and the beat goes on….

I am sorry I have been so long in resuming my blog but I have not had the heart to do so of late. I don’t know about you but I have found the last month very tiring and more than a little confusing lol.. well its all part and parcel of the journey I am taking, though life’s ups and downs find you no matter how far you travel or how often lol
It has been so long due to my inability to make myself write it all down that I must beg your forgiveness for not being able to recall it all. I did take a quick browse of my blog to refresh my memory on where I had left off, nothing more annoying than repeating oneself lol.
I did stay the night at the Goolwa Aquatic Club car park but I didn’t have that meal and wine. I had to grin when I was informed that I had picked the one night they were holding a private function so dinner and the bar was not open to anyone who wasn’t on the guest list. Oh well, probably for the best I mused and I headed back to my bus. It was still a beautiful view, I did have food of my own and a cup of Dandy would just have to suffice to wash it down with.
I closed all the curtains bar but refrained from putting up the privacy blinds at the front till I was ready for sleep. The beauty and serenity of the river was too hard to resist. The cars that brought the guests all parked on the other side so it wasn’t as if I was being constantly disturbed or looked at lol. It was a rainy night so the clouds hid the moon but as the night thickened, the sounds of the river gently lapping at the shore was the best lullaby I had heard in ages.
When I got up the next morning, I was not at all sure what I wanted to do. It was still a bit grey and cold with no sign of change in sight. I decided to have a quick look around Goolwa and then head off. I knew I needed to have the tyre pressure checked and maybe the nuts as some of the roads can loosen any nut on the bus, regardless of its size! I am always happy to pay though to date I had not had anyone charge me for checking the air and, occasionally bolts on them. I found a Repco in the industrial estate and pulled over across from it, walking in to ask if they could do it. I did offer to pay as I always do and the manager sent a young man out to get my girl.
Ugh! I was not impressed hearing him over-revving her as he brought her in from across the road, still speeding as he pulled her into the workspace. I am not a fan of those who do not treat others’ things with respect and there was no need for what he did! Oh well, it was done and I sat back in the office to wait while the air pressure and bolts were checked.
It has never taken anyone more than 10 minutes to check them. After about 25 minutes I was getting antsy, not to mention anxious about what this crowd would charge and I said as much to the manager, stating that it seemed to be taking a hell of a long time for such a simple thing. He looked unperturbed by my query but he did go out to the workshop on the pretext of checking something else. I knew damn well he was getting them to speed up, something I have no doubt he wasn’t expecting to have to do. I do not wish to diss anyone but it was so obvious that he was going to charge me and for more than he should!
Within 5 minutes my girl was being rushed out to where I sat. I was charged $44 for the time used and then he actually tried to get more business out of me. I have come a long way since I first began dealing with mechanics/conversion companies, etc. No way would I go back for anything now; he had done his dash with this woman.
Well you know that was only one bad apple in the bunch though. I have been blessed with fair-minded, friendly and down to earth people in all other ways so I wasn’t going to let one bad experience ruin my day, let alone my trip lol. I got in my girl, gently started her and reversed her out of there with a friendly wave; after all I knew I would not be going back despite his best efforts lol… I could afford to be magnanimous!
Events after that are a bit of a blur. The rain was coming down harder now but I was determined to see what Goolwa had to offer. I parked up near the Railway Station amidst the muddy puddles, grabbed my brolly and went to explore. First thing was finding a Laundromat which I did in no time flat. It wasn’t far from where I was parked and I reasoned I would be able to pop them in the dryer and then back into the waterproof bag to get them back to the bus.
I loved the father and daughter in charge of the Laundromat that day, both friendly with a great sense of humour as they worked around me in their effort to clean. Well not much point considering the day, he said, but the missus would flay him alive if he didn’t get it done. The highlight of the day was watching them try to work out how to use the vacuum cleaner lol.. it was a fancy one and was normally used by ‘the missus’. Sadly she was undergoing specialist treatment for cancer. I didn’t know what to say; nothing really cuts it in this situation. Finally I wished them a happy outcome, busying myself with the washing and drying of my clothes. Such a sobering thing to meet up with people who are undergoing such an ordeal. I quietly counted my blessings; my family as far as I knew were all healthy enough. I am blessed with not having fatal health problems. Somehow that puts everything into perspective, especially some monetary annoyance.
