated dance. A few are above the treetops, like little birds.

The River Runs Calmly

Jacqui and the boys went for a swim in the river that runs past here. 15 people have died swimming in unsafe areas. We haven't seen the unsafe areas yet, the eagerness to swim in a clear river surpassed going for a walk.

Down some metal steps and down to the river. There is a large rock that is a landing before stepping into the river, sand is on the river bed. Not too far from the steps there are smooth rocks below the surface. The water is clear, you can see the bottom even though you cannot determine the depth.

The water was cold. But by the time you realise that the temperature of the water at Ocean Grove was freezing in comparison this, the temperature was perfect. The boys went under, some of them finding a landing to jump off. Secluded and not busy, this little place is perfect.

Dinner for Two (families)

We were preparing dinner for the Miller's tonight. They were returning for one final night together before heading south on a fast trip to fly out of Australia, destined (eventually) for home.

We get back to camp and the boys make friends with the children travelling on a bus for a year, we watched them arrive, parking their bus among the tree. They play Uno in their home, shaped as a bus, while Jacqui and I sit outside for a chat with the parents.

I started making dinner. Trying to get the timing right with no communication to the Travelling Millers, the dinner reservation was imprecise. They arrived and we finished off preparations for the meal as the tent was put up.

We stood around the small concrete table listening to tales of diving the Great Barrier Reef, funny jokes told by sea-bound diving instructors and things that had gone right and wrong.

Our last meal together in Australia was great. The rain started after we finished washing up.

Then It Rained

When we get rain at home it gets heavy very occasionally and when it does fall there is not very much. In Cairns the rain falls in plenty and does not let up. We feared a few times our tent would collapse beneath the weight of the rain drops.

It started light. Pattering down as we moved things away for the night, hiding the food in to car to stop attracting some unpleasant. Within ten minutes it was heavy. Causing us to run back and forth to get everything away for the night.

I went to bed so early to avoid the rain that I woke up several times to hear it had not stopped. I could feel the water running beneath our tent.

The rain was alternating between nice and gentle, followed by some big drops that splat on the fly of the tent and they increased until the rain was all "splats", the heavy sound feeling like it would knock the tent over.

It was still raining in the morning.

Cairns. A More Tourist Destination Than We Expected

Dear Adventurous Reader,

Cairns was our coastal destination for a few day of no-travel. We had planned to setup in one spot and enjoy a leisurely swim and take it easy for a few days. It started off bad.

No Miller's at the Moment

We separated from the Miller's this morning. They drove off ahead of us to get to Cairns and get some work done before heading off on a boat for a few days.

Joash said: "I miss Elisha. I am happy that we get to see them in a few days."

Getting There

We left the free camp at Toomula and headed north on the highway. The scenery was magnificent. The road swayed between the ridges of rainforest covered mountains. We went up small hills and down longer descents as we made our way through small towns.

The road was slow and the air was sticky with humidity. Sugar cane grew by the roadside, in some places it was harvested, it was cut and placed into trucks that were talking it to narrow gauge trains. We caught a glimpse of a few trains, under load, delivering the harvested cane to their destination - wherever that was. The boys were excited to see trains in motion.

We moved forward through the heat without a destination.

Arrival, of Sorts

We got to Cairns under pressure. Not place to stay, in a hot car, with boys who were five days ago in Alice Springs. We have been moving too fast and we all wanted to unwind.

After an Escalated Discussion we drove aimlessly through Cairns to find a park. The boys all whining in the back about letting us stay at a Big Four resort, that was not going to happen. Eventually we found the park, a marvellous water park on the waterfront called Muddies. We guess it is there because of the stingers and crocodiles in the ocean.

The boys cooled off and I tried to find a reasonably price place to stay. As it turns out, if you want to be disappointed by your stay in Cairns just let me choose a place to stay. No rainforest, no play park, no silence.

