For the last couple of years we have joined the hordes of grey nomads as they leave the southern half of Australia heading for warmer weather in the north of the Country.  It is exciting and a little bit sad at the same time.

Invariably the weather is still holding a little bit of warmth, the final roses are still peeking out and the autumn leaves are beautiful.  Packing up the house, so the house sitter can move on in, I am almost envious that they will get to enjoy my little home while I am camping out in less salubrious surrounds.  I carefully make sure the winter veggies are planted and the garden is bedded down with a thick straw mulch.  The gardener has instructions about when to prune the roses and fruit trees.  The tulips are all in the fridge ready for me to throw in pots, when I make a quick dash home to check that everything is OK.

The  campervan comes out of storage, dragged onto the road and opened up, with the hope that it hasn’t become a mouldy cesspit of leaking canvas while it has been ignored over summer in preference for the boat.

Carefully planned preparations are enacted, essential equipment for the months ahead stashed in cupboards and draws.  Free range beef and lamb from local farms, spice rubs, ginger, turmeric and garlic roots and all the final summer herbs are vac packed and frozen down ready to be dragged around the country with us.

Then one morning, we are off.

This year we drove via Murray Bridge in South Australia, staying at a great dog friendly marina and caravan park that is right on the bank of the Murray River.

Beautiful house boats line the marina, begging for a return visit in the spring / summer.  Unfortunately after not seeing rain for over 3 months, it hit us on our first night away.  Winds of 50kms an hour rocked the little campervan and the accompanying rain meant dinner was a roast chicken from the 7-11!!  We ended up with two poodles snuggled under the doona with us, for an early night.

 

 

Then onto Lake Hart one of the most beautiful inland lakes in Central Australia.  Past the colourful molehills of Coober Pedy, onto the green oasis of Marla (also dog friendly) and finally to Alice Springs.  Alice Springs will be our winter base for the next few months, with a backyard that includes icons like the Macdonnell Ranges, Devil’s Marbles and Uluru I am sure there will be lots of exploring to do.