More Days waiting and another disappointment

Checking my blog, I find it 3 weeks since I have updated! The time it flies by and of course we are almost at the end of February! And still, we wait!

I had a very exciting day last Tuesday (the 14th). For the car was to be ready – its missing tooth filled, and radiator replaced, and I would be on the road again. The phone rang and I picked it up expectantly for them to tell me ‘Alison we are sorry we have bad news’. Apparently, the engine had been far more damaged by this devil emu than the panel beater assessed, and it still could not be driven. I could go into a vitriolic dissertation of the relative incompetence of the assessor – but I will leave that for another time! The upshot was that it would not be available for another 2 weeks and I would have to drive it for a thousand kilometres, and have it serviced again before I was able to tow the caravan again.

I confess to a raising wave of frustration that had to be struggled to the ground but then I began to think how fortuitous circumstances really have been for the floods and washed-out roads have been avoided, new friendships made AND the WA border will be open by the time I will be ready to forge ahead. That afternoon I went out and hired a car (a rather rough mining ute) that can tow, and I now update from Port Lincoln, for I thought if I had a couple of weeks up my sleeve, I would explore the majestic Eyre Peninsula and I am in a caravan slightly rocking to the wind that is flying off the ocean that I am camped right next to!

The drive from Port Augusta to Port Lincoln was glorious I drove through outback terrain until I got to the delightful town of Cowell. It is a gorgeous little place of old stone cottages and painted wheat silos; its little main street is divided by a wide median strip planted with delicious shading trees with the ocean spreading out at its end – it is a lovely little place. Then I headed out of the outback to a glorious coastal drive with the ocean azure butting up against the brown green of the farms along its shore and the vault of the sky fading to white as it hit the horizon on the ocean. All the trees having a distinct lean to the north attesting to the relentless winds that assault the landscape had me wondering how on earth they grow anything there! But there they were, the ubiquitous wheat fields and I did spot a sheep farm so the winds must be able to be managed for I saw none of the familiar windbreaks of pines etc that I was used to seeing in Gippsland.

Bingley and I walked 12 kms along the ocean into the town of Port Lincoln yesterday. Again, a delightful place – very busy with caravans being towed down the street with trucks and of course cars. There are innumerable cafes with their tables spread over the sidewalk and I availed myself of one the tables and spent a lovely time watching the world pass by and reading my book. There are some spectacular mansions overlooking the oceanic view, but the most spectacular landmark on the waterfront is the tuna processing factory!

Bingley has decided he is a water baby. He has discovered this side of his nature through the dog walking group. He loves cavorting in the water with the other dogs that he is now able to play with beautifully, so the walk was punctuated by many joyous forays into the water and on one of these we chatted to a young mum and her gorgeous little boy called – Ezra and we met another lady who had a lovely old dog and she offered Bingley her home-made snacks. I have met a lot of dog owners that take the time to bake home made treats for their dogs. That is a claim I have never been able to make and have been left feeling quite neglectful of my canine children and limited when they start swapping recipes for home made treats!

I must have read 10 books in my time in Port Augusta! It has been lovely. Fortuitously I am currently reading about Winston Churchill and his wife Clementine – this reading juxtaposed against the commentary on the dreadful events that are happening in Europe at present. Being a lover of words myself I have loved the rhetoric of Churchill and in this reading, it was made clear that he viewed his speeches as a vital part of the war effort and for the morale of the population and the proportionate effort was put into them along with his wife – then comparing it to the speeches of the world leaders at present and I can’t help but despair!

We will have 5 days here and then I determined to spend a couple of nights at Cowell before heading back to Port Augusta to get the bloody car! That will not be a bad thing for again I will be able to look upon the dolphins cavorting in the bay along with the hilarious cormorants that follow them for they know that is where the food is– their little bodies low in the water with their necks and heads sticking out like tiny little submarines! And I will be taking VERY LONG car rides to build up the 1000ks so we can head across the Nula boor!