Make Do With What You Have Got

So we are getting by. The camp kitchen is nice. The pool is shaded, so the kids have been swimming lots. We are close by to the Boardwalk in a rainforest, which we walked in the third morning of our stay.

We returned to the water park the second day to meet half of the Miller's before they went off on their next adventure. They boys had a wonderful time running through the water park together.

I think we are all enjoying that the car rides are to the shop or to a watermark and do not consist of a few hundred kilometres. So to complain about our situation would be silly, in a few days we have some good things planned to go and see, so we will enjoy what we have and look forward to the rest.

I Lost My Happy

Dear Adventurous Reader,

Today I lost my Happy. It may have fallen from the car on the long drive heading east. It may have slipped when I was watching the view change. It may have just disappeared because the drive is long and it just the same things on different days.

We have driven four days in a row from Alice Springs. Almost each of those days ended with the thought of water:

A dam near Mt Isa, which was bone dry except the small lake the watered a heard of cattle. They came past in the morning sun to drink and then walked off into the dry surrounds once again, looking for food;

A pool in a small town of Hughendon or Prairie or Torrens Creek or Pentland. We drove east thinking of a pool in Hughendon but it was expensive. So we moved on to Prairie and then to Torrens Creek but no space around to pitch a tent. Finally we stopped at Pentland but it was too late to swim in the pool;

Townsville on the beach. There was the threat of stingers and crocodiles. We were not swimming there.

The Car is Hot

The Australian desert is hot. Our car has been getting across the open tablelands with no air conditioner and the front windows wound down. We have been using the second radiator to help any overheating issues.

The thought of water kept us going over the 2,100km of travel in four days. Windows down in the front doesn't help air flow in the back, the windows are bad in the rear of the Tarago.

We brought a bag of ice to put in drinks and to snack on to keep Jacqui and the little guys cool in the back of the car.

There were showers in Pentland, but it wasn't enough for me to keep my Happy.

On the Coast

We are on the coast. I have been looking forward to this for a while now. It has been a long haul and hopefully the next days start to look up and I can find my happy, somewhere.

The Road Goes Ever Onwards

The sun with no clouds in the sky is melting the asphalt. It smells almost freshly laid.

The wind is blowing from the south, hard. Slowing our already slow travels down. It blows the van sideways, the hot breeze barely cooling the engine.

The kids sit strapped in the back. Hot. Tired. Bored. There is some yelling and some crying. We are all hot and bothered. We travelled more than 700km yesterday and almost 450km today, in the baking sun.

The landscape changes again. The trees disappear over a crest and open planes of the tableland are before us, around us. Hemming us in by the inescapable heat.

Down the road a little there is a herd of cattle blocking the road. Slowing us down to a standstill while they meander where they choose.

Soon the dirt isn't so red. The red tint has faded but is still there if you look hard enough. We come into a town, it is small. The weeds blow across the main street as another road train heads off in the direction we came from.

Finally a stop. Let the car and ourselves recompose ourselves. Lunch is canned tuna on rice cakes. Again.

The wind blows. The heat bears down on us, though we have kept to the shade for our lunch. The boys have played with some water from the tap. We start up again. Hawks and falcons circle in the blue sky.

The landscape changes again. More trees and the rocks and hills that surround Mt. Isa. We turn to the south, the wind blowing directly toward us and the temperature gauge drops. We put the windows down and let the breeze come in.

It is still hot. It feels like it has always been hot.

A quick stop for some food and we push on to find out camp. Past a gate and a short, twisty, dusty road is where we stop. The car has had a long day, pushing the overheating mark. We have had a long day; it was hot outside and even hotter in the car.

The ground is rock. The tent pegs bend when we hammer them in.

On Memory and Forgetting

We tend to remember our story in things that happen. The time we hurt ourself badly on the monkey bars; the embarrassing moment in front of a class room; the difficult transition into adulthood. We tell these stories from our perspective and then write them upon our hearts; as scars, wounds or celebrations.

