Finally a hot shower.

Yesterday we visited Sale botanic gardens and walked around the lake. We found a little building in the gardens that had unlocked power points and we thought we had hit pay dirt. "quick get the camera, laptop, phones and charge them!" to our utter disappointment there must have been a mains switch that was not on so...no power.

A drive down the coast along 90 mile beach as suggested by Brad Lemon was well worth it. The beach views are spectacular and it looks like the beach goes on forever. It is isolated country, wild and unforgiving. After living in the desert for 3 years I thought it was the most unforgiving landscape. This coastal stretch is just as harsh; the waves batter the sand, the wind howls and the vegetation hangs on for dear life.


We have given in and paid for an unpowered site for two nights at a sweet caravan park in yarram. A hot shower was to say the least...awesome!

It's All About Food.

It was all about the food yesterday...as it usually is for us

First thing in the morning M makes us a great latte on our Atomic coffee machine. He is such a good barista and I am so lucky to have a coffee every morning!

We had truffles in Lakes Entrance. Each little truffle was handmade and decorated on top. Four of the alcoholic ones were equal to 1 standard drink and I thought this was amazing! M had a lemon one and I had coconut. They were thick as you sank your teeth in and the inside was like fudge. Mmmm

Afer a run on the beach we showered in the free and cold beach showers and then followed a food and wine trail through rural Gippsland in Victoria. The countryside is bright green and the gum trees huge as you take winding roads and follow hand drawn maps to little farms that are growing and selling theirown produce.

The roads followed a river and our first stop was a berry farm. The raspberries were so good that they burst in yourmouth when you chew on them.They were delicate and just a little sweet.

NExt stop was a blueberry farm where they had blueberry everything. Soap,hand cream, candles and Christmas Decorations.
The blueberries from here are bright purple and were picked that morning. We had them on our breakfast thismorning and they were delish.

Finally a fruit farm. I cannot even tell you how amazing the peaches are from this farm. They are firm and sweet with an after taste that will rock your world. They are the best peaches I have ever had and I wish we could share them with you all. Shop purchased peaches will never compare.

We finished off with a winery and then we were on the road again!
Love K

If this was a video game...

A great day was had in Eden. It was our first look at a beach in 12 months and like a true country kid at the first sight of the ocean I yelled; “I can see it, I can see the ocean! Woo!”

At the servo the owners were from Orange so we had a good chat about home as we purchased fishing licences, bait and fuel.

Our first stop was the Whale Museum where we met “Old Tom” and read of the amazing stories of the whalers and their families. The Killer Whales used to heard the whales that were hunted into the bay. There reward was the lips and tongue of the kill. A great piece of history preserved very well in Eden.

We fished with little success, having no knowledge of coastal fishing I was very happy when I caught a tiny little fish that someone said was a ‘bait fish’. I threw him back as a felt to mean to actually use him for bait.

The best part about Eden was the shower. Its amazing how you take running water for granted. It was a beach shower out in the open but with our swimmers on we used it as a real shower and washed our hair and ourselves. Clean campers are happy campers.

As I look around our campground tonight in the Victorian Eucalyptus Forests I can see our clothes line strung from tree to tree. M looks at me and says; “If this was a video game we would have leveled up...we have a clothesline.” It seems he is correct. We seem to be getting a little better at this.

Then...it started to rain.

To be continued. KnM.

Spag Bowl, Showers and a little Shouting!

First meal we cooked: Spag Bowl = excellent.

First shower: Day 3 in the middle of a free camp, out in the open, after a 5km run, with luke warm water = passable.

First Fight: The sleepy town of Delegate where my ancestors came from. I took us on a 'scenic drive' which turned out to be an awful dirt road! Sorry M!

Deligate was excellent though and I found pictures and graves of my relatives on my Dad's side. Having grown up with few other people with the same last name as me it was great to see people of the same kin.

We found a photo of a relative with the same 'bum' chin as my Dad. All in all it was great.

In terms of the actual camping stuff it is kind of hard work...I knew it would be but everything from cooking to washing to showering is a huge operation, I can see how in the olden days it took all day to feed and wash a family. It does make you appreciate the small things though like hot water.

The scenery is beautiful and tonight we are camped in a rainforest so there is no complaining here!
LoveKnM

The Magic Book

This most wonderful and magic book was given to us by Kathy T.

It is the bible for all travelers whom tow their homes or carry them on their backs (or in their cars).

The book shows you every free camp in Australia; what facilities are available and if there is phone service etc.

All the oldies have the magic book.

Yesterday we stayed at a free camp outside Cooma that had toilets. We ran into an older couple that had a light truck towing a big caravan. He was telling us that normally he brings his harley and it fits in the truck! The man looked like Wyatt Earp and was very kind. He asked us if we would like to borrow his chainsaw, generator or metal detector! The mans truck was like Mary Poppins bag...stuff just kept on coming and coming out of it.

