6th February
A long time between blog entries so a bit to catch up on.
We completed a housesit for a week in Adelaide over the Christmas period. Just 2 cats to mind so a pretty straight forward experience in an inner city suburb.   We had a very enjoyable Christmas Day with Brendan and then headed off from Adelaide on 27th Dec.  Managed to put a small hole in the cladding of the van when driving it out of where it was parked at Brendan's.  Murphy's Law that we have travelled 25,000kms through rough as roads and managed to do this on a piece of guttering !!  Sent photos of the damage to a caravan repairer who quoted $10,000 to repair -  WHAT ??????  said it would need the whole side replaced.  No way.  So we spoke to the caravan manufacturer in Melbourne who is happy to repair the area at a fraction of the cost when we are back in Melbourne and it wont require an insurance claim.

Decided to travel south of Adelaide to the start of the Murray River and follow it through to Victoria.  We were travelling through the peak season including school holidays so wanted to avoid the Great Ocean Road option.  This was a good decision as it let us see parts of South Oz and Victoria that we hadn't travelled before.  We had no problems finding great spots along the river with no issues regarding space/ availablility.  So plenty of bush camping up until we got to Berri and Renmark where we encountered a heatwave of above 45 degrees for days on end.  Bailed to caravan parks over this period as air con was a life saver as well as having access to a swimming pool ( couldn't get motivated to swim in the Murray - its very muddy and not at all inviting looking albeit lovely camping alongside of it).  We basically rode out the heat wave by watching the Ozzie Open Tennis - at least there was something that could kill some of the  time in a van with all windows closed and blinds shut ( day and night !)

Along the Murray there is a ferry system for getting across to little towns etc.  It is deemed to be a road system so no charge and they run 24/7.  Became a pretty standard way of crossing from one side of the river to the other.

In Mildura ( Victoria) still riding out the heat wave and woke at 2am to a very strong smell of smoke.  Outside was really thick with it.  Nothing on phone or TV about it and within half an hour it had cleared. In the morning it transpired that there had been a wind change and this had brought the smoke in from a bushfire about 30kms away.  People pretty unfazed by it - said yeh they had smelt the smoke too but no need to do anything ! Something we hadnt experienced - makes you very aware of how close things get during the fire danger period.  Next day we went to a bushcamp as we had planned but after being there during the day decided it was too islolated ( only ones there which is usually a bonus) and no cell phone cover.  So travelled another few kms to an area that had other people and was just near a township.  No other close calls but not wishing it to happen again either

So we travelled along the Murray until we got to Echuca in Victoria.  Full circle from the beginning of our travels in May.  We arrived for Australia Day long weekend where we met up with Marsha and family as well as some friends of Marsha and Justin.  It was a lovely way to meet up again with the grandies who had a lovely time at the caravan park and all the activities it provided.
Finn stayed with us for a night after we left Echuca en route back to Melbourne.  He was a pleasure and so excited about sleeping in the caravan with Nanny and Grandad.

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 At end of Nullabor in a little place that had the littlest laundromat ever !

 A typical camp spot - often only us or only a couple of others.  Great.  You can see the rig and how close the spots generally were to the river bank and bush setting

 An historic town called Morgan which is at the north west part of the Murray River in South Oz

 A typical sunset along the Murray

Another view of a sunset on a very still night - stunning

A little place called Barham where this original lift bridge enables you to travel from Victoria on one side and NSW on the other other side of the Murray River

 Camping at Echuca.  Great weather.

 On a paddlesteamer at Echuca- historical town which featured on a movie " All the Rivers Run".

 Big bro in control

Think we may have to downsize to this if we keep putting dings in the van- did another one exiting from the caravan park at Euchuca.  However- a bit of serrindipity - always felt there was a lack of area to put the generator into so the caravan manufacturer is going to put a locker into the area that got the second ding !!! again without having to make an insurance claim

Finn ready for school and Neko ready for Daycare

So we have had over a week in Melbourne enjoying immersing ourselves with the family again and appreciating some home comforts.  Will probably head off again next week for some more terrains around Victoria.