These are our stories of what happened and if we tell them back to ourselves often enough they block out other stories from our past that we would be better-off remembering.

I remember our last road trip. There were many fights between the boys. There was crying because of being hurt by another, they were mad at each other for being annoying, they were tired of sitting next to each other.

Grumpy kids equals grumpy adults. Grumpy adults means that new trips are considered by distance and how likely the kids are to get into a fight. I was not eager to travel long distance again because of the pain from before.

Kids will be Kids

The problem with taking past experiences into consideration is that you are less likely to take the leap into a new adventure. So watching others take their own adventures from the sidelines is what I have been doing.

Kids should allowed to be children. Traveling in cars is boring to the uninitiated and unpracticed. Being dragged by your parents somewhere that is not interesting, or is a surprise, can be uninspiring.

We got in the car with the kids, on a nice day for a long drive that should take us further than 9,000kms through Australia. We had not practiced, we had to learn as we were on the road.

The boys are learning (slowly) that traveling takes patience with everyone. The older boys are fighting less when they are together. Sometimes it falls apart with a brawl in the backseat, for most of this travel they have been finding things to do or talk about to alleviate their boredom.

Joash is patient in the car, he occasionally will make a noise, but for the most part he takes it well, opting for a colouring book, something to read or just to look out the window.

Elijah is boisterous. He is easily bored. Usually as soon as the door is closed and we find the open road he starts yelling "I'm hungry!". Really, he is bored and nothing entertains him by choice, he must be tricked into being entertained.

Elijah is learning how to travel. I can find him frustrating yelling from the backseat, but he is four years old and he is aloud to be bored. It is up to me to think about and approach the situation with a different mind.

Adeline gets bored after a long stretch of driving, when she is well rested. She loves to run about and roll in the dust, not to be stuck in her seat for 4-5 hours a day. Who can blame her?

For Adeline we just get her something to eat, read a book or talk to her. She loves that close connection so we need to make an extra effort.

Fear is What Keeps Us Here

We can all be scared to do things again because of bad experiences with children. Doing a long road trip was not something I would have considered as fun. I was looking at the past instead of looking toward the future.

Will the kids get bored and find it difficult to travel long distances? Sure they will. But how will they get the chance to change that if they never go on a road trip? How will they get to experience Australia as a whole country if they stayed at home?

It would have been silly of me to pass up a road trip because of past experiences but that was all I could think about. A band I listen to has an album called "Fear is What Keeps Us Here", and it does. The fear to experience those bad things again keeps us from doing something new.

How do you get to see Uluru without driving the hundreds of kilometres through salt-bush and red sand? How do yo get to experience the vast outback along open roads, under the burning sun with not a cloud in the sky, without driving? How could I let my kids grow up in Australia only ever seeing the East Coast?

Getting in the car was the best thing we could do to combat bad travel experiences. We are finding our groove and finding how to travel.

A Problem Encountered is Experience Gained

Bad experiences give us lessons in what we should not do again. The long road trips before were worth it but I was looking at it wrong. It was scared if ending in the same place, instead of seeing what I did as a mistake. I can change my problems with a bit of thought.

I had written the wrong things on my heart the last time we traveled. I remembered the bad, instead of remembering the good. I was dwelling on the fighting instead of the ways around the fighting. A problem encountered is experience gained; only a dummy would tackle the same problem the same way, and I was a dummy - waiting for the boys to change instead of me.

This time I am trying to see where I can change. What different approach can I take, or how can I view a situation differently. If I can walk away from this thinking about heading out again then we have won the battle, I would be writing the best things on my heart instead of the bad.

Uluru, Australia's Great Rock

Dear Adventurous Reader,

Today we went down to Uluru, Australia's very own big rock. It was a magnificent sight, at first popping out above the horizon over the trees and then towering high above us. It was unexpected after our long journey to get here.