After I had struggled back to the bus with the dry clothes, I headed to the pub. I had heard it offered a great feed and you could always free camp where I was parked if you had a drink. Now there were two pubs in town, one seemed lovely and the other a tad rough. However, when I checked which one I found it was the rough one that had such rave reviews on one of my sites. Well all I can say is each to their own; maybe it was the day for it or maybe I am a bit fussier about the food I pay for. Whatever it didn’t do anything for me other than fill the rapidly opening hole in my belly lol
I do go exploring afterwards and I really enjoyed the town’s quirky shops and happy people but one day was really enough for me. I was feeling a bit restless, truth be told. I would dearly have loved to go further towards the Bight but fate was not on my side. Still I did have a lovely catch up to look forward to and the thought more than made up for any disappointments on staying around. Also I had my grandson in the area and his mum and extended family; there was so much more I hadn’t seen here too and I decided that seeing the surrounding districts might just be the way to go. Rushing onto the next place often means we miss so much!
I could always come back again to South Australia, I mused. As a matter of fact I had already decided I would. I was loving the diversity of the land here and the friendliness of the majority of people. Some people apparently do not think much of this state though I fail to understand why. I loved it!
I spent another night at Mount Barker, caught up with my grandson again and did some fun things together but as I said my mind right now is a bit of a blank lol.. well blonde .. you know 😉
Finally the time came for me to go to the show. I was so excited at the thought! I took my time getting to Levi Park though I still managed to get there before lunch, asking the owners a million questions as I do, about the surrounding area and the all important bus timetable. I laughed at the bus stop being right outside the park… how cool is that? Once I had settled into my allotted space it was time to turn my attention to what to wear, as all females do. I had updated my make up collection for the occasion, I have to say that I am a ‘natural’ girl and don’t wear makeup often… hair is wash and wear lol and clothes though smart enough tend towards the casual as befits a tomboy like myself.
It was cool, probably going to get a damn sight colder I reckoned before the evening was through so I settled on my jeggings, a smart black top and a pin striped blazer .. oh and of course my knee high boots! Having tried on the only other outfits I had brought and finding them too boring or not smart enough, I was relieved to have put something halfway decent together at all. I was by now in a lather of sweat (why does the anxiety of trying to find something to wear do that to us women?)so a shower was most definitely in order even though it was early and I would need another before I went. I loved the amenities, even had a bath there! Not many do and I wished I had some oils with me so I could have a lovely long soak. The showers were just fine, lovely big shower heads and steaming hot water. I could make do with them, I grinned happily to myself.
Nothing else to do and not in the mood to explore, I reclined on my lovely bed and watched a couple of DVD’s and just let the world go by so to speak.
I was a bit anxious about that bus, what if I missed it? Consequently I was showered, dressed, made up and ready to roll by 4:30pm even though the bus wasn’t due till 5:30. I paced for a bit and then decided I might as well go and wait at the bus stop. The time seemed to take forever and my silly fears of the bus not turning up took over my mind lol. Much to my relief the bus was on time and the driver happy to let me know where to get out. The cost of buses in Adelaide are so cheap, why would anyone not use them? Forget fighting with the traffic, why not sit back and enjoy the amazing architecture along the way? I was amazed at it all and promised myself I would be back to take some pictures. Maybe on the following Monday when I met up with my friend for coffee??
I did what I always do lol and got lost in the city, trying to find my way to her hotel apartment to pick up my ticket and then back to the Festival Theatre. For some reason I thought there would be food in the complex that housed it but no such luck. I was glad in hindsight that I had left early, giving myself lots of time to do what I had to do before settling in to watch the show. I did find the Festival Theatre, thanks to the bus driver’s instructions but I couldn’t find a way in! Oh well, I would go and see if I could find some food; I had time and who knows maybe I would get some better instructions lol. As I turned to go I noticed another lady dressed in what I like to think of as theatre clobber coming up the steps. I asked her if she were going to the show and she said she was. Her daughter was accompanying her but was parking the car. Like me, she was hungry and wondering where to get food. After saying we might see each other in the theatre for the show, we went our separate ways in seach of food.
