Where is Julia?

40 days and 40 nights is

 what  it felt like coming off the Nullaboor today. After 5 days stopping at dirty, smelly, rubbishery 24 hour stops – although we did stay 2 nites in one, we came over the hill and into civilization – well it felt like it – we saw manicured paddocks and a farm gate as we drove through Nundroo.

The Nullaboor Plain is aptly named – the treeless plain. There were a few caravans etc on the road-not as many as I would have expected. Each night there were on average 8 in the camping spot. We look for those blue ‘P’ signs and also use the camp 5 book which describes the camping spot to us. These camp spots are free-some have smelly toilets and dirty water which is free. Although rubbish bins are provided rubbish accumulates everywhere-how does toilet paper get up a tree?

We were treated to some severe storms at Balladonia – one minute you are having your evening red and snap-just like that the temp drops the wind changes and POW-the black clouds roll in, thunder and lightning all around, over the top of us then as it moves away to the east we are treated to a laser show – fork/sheet lightning hitting the ground.

Now we are at Penong – famous for the windmills – apparently a windmill for every resident. Tomorrow we head out to Cactus Beach for 1-2 weeks-no cell phone coverage. This beach is famous for a shark attack years ago and surfer’s haven. We are hoping for some fish/oysters….

Superman's friends....

Imagine cycling from Perth to Wagga Wagga on your road bike towing your trailer that holds your guitar, skateboard, tent, food etc. One day at Madura I met Rennie from France. He is cycling from Freo to Wagga Wagga to meet his friends. He let me play his guitar.

Another day Muz and I were sitting in the tree and along came Julia… she loves to hide…

And then there was the camel – who wasn’t very friendly and the little boy in the park who didn’t mind having his photo taken.

Housekeeping...

Brenda writes….

Many of you have asked about our rig etc so here are some facts….

We are driving, well Murray is driving most of the time – only because he has more experience in the wet windy weather – a Nissan Patrol 3 lit GU automatic diesel 4wd-known as the Truck. Inside at the rear Murray has built drawers – the top one houses his stuff and the bottom drawer is the pantry holding all the food repeats – when we take food from the pantry we record it-ready for our next big shop.

Also we have a 40 litre waeco fridge/freezer that runs off the truck battery. We have 2 truck batteries – with a switch that allows us to run either the fridge or the truck or both. As we drive the switch is turned to both. The waeco also runs off 240 volt. Generally we are able to keep this charged at -14deg. Also we run 2 solar panels that gives us 800 watts each. These can be used to charge the truck battery and also directly to the van battery.

The truck fuel tank and sub tank hold a total of 120 litres.  We also carry 20lit spare diesel on the back of the van. The cost of fuel on the Nullaboor has been exhorbiant – averaging $1.89 lit, sometimes over $2 lit – with the easterly wind blowing and travelling around 87-95 kms-just to keep the revs under 2500 = we are chewing through the gas!!

We are towing a Goldstream Explorer Off Road Pop Top – 14.6ft-lovingly known as the ‘ensuite on wheels’-it was the smallest pop top that we could find that had a shower/toilet, also a double bed made up all the time. Superman and Muz sleep on the small drop down/dinette table which converts to a single bed.

Inside we have a 3way, (gas, power, 240volt), 40 litre fridge with small icebox. For cooking there are 3 burner gas elements and a fan above that runs off the van battery. We also have a microwave which we can use when the genie or we have 240volt power.

When there is no sun to charge we will run the genie. This is a 2.4volt Kipor – which will run the aircon/reverse cycle heating that we have inside the van.

There is plenty of storage in the van, under the bed we have 2 large plastic bins which hold our linen, wet weather gear, wine, art stuff, ukeles. My knitting/jigsaws and extra food is kept here. Food we use is kept under the dining seat in bins. Our clothes live in a narrow deep cupboard-about 800x300x400-divided in half.

On board the ensuite on wheels we carry 3 x55lit water tanks-these have separate fills and gauges inside the van.

We also have a hot water cylinder that holds 14 litres of water that is heated via gas.

We carry 3 x 9kg gas bottles.

Drinking water – this is water that we know the source of – is carried in the truck in 2x 10 lit and 1 x20lit containers with taps.

Cooking – this takes up a large part of our day and is entirely flexible. We don’t eat much meat now so we don’t need to concern ourselves with remembering to take meat from the freezer.

We have an eco pot – like a dream pot/shuttle cooker. This is just like a huge thermos that fits a billy tin – or inner pot. You cook the meal in the inner pot – get it boiling then drop into the thermos shut the lid and leave for 4-8 hours, by the time you get to your destination you have a scrummy cooked meal waiting for you. There is also a smaller pot that sits on top on the bigger pot and in this you can cook rice, pudding, potatoes etc. Apart from starting the meal off on the stove top, no further fuel is needed.

