My one or two regular readers might remember that I pushed off into a journey of unknown destination with my Jackaroo and dog, last January - leaving most of my household possessions behind, in storage with a friend in Sunny Corner NSW.
Since am on a very small pension, the cost of retrieving them has defeated me until recently. However, recent conversations with a 'second-hand' dealer in Minlaton (well, 'Spog'* is a 'collector' of all sorts of random 'junk') - discovered that he owned a 7'X12', dual axle, trailer with sidings. Cutting the re-writing of the conversation short - we agreed that he would lend me the trailer for the journey back to NSW and collect my possessions for .... um, a "carton o' beer" which i thought reasonable.
Pushed off (departed) Edithburgh at about 7am on Tuesday 11th October 2016. Long drive on first day. Up onto the Barrier highway through Broken Hill. (and yep, some of my "overseas" readers may wonder why i chose that route; and not through Mildura; which looks 'shorter'. Believe me - that route is through many small towns, and much 'slower').
Tried to get roughly halfway by 7PM.
This is at the first, really nice "rest stops" provided by the NSW Highways.
(Mcculloghs's?)
Slept in the back of the Falcon wagon that night. (bittuva a battle about sleeping space with dog - but managed to convince her to sleep on front seat ... heh).
One of the interesting things about that night was an "oversize" "wide" semi-trailer load that pulled up on the opposite side of the road. A 60ft Luxury motor yacht.
Self didn't quite realise that it took up almost both lanes of the highway as i watched it, and its 'pilot' vehicles depart at first light next morning. (yer, i know, no pics, sorry).
A couple of quick cups of coffee next morning (do travel with the 'basics' .. heh) then back on the road at 7AM.
Caught up with the Luxury Motor Yacht, and convoy, about an hour later.
(at this point, might have to explain to 'overseas' readers that Australia (almost the same size as the Untied States of America) - has a total population of about 23 million to pay for 'infrastructure'.. Distances are 'vast' in European concepts. A 'highway' of roughly 1000 kilometres through sparsely populated areas is not easy to 'maintain' to "European" standards of 'excellence'. A friend of mine from Austria was fascinated that we could drive for 1000 kilometers; see very few people - nobody - and remain in the same country.
Back to following the Motor Yacht 'convoy'.
Didn't really bother me too much. Was the only 'follower'.. we all pottered along at between 90 and 95 Klm/hour.\
Until Trangie.
Self's motor vehicle needed refueling. Noticed motor Yacht parked along street.
Refuelled, continued along town street at about 25kph looking for bank with 'auto-teller'.
(apparently forgot to re-attach seat belt) ...
Waved into kerbside by bloke in uniform and fancy painted motor vehicle. Ooops, think i.
"yer not wearing a seat belt". Sez he.
He asked where had come from. South Australia, was my automatic response.
Nah, he sez, where did you spend the night.
Oh, say i, Mculloch's campsite.
He demanded my Motor vehicle driver's license and took it back to his car, apparently checked out all of the numbers attached to vehicle and trailer, found nothing untoward.
This took about ten minutes, until it twigged fer me that had, actually, 'recently come from the petrol station about 100yards previous' (which is where i forgot to attach seatbelt).
The good news is that he accepted my explanation ... and waved me on with a "caution".
More on this journey - later ....
This post is under EDIT - Will add to it
* a 'spog' is an Australian vernacular (?) derivation referring to an English "sparrow" ..