That was another long journey. Finally though I found what looked like a lovely restaurant type, went in and ordered. While I waited I sat at a vacant table with a couple of stools near the bar. Before my food arrived, the manager came over and informed me the party who had reserved that table had arrived. Hmm no reserved sign on the table but there ya go, it happens. I apologised and asked where I could sit so I could eat my food when it came. He replied that people who order take away food do not get to sit inside .. take away food????? I hadn’t realised, I told him, apologising profusely. He looked really uncomfortable and asked me to follow him further inside. He found me a lovely little booth to eat in, apologising himself for the mix up. The girl I had ordered with was a lovely little Asian girl but her English was not too good, hence the ‘takeaway food’ label lol. He brought my take away over in a lovely bowl, with cutlery and a silk napkin. I felt like a queen as he asked was it to my satisfaction and offered his hopes I would enjoy my little meal. How magical that was, a great way to truly start my night.
I headed back to the theatre after my meal but still couldn’t see how I was going to get into the theatre. I spied a very tall policeman on the steps and I quickly approached him, sure he would know how I could get in. I explained my predicament to him and he asked me to follow him to the way in. Well that was easier said than done as those long legs of his ate up the distance, leaving me panting with exertion as I all but ran .. in my heeled boots!!!.. to keep up. Finally he turned and pointed, telling me if I kept going up those stairs I would come to the doors. It all looked a bit familiar; but then I figured it was my tired mind playing tricks as I carried on, the policeman heading back the way he had come.
Nope, not my imagination; I was back where I had been before dinner! Oh gods I wondered if I was actually going to make this show! I was too tired to go back right then so I took a bit of time taking pictures of the beautiful buildings I could see all lit up with so many brightly coloured lights. Finally I decided I had to give it another go; there was a young couple coming my way and so I asked them about the show. I explained I had tried this way in twice and they laughed good naturedly as they explained that because of a lot of restorations going on, everyone was expected to go in a different way. He offered for me to follow them and finally, after a long though scenic walk, I was in!
There were heaps of people there of all ages; I heard one say that it was just a kids show but I can tell you that Matilda the Musical is more than that. It is delightful for kids to be sure as attested by the constant laughter of the children down the front; it is also delightfully adult with its quirky sense of humour and the stage designs were expertly changed while the cast of both adults and children were both professional and endearing. Can you tell I loved it? It was worth the effort, even the ‘scenic tours’ I went on. I came out feeling totally rejuvenated and the time spent inside watching them seemed to fly by. Oh yes, its lovely to indulge in some culture and it had been a bit too long between sessions for me though it took this to show me that. I intend to do more of it!
I got back via the bus without any hiccups and indulged in a lovely hot drink as I allowed myself to unwind from the evening. I had to be out the next morning by 10am; wasn’t going to pay for two nights at that price despite how lovely it was, so I set the alarm just in case I overslept. After all I was still on a high from the great show and sleep was proving elusive.
I had been checking out possible free camps in the area but knew before I looked that there would not be any in Adelaide itself. No point in going too far since I would be meeting my lovely friend at Rundle Mall on Monday morning. The thought of doubling back didn’t appeal. Besides this would be a chance to see more of the countryside. I settled on a lovely sounding little place called Clarindon, about 3kms out. There was a reserve there that I could free camp beside and the pics I had seen looked beautiful. Off I went the next morning after an early shower and a quick farewell to the lovely hosts. I was in for a bit of a surprise road-wise though. It was all good for most of it, though there was a lot of traffic on the Adelaide roads for a Sunday due to a few other things going on. Finally I got out of the burbs and found myself on a reasonable if hilly dual carriageway heading towards Clarendon. There was a bit of an awkward hill right on a roundabout but nothing major and nothing to prepare me for the road I had to climb to get to Clarendon. Not only that but it was so damn windy. Took me ages to get to where I was headed and for some of it my heart was in my mouth. I am not a fan of steep, winding roads where hairpin bends are the norm lol.