Camped out

We are camped at Uluru Camping Resort, the gums are magnificent and the grass is dotted with red sand. The wildlife has made its home close by and we are enjoying the swimming pool. There is an excellent camp kitchen and showers that have heated water. We have paid and also got an extra night, I am enjoying being setup for more than a single night.

Can we go home now?

Voices echoed from the boys at the foot of Australia's great monument, Uluru. "I'm bored." "I'm hot." "I want to go back now!". There is a myriad of terms that they spoke, all trying to find a way back to the swimming pool at our camping ground.

The boys had a point. It was on the way up to 41 degrees celcius and the monument is just a big rock in the middle of Australia. Kids don't find awe in the things that older people do, but part of me is intent on forcing them to enjoy what they are seeing - or at least wait until the memory is burned in their brains.

We have tracked from the south. A long journey fighting against overheating car to be where we are. We should just stay a little longer and enjoy the view.

The boys realise the significance of the land we are on. At this moment, fighting flies, the heat and the blistering sun they are choosing their significant moment to retreat.

We stay just a little longer, in the heat. Watch the big, red rock sit in the sun and then go to the cultural centre.

Sunrise

I watched the sunrise over the burnt earth and saltbush trees that cover the ground between the horizon and Uluru.

The sun hung below the horizon, taunting the sky just a moment longer before rising. The yellow reflection of the rays and the bright circle of the sun rose slowly above the edge of the earth.

I tools some photos. They don't capture the moment, but they define the memory.

Three Night Before The Rock

We stay for three nights at the camp ground. On the third day it almost rained; some water fell from the sky, but not enough to be called rain.

The boys explored some cultural dances and learn about boomerangs and spears. They came back to camp holding their new boomerangs, big smiles on their faces. Joash got to painting his very quickly and the others followed.

They enjoyed the afternoon throwing boomerangs in the open spaces near the shared kitchen. Adeline enjoyed the dust, playing in it every opportunity she got.

It wasn't so hot the next few days. We took that as a good sign and went on a walking tour to learn about the Mala people.

Leaving

We drove away, watching the national monument disappear behind the desert dunes.

It was a hard trek to see Uluru. The road was long and hot, the journey was tiresome and after all of the problems we still got to see it. I guess that is the way it should be sometimes, if it is too easy you have missed the experience.

Alice Springs: The First Visit

Dear Adventurous Reader,

Today we made it to Alice Springs. For the distance we have covered and how the car has been I am glad to be here, even if we did drive past Uluru for now.

Toward Alice

Wind blew in little "wind devils", moving across the highway, it was not working against us. The car forged onwards, now without the vibrations that made the baby sing yesterday. We stopped at the border for a break and some photos, the heat was present but not oppressive.

After the mucking about at Marla we all decided it would be best with the heat to get the car checked out at Alice Springs. Making our way across the desert with the heat before us and an uncertain car was not something we wanted to do.

We stopped for lunch at a roadside diner. Some of us enjoyed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, some of us tuna on rice cakes. We reluctantly got back in the car to resume the journey after lunch; our lunch stops have been getting longer.

Arrival at Alice

The mountains grew from the flatlands a few kilometres from Alice. We wound through the red rocks on the highway. Excitement was growing, we were arriving at a big town and to get out of the car. Eventually signs of civilisation grew amongst the rocks and we drove to the intersection that turned directly into Alice Springs.

We stopped the car and took a picture. We had driven all the way to Alice Springs. The car had made it. We had made it and hadn't injured many people. We could get the car looked at but it hasn't overheated today.

Camping in a Park

The rocks burnt red with the sun setting behind us. The gum leaves on the trees, which looked grey in the sun, took on a green tint as the sun went down to sleep.

The boys took delight in feeding the rock wallabies. Adeline enjoyed it too, until one made a small movement to sniff her and she got scared, and cried, and wanted her Mumma.