I cook corn silverside, casseroles, curries, chicken, lentil soup. We also make our yoghurt by using our easyio jar and putting 1inch of boiling water into the thermos, putting in the jar and 10hrs later we have yoghurt. The pots also become our cooking pots for other foods.

We have a camp oven – which is a heavy cast iron pot with lid that we cook roasts, bread, same food as above, but we need a fire for the fuel.

Another method is using the Kamp Kooker. Take a large colander, place in the bottom a smaller container – in here place the green fuel(compressed coconut husks), poke 4 roads through the colander holes to make the oven rack, then put the camp oven on top. To create more heat, put a wok – upside down on top and hey presto you have your own kamp kooker. This is an ideal way to cook in a closed fire season – as you can keep your fuel contained. We have made cakes and puddings this way and of course all food that would normally go into the camp oven. Also you can grill fish by putting a trivet on top of the steel rods.

And another method is Murray’s fire on the side of the road……

Entertainment… we read – how those paperback exchanges are worth their weight in gold- camping grounds are a cheap source 1/1 and a gold coin donation to the flying drs, play scrabble/ crib, cards, listen to music/radio on our cd/mp3player/radio, upwords, crosswords, knit, smoke cigars, talk to the boys, potter, write, talk, text, email, fishing, walking, exploring, and try to be a tourist.

yarn bombing

Superman writes.....

I have a new friend – Muz – he is Murray’s friend too and he is a gorilla who came from Bali. Murray calls us ‘his boys’ and he takes us out and sits us down to watch him make the fire to cook the bread. One morning we spent all day with Murray – we watched him gather the firewood, chop it with his new axe, light the fire, knead the bread – we had to wait very patiently – in fact we fell asleep waiting. Murray had a cigar while he waited for the bread to rise, then he banged it on the table and finally he put the bread into a cast iron pot with a lid called a camp oven.

By this time the fire had died down and was a grey/white colour. Murray spread these ashes out and put the oven on top and placed some ashes on the lid of the oven. Brenda put some potatoes and kumura in the ashes. After 40 minutes Murray took the camp oven off and WOW we had golden brown bread and charcoaled potatoes and kumura to eat. YUMMY!

Muz and I were very lucky – we were allowed to climb the Gloucester Tree. This tree is 58 metres tall and was used as a ‘fire lookout’ up to the 1970’s. There are spikes nailed into the tree in a spiral and at the top is a cabin. We all tried to get to the top…..

I have been too busy to read…..

Malo 'e' lei lei

I am practising my languages for the trip as you never know who you might run into.......
Lying on the back seat and waiting and waiting to go.. spent yesterday sunbathing on the gas bottles-36deg!
have my yellow BB bag all packed with my book...... and fishing gear.....
Julia has found a niche inside Brenda's door - sharing the space with the 'minties'
Muz has comandeered the best seat - in the 'ensuite on wheels' -sitting at the table
Murray is having his last cooking lesson with Dorothy
I am not sure where Brenda is - she went to work but hasn't returned.....
Kia Ora!
Superman

'Where's the fruit and vegie stall?'

So many people are asking where will be our first stop - Murray says "we will stop when we find the fruit and vegie stall" - I don't know where that is......
I had a good party at the library yesterday - 13th - lots of children and mums came and some dads too - we sang my favourite songs 'head shoulders knees and toes' - and at long last I was able to remember where my mouth, eyes and nose were! Two face painters came and Brenda had her face painted with 2 BB butterflies. The girls also made balloon ladybird bracelets.
Some mums cannot speak english but they gave me big cuddles and tried to say how much fun and knowledge they have gained coming to storytime.
I introduced Merilyn who will be looking after storytime for me while I am away.
In the afternoon I went with Brenda and her friends to Council House for afternoon tea with Mr Edwards and Mr Dunn. We had tiny cakes to eat. I was very good and sat still and didn't say a word.
Bye
Superman

photo of superman and brenda

EXCITMENT IS BUILDING...

Superman had a busy weekend-his last saturday working then out to yum cha with friends on Sunday, and busy packing the pop top with his friends....

18th October - we leave

Hi Fans....
I am still at the library but not long to go. My party is on Thursday - storytime-my last for 18 months. Brenda has organised 2 facepainters to come and 'paint' the staff and then me and the children can have a go. Everyone says I should have a 'smile', cause I do look a bit grumpy-but I am sure that will change once I get out into the outback.
We will be singing my favourite songs; hokey pokey and head shoulders, knees, and toes. I have asked Brenda to read my favourite book - the mouse and the strawberry.
I am sooooooooooooooooooooo excited-not long to go.............
c u lata.
superman