Movin' right along

Just a quick update. The fires of last Thursday didn't really come all that close - in that I never saw any glow or flames on the horizon - but passing through Pine Point (12K up the road) on Friday, saw evidence that it had come right up to the back fence of the shop, caravan park, and also burnt a couple of the pine trees that border the road. If it had jumped the road, it would have got into the scrub surrounding the large group of shacks at Billygoat Flat .. so, congratulations to the Country Fire Services for containing it.

Packed up and pushed off from Port Julia at about 1pm on the Friday, but only moved about 50K over to the Maitland showgrounds, where they have HOT SHOWERS!!! and 240V power points, as well as water on tap. Only spent two nights there, though, as those little luxuries came at a price. $15-00/night.

Seemed a bit strange; $25-00/week at Port Julia, $30-00 for two nights at Maitland - so that sort of thing will have to be kept to a bare minimum.

Pushed off from Maitland at about midday on Sunday, and only intended to potter up to a freebie campsite at Kulpera about 50K away, as motor vehicle kept overheating - but YUK! Not much room, right next to main road. Sat there for a while waiting for engine to cool, trying to figure out where best to go next, and decided to check the oils. ERK! Tiny skerrick of auto transmission oil on tip of the dipstick. Peer under vehicle, see slow but steady drip from somewhere under engine. Um, think I; well, not much I can do about it here. Topped up the trans oil, and studied map. Decided to push on to Lochiel, but didn't hold much hope of anything there being open on a Sunday. It also occurred to me that Clare was only about 50K away so headed there. Filled up with autogas and bought some more trans oil ($41-00), and Hey, think I, Burra is just up the road. So, That's where I is. My favourite campground.

(pics from last year)

Was the only one here on the Sunday night. Absolute Bliss. "Personal space" must have something to do with early childhood. Some people - the 'majority', I guess - are born into, and brought up in 'family' situations in a city or 'town' environment and seem to be able to cope with living in close confines. Me, no way. Am always under stress in those situations. Even so, depends on population density, I guess. While in Brisbane some time ago, was in the the front bar of a pub having a chat with a guy from Japan. 'I feel uncomfortable in Australia', he says. 'Why', ask I. 'No people', he replies. I had a look out the front door and could see at least 20 people in the street, but having seen pics of the streets in Japan, sort of understood what he meant. Some people are 'socialised' into a 'personal space' of about 2ft. Me? .. have to have at least Five kilometres between me and the next person before I feel truly relaxed and comfortable.

Ran the front wheels of the wagon up onto a couple of rocks, yesterday, to have a look and see if I could find out where the trans oil was leaking, and found that the oil reservoir pan bolts had worked loose. All fixed.

A few more units turned up at the campground on the Monday, but there is plenty of space, so might stay here for a week or so. Don't expect any instant responses from this blog, though. Had to travel the 30 or so K into Burra for supplies and to post this. No internet where I am and, apart from the slough and sigh of the wind in the gumtrees, the trickle of the creek, the chirrup and chirp of birds, just blissful silence.