Meanwhile, Tony and I drove around Alice springs looking for a mechanic. We found a radiator shop but they had closed. We found a mechanic where the office clerk diagnosed a blown head gasket. I phone booked in a radiator check the next day.

We returned to camp with nothing but a little hope of a fixed car.

We stayed up a little that night. Swapping stories of previous adventures as the night deepened. The stars seemed to shine brightly as the city lights are further away in the outback and the clouds had blown away with the wind.

Stuck: How to Assume Problems

We are in Marla. A town where we would have stopped to get petrol. A town bypassed by the Stuart Highway. A town that we would not have remembered on long travels, except maybe by a receipt found from my wallet when I was cleaning it out in three months. But here we are; talking to the staff at the rest stop; watching travellers come and go; waiting for a phone call from the RACV.

The kids are out under some trees in the nice breeze blowing off the outback open roads. They had run under a sprinkler, eaten lunch and asked questions about what was happening. Now they are under the trees, listening to a story - The Princess Bride. I had planned to read it to them but Tony has started. I think they will love it.

Stopping in Marla was not a plan. We are around half the distance into our planned journey for today but we have been stopped by a car refusing to go further. I could limp the car along the road but it would probably leave us in the desert on the side of the road, or like the roadside carnage dotted along the side of the highway. It is not worth pushing it further.

I am not sure if there is a way to plan for breakdowns. We planned ahead as best we could. The car went in for a service a few days before we left and nothing was flagged. The mechanic said "She is in great nick mechanically, even though she is a bit rough to look at." That gave me some confidence in the car, until two days ago, on the drive to Coober Pedy it started overheating.

This is something we have dealt with before: we took a long drive out to Beeac for a Christmas lunch, only to spend the afternoon sweltering in the car because we needed to use the "second radiator"; with a standard car you would call it a heater, in our car the heater is the second radiator. Just push the gauge onto hot and watch the gauge drop to normal levels again.

Last time this happened it was the water pump, which was followed by fixing a head gasket. Surely it cannot be happening this close to getting the gasket fixed. I guess we will see.

How It Happened

We were asked to come on this trip by the MIllars. They blew into our town and took us away on a magic carpet, a whirlwind adventure. The thought of seeing some of the outback and Australia's great monuments with great company was an opportunity we couldn't pass up. So we didn't. We made lists, we packed for everything possibility we could think of and within twelve days had our car and six kids all packed up ready to depart.

I had some doubts about the car but the mechanics words and my optimism for a smooth ride was all we needed. So I thought.

It first started playing up towards Coober Pedy. The temperature gauge started rising and so did my suspicions on the coming days, with temperatures set to increase to 38 degrees celcius.

I took it into the local mechanic and told him my woes. He pointed at a old pickup and said his car did the same thing on the roads, the wind blows across the front of the car instead of in towards the radiator. The car overheats. But because I hung around a little longer he invited me to bring the car around the back to have a look at.

They took a closer look at the radiator and blew some compressed air through it. Said it was okay and didn't take any of my money. I guess they see plenty of suckers come in after underestimating the vast and brutal place the is the australian outback.

We saw some sights and camped underground. Then we left on our scheduled departure.

Marla. Where the Bloody Hell is Marla?

Above 80km per hour the car got a shudder. It was not too bad at first, but it started to get worse. Adeline was sitting in the back of the car making a noise that sounded like someone was patting her back. She was entertaining herself, I was getting worried.

The car had a shudder and for the past 70km we had had the heater on the entire time. Something was wrong and I was beginning to think the head gasket was gone. We pulled into the Marla service station and I went in to make a call to the RACV. It turns out the closest service point was Marla, so we didn't get a tow and the local mechanic wouldn't even look at the car.

I waited and chatted to the man behind the counter. His name is Nick and he didn't mind the conversation. Finally the RACV lady called back, she sounded concerned but kept saying "You sound stuck." and "You've got thinking to do." Well, I knew I was stuck but her suggestion of thinking wasn't really in the RACV brochure.