Oh but it is a beautiful, sleep little town and the free camping space is picturesque with a lovely river, picnic areas and amenities all beside the town’s bowling club. It all sounds lovely doesn’t it? I was happy to get out of the motorhome and go explore the little town; I even stopped in the pretty little café on the edge of town to have a latte and some cake! Lovely hosts, beautiful food and a little gallery on the side! Perfect way to unwind. I had enjoyed the walk around town but was feeling a bit anxious about that road. I would have to leave pretty early if I was to find somewhere close to Rundle Mall to park and if it was as foggy as the road to Victor Harbour had been when I returned there from Goolway, then I could be in a bit of a pickle.
After I got back to the motorhome I couldn’t stop worrying about that. I had a very nasty experience a few days before on the road into Victor Harbour. I should not have been on there at that time to begin with so my fault there. It was dark with a dense fog and it was around the time a lot of workers are coming home. Now I couldn’t see more than a couple of feet in front of the windscreen so instead of doing 80 k’s I was doing 60 k’s. Wouldn’t you know it, I had this 4 wheel drive come up right on my tail, obviously pissed off at my lack of speed and to let me know he wasn’t impressed, he kept his lights on high beam the whole way … well except for when someone was coming the other way! Now I couldn’t see anything in front of my windscreen except when a car came towards me, often rounding a bend I couldn’t see! Someone up there was looking after me because had cars not appeared in front when there was a bend coming off I might well have gone over.
Why are people like that? I wasn’t doing that speed to annoy him but driving to the conditions. I was completely stressed by the time I got into Victor Harbour and never wanted to repeat that experience again, so you can imagine my trepidation at coming down that road from Clarendon in the morning, especially if there was a dense fog!
Again I was looked after. I had pretty much decided I was going to come down off that mountain and try for a discreet park up somewhere in Adelaide when my grandson got in touch with me. After much discussion, I was talked into coming back to Mount Barker’s caravan park for the night and going into Adelaide on the bus the next morning with my grandson. That turned out to be a plan! Not only did I get a good night’s sleep now I was off that mountainous road but the bus from Mount Barker to Adelaide’s Rundle Mall cost a mere $3.70….it would almost cost more to start up my motor than that lol.
I really enjoyed the bus ride in and my grandson enjoyed watching the bus driver work the gears etc on the bus. We had a bit of a wander and some coffee while we waited for my friend to arrive, as it happens in the David Jones/Myers Centre, where they had strategically placed some amazing sculptures. Downstairs was a beautiful food court if you could even compare it to that. In the centre was a circular light that resembled more a donut shape .. oh so hard to explain but you could go see it for yourself lol if you are in vicinity. I chose a lovely café where the coffee was smooth, strong and hot to return to with my friend and grandson. We both burst into tears as we hugged each other, both feeling like we had only seen each other last week instead sixteen years ago. The time seemed to fly by as we caught up, talking about so many subjects dear to our hearts but not easily shared with many. Three hours went by before we finally said goodbye, promising to catch up again in Perth. Yes you guessed it lol. I am now planning on going to Perth on my next trip to catch up with my beautiful friend, her man and daughter. MY grandson walked around a bit more but the rain began again and so we decided it was time to catch the bus back. Timing again was pretty good, we didn’t have long to wait at all. I love my grandson dearly as you can tell and am enjoying all the chances to catch up before I go home.
For what its worth I do feel that these reconnections are the real reason for my trip though I didn’t know it. Yes I am enjoying the travel but no I don’t regret anymore not going further along the Bight. Some memories far outweigh the ones you think you are going to make. This meeting with a soul sister and dearly loved friend as well as the memories made with my grandson, his mum and extended family are priceless jewels in the crown of my adventures thus far.
Well there is of course more to tell you but I want to leave this laptop for now. Blessed be to you all and ty for sharing my journey thus far with me xx