Wyatt asked us how long we had been on the road and we felt very embarrased to tell him "two days". He laughed in a Cowboy and Western kind of way.

The free camps in Cooma and Eden so far have been great so fingers crossed our luck continues!

KnM

Martha Johnson

Night 1: we were very lucky to stay at Miss Martha Johnsons House!

We arrived in Moss Vale and after seeing some of the lovely houses around I started to hope that Martha lived at a Ranch!

Moss Vale is lovely and while we were there it was a little like Faulks from the Twilight books...all misty and cloudy.

Martha met us in the street and directed us to her lovely house where we were welcomed with open arms. A big thank you to her and her lovely family for the baked dinner, local wine, and hospitality.

We stayed in Martha's house and subsequently felt a little fraugelent towing a camper trailer around with us! A hot shower and power points were an added bonus.

We even took a walk around Moss Vale and fed some horses...a first for M! Thank you to Martha, David, Jacinta, Leah and Mary for your hospitality and pancake breakfast.

Day 2 is underway...stay tuned.

 KnM

Right: Martha and Leah cooking pancakes.

The Adveture Begins...Finally!

Day 1: Australia Day.
Packed Mendoza the ute, checked air, waters, tyres, batteries, bearings.

Said to my Dad: "Are you proud of us for travelling around Australia?" His reply: "You have not done it yet!"

A phone call from Kathy Tildsley made us feel better when she said, "You are resourceful and smart you will be fine." Thank you Kathy your words ring in my ears and make me feel better.

A phone call from Dion on what he calls Invasion Day to wish us well.

I look over at my Husband and I cannot believe we are really doing this. I feel nervous and excited and a bit sick!

Saying goodbye to my family was the hardest part. Saying goodbye to my Grandparents was the worst. They are amazing and have helped me so much in our life and so much inpreparation for this trip. Pa helped us sharpen our tommohawk and gave us his home made sinkers for fishing. I know as we drive away from them that they will never be as well as they are when I look at them at this moment and that is tough. 12 months is a long time and I dont know how they will be on our return.

Leaving the puppy was hard and M found this particularly gut wrenching.

As we hit the road to Gooloogong and I am over the emotional stuff I just feel...well...free. An overwheling sense of freedom.

No job, no worries, no bills, if I forgot something who cares cause I will not die without it.

So...here we go!!!!

Australia Day Eve- Day -1

I had intended to write this post about our setup a week after my first post but have been very slack. It is the day before the big trip and I feel I need to pick up the slack during our break between packing. Krystal has summed up our few weeks in Sydney and Canberra so I'll write a little bit about our car and our gear.

Our set up is fairly low budget and we don't aim to be flashy. We bought a banged up Nissan Navara (2004) 4x4 with 150,000 km in Wilcannia back in 2009. At the time, it had plenty of dents and a very offensive odour in the cabin. This was thanks to the owners keeping animals and possibly freshly killed carcasses inside. You're probably thinking that this was not worth looking at but it was only $9000 for a 5 y.o. car. My mechanic friend said it was easily worth $15k and it only need a good clean and service.

Since then, Mendoza (the car) has taken us around the NSW, SA and NT outback. We've added a canopy, driver's lights, a dual battery system and a few additional dents! (I hate ballards when reverse angle parking!!) We've been slowly accumulating our camping needs with a fridge, ice box and a pop top camper trailer. The trailer was an opportunistic buy as the owner was desperate to sell and we got it for $2,200 with new canvas!

Other additions include a 40L footwell water tank that sits on the back seat floor; a CUSTOM made false floor that cost $50 worth of timber and a case of beer to my friend Harry Prescott; a set of draws from the reject shop that sit on the back seat. We have most of our kitchen gear and clothes in plastic tubs that stack neatly in the tray-tub. It also comes in handy to know a brother in law who is a metal worker. Jake welded a few brackets onto the trailer to fit a gas cylinder, fuel jerry and a tool box!!

But, most exciting of all is that we have an Atomic coffee machine! We can make gourmet coffees on the road without a power supply!! booyay kasha!

First Stop: Moss Vale

Dog Blog

This blog post is dedicated to our loyal companion...Ormiston our blue healer. With a name like Ormiston you would think he may be a little posh but no he is a Broken Hill local (or A Grader) and has been with us since he was a puppy. He is a bit of a sook and really likes cuddles. 

During this summer break he has been staying with my Husbands family and the result is that he is now fluent in Cantonese. This morning as we said good bye to the in laws they were more concerned with missing Ormiston than they were with missing us. We will not see them for 12 months as we travel around the country but again all they could do was tell Ormiston how much they love him!

Thank you to the in laws for looking after him.

I hear you ask...what will we do with our dog on our trip? Well as much as we would like to take him with us I cannot stand the hair! We also plan to stay in National Parks and they do not allow dogs. So we are leaving him with my parents. They do not speak Cantonese, only English, and Mum cannot say his name she calls him Orbison like Roy Orbison the singer. Despite these downfalls they will make good baby sitters.

