After a short walk around the caravan park, I discovered a Bob Jane T-Mart at the back of the park, so toddled off there as the first stop to see if we can get a spare tyre for the trailer - nup! But they did measure the tyre and gave me the info and as it is an unusual size - old Ford rim, which they did not have in stock. They can order, but would not appear for a couple of days and said to try in Pt Augusta as they have a big warehouse there. OK! Found another small tyre place in Waikerie and he also measured the tyre again, confirmed it was an old sized rim, didn't have one and suggested a wreckers or old tyre yard. Happy that we had all new tyres though and a repair kit.
Toddled off and wondered why my neck was cold. Discovered the back window was open and my jacket was slowly disappearing to the roadway. Stop and check the window and could not get the electric window button to work.....shite! Lightning thought - try back seat window button. The brain obviously is a little slow in the morning.....my handbag was sitting on the window button, so of course it would not work. :-(( Is this the hint of things to come?
We head off to Burra heritage township which will take us to Spalding and Crystal Brook. Fill with fuel and check oil as oil light has come on. The local gent who owns the petrol station then advises not to turn the trailer around, but go 8 kms down the road, right at the roundabout, turn left at the T-intersection and you are back on the road to Crystal Brook..........not quite! Yes, a "back road" to Crystal Brook, not back on the road to Crystal Brook. So wending and winding our way to Truro and then have to go to Clare to get to the highway. I did not want to go this way! Shite! As it was a very winding road, it slowed our progress albeit there was no traffic, so we were not slowed down in that respect but a small road. Not happy.
Before leaving Burra, Vivski decided to recheck the map and took off down the road, unaware that Claire had put her coffee on the dashboard; not good as the dashboard sloped downwards, hence coffee all over Claire, all over the dash, all over the paperwork - hilarious!
What can I say about the weather! A lot!! Started out as a good day and deteriorated rapidly. From spot showers to absolute downpours and coming finally into Port Augusta, was almost torrential in spots. Didn't feel it was fair on Claire to hand over the driving in such conditions as the car is not familiar to her and I was very happy to finally see a signpost that said "Port Augusta"! As we had led such a merry trailer dance over half of South Australia(!), Pidge did advise, as every homing pigeon should, that we were really on the road to Port Augusta - trust her, she's a glider pilot!!
Before arriving on the right road to Port Augusta, we went through Gladstone and arrived at a rail crossing that was flashing and with railway bogies all linked up across the tracks from end to end. Waiting, waiting, waiting and wondered how long we would wait. Whilst wondering, I did notice in the rear mirrors that locals were deviating down another road and decided to back up as one of those roads had said to Crystal Brook.
Just before backing up, a lovely local lady pulled up beside me and told me that the track could be out of action for an hour to an hour and a half! Yikes, just what I didn't want as we would be travelling in the dark - no way!
So backed up the trailer and this lovely lady guided us out through the back of town to another road that would get us onto the main road to Pt Augusta. What a fantastic example of country hospitality and care. Thank you so much!
Finally on the main road to Port Augusta and arrived at 17.30 SA time (thank god for winding the clock back half an hour!)
Arrived into the Big 4, not ringing beforehand, and because of so many contractors in town, there were no cabins. Yikes! Claire and I just looked at each other and thought - Uh Oh! The kind staff at the Big 4 rang around a couple of motels (all caravan parks booked out) and the motel next door had a room and could also take the trailer - how about that! So glad to be in the room. Went and got some Indian food, a bottle of wine and to work on the blog and watch Masterchef grand final. So nice to rest and a smaller journey tomorrow.
Next leg....onward and upward!
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