My husband is heart broken that we are leaving him behind and all he can say is..."I miss our puppy". We have not even left yet!

So this blog post is dedicated to Ormiston...see you when we get back...we love you very much.
Love Mum and Dad.

Chinese New Years Day

Chinese New Years day and I am practicing my 'happy new year' in Cantoneese. My husband says that instead of saying 'happy new year' I am saying 'happy birthday' no wonder people are looking at me funny!

Lion Dancing at City bank was great fun and we topped it off with a walk through China town!

My sister in law and I then visited the Harry Potter exhibition at the Power House Museum and all I have to say is...wingardium leviosa! It was fantastic. We say all the props from the movies including the diodem and dobby. 

It was well worth the $32 entry fee. I purchased a chocolate frog for my little brother and it comes with a wizard card...here is hoping it is dumbledore.

Hope you are all well out there in the real world and that those going back to school are ready spaghetti!

Krystal

How to store your cutlery?!?

Thank you to Donna, Sean and Paige McCarthy for our wonderful cutlery roll. It is canvas and lets us store our knives safely. It is custom made and such an awesome thing to have!

Chinese New Year

The Year of the Dragon.

The beat of the drums can be felt through the soles of your feet as you stand at the temple on Chinese New Year. The vibrations flow up your body and it adds to the atmosphere and excitement of the event. Glebe Temple was our venue of choice to celebrate Chinese New Year as a family for the first time. There was a Dragon and Lions in amazing colours that paraded into the Temple. The movement was enhanced with the sweet and sickly smell of incense as people made their prayers for the year ahead. The crowd was about 2000 deep as everyone wanted to be the first to place their incense and their prayers for the year of the Dragon.

My Mother in Law was like a little footballer pushing her way into the crowd so we could get the best view of everything, nothing could stand in her way as she elbowed through all the while smiling and nodding. I hope our children inherit some of her skill to be used on the sporting field.

My sister in law was crafty and quick on her feet as she snuck us up the side entrance of the temple to see the Lions bowing at the alters.

My Father in law purchased some incense and we proceeded in a conga line type fashion to placde our incense and say our prayers.
How anyone could have a quiet chat with god/s in such a mad, crazy, loud environment I dont know but it all seemed to work out!
Red envelopes were given and received for the new year and for the first time we gave a red envelope with money in it to my husbands sister as we are now a married couple.

Next year I hope I can share this amazing experience with some members of my own family.

Happy Chinese New Year...may your year of the Dragon bring all that your heart desires.


3 days until we depart on our epic adventure.
Krystal.

Down vs synthetic sleeping bag?

Purchased a new sleeping bag from Kathmandu. Decided on synthetic due to the cheaper price. It is -2 rated and I paid $120 for it. I am sure it will provide a better nights sleep.

Camping in the ACT.

Another little camping expedition was in order before Australia day...just to make sure we had everything we needed. We left e-town (Eugowra) for the uninitiated and headed for the ACT.
My bridesmaid and BFF Bridgid lives in Canberra with her lovely hubby and perfect little girl and we wanted to see them before we left.

Night 1: tidbinbilla state park.
A great camp ground for $16 a night. Hot showers and flush toilets. Fire places and green grass.

Sight seeing: Gebraltar Falls (picture on left) about 60km from Canberra n 2 mins from the tidbinbilla campsight. Beautiful!

Problems: Krystal's sleeping bag is too small and it makes for an unhappy camper!
2 buckets are needed because you don't want to shower from the bucket that you have
Washed up greasy plates n pans in.

Night 2-4: bridgid's house. Lovely house, great bed, hot showers and wonderful company thank you for having us.

Signing off...Krystal from KnM Adventures

Departure date

A departure date has been decided upon...Australia day 2012. The jjj hot 100 while driving down the coast to see miss Martha Johnson in moss vagas!

Leaking Jerry

Did you know that you have to tighten the plug on a water Jerry before you fill it? Now I do! All the way to abercrombie caves with a leak! All fixed now and ready for our departure around Australia.

Preparation for our big trip

4th Janurary 2012
The insurance debacle!
Did you know you cannot insure property that you are going to carry in your vehicle under your contents insurance if your contents is in a storage shed. Fail.
So wecan insure the navara, the trailer and the contents of the storage shed but only if it is in the storage shed.
A new plan was needed because our most valuable things will be in the navara with us...camera, laptop and fridge.
To solve the problem we are cleaning out a very old room in a grandparents house to store our contents in. This will allow us to take out "portable insurance" protecting the contents of our navara.
It's all very complicated!
Dead mouse count: 1
Loads taken to the tip: 1
A clean room to store our gear in: half ready
It's the journey not the destination...but we haven't even started yet!