South of the border

 

Saturday 6 August 2022 – South of the border

The diesel heater was pressed back into action this morning as the clear skies make it chillier than the cloudy skies of Kings Canyon.   It was only a few kilometres of dirt before we hit the Stuart Highway and time to pump the tyres up once again.  This was where H’s compressor tube ruptured and L’s compressor was pressed into action on two vans and where L discovered the plastic guard at the front of the car has lost a couple of bolts and H’s cable ties were pressed into use.  We constantly find that between the two cars and vans we have most tools and contingencies covered!

We stopped at Erldunda so H&M could top up fuel and to use the facilities and us to buy some hot chips.  Disappointingly they were no where near as good as the hot chips we had had here on the way through from Yulara.  We took advantage of having coverage and internet to have some facetime with Chloe and Milo and to ring Ben.  I had been worried about ringing him before 10am on a Saturday but he was on his way to breakfast and was awake and up so all good!  Apparently Jess had left us a present on our doona so that is something to look forward to when we get home.   Ben has tried washing it all but it’s still worse for wear.  Jess must have been super pissed off that we haven’t been there for her cold morning bed cuddles.

Our next stop was just north of the border where we tried to find the Johnson Geodetic Centre which wasn’t signposted and appeared to require driving straight through someone’s station and cattle yards.  We didn’t feel that was appropriate and as there were absolutely no signs suggesting it was okay to, we turned the vans around and headed to the rest stop at the border.  Here we met Hendo for the first time which was a laugh.  Can’t believe H brought a mullet wig all this way just for this moment.  We took a photos at the ‘Welcome to SA’ sign with Larry looking suitably crestfallen to be back and Jen having fun straddling and jumping backwards and forwards across the border line. 

Continued on down the road with pretty average scenery which led J to agree with L that SA really is a bit of dive.  After a bit more driving we finally pulled into an unofficial rest area where we found some dead wood to chop up and refill our wood bags with while Jenny made cups of tea and provided helpful advice before grudgingly picking up a few bits and stuffing them in the bag.  We had dumped our last few pieces of fruit in the bins at the border although we technically could have dropped them in a bin at Marla.  We dropped off our toilet cassettes at the dump point instead and then refuelled the cars and headed into the roadhouse supermarket to buy SA approved fruit and veg as well as some Savoys (aka Jatz crackers).

We were then on the final stretch to Cadney Park where we opted for the unpowered site area which was away from the road but closer to the railway line.  Only two trains went past while we there one at dusk and one about dawn but neither were the Ghan.

Miranda cooked up yummy Tex Mex chicken for dinner and rather than use their inconveniently high 44 gallon drum firepits L dragged out our little portable Kings firepit which worked a treat and allowed us to use some of our newly acquired SA wood.  Jenny had the small amount of left over mulled wine heated up in the coals and that, with a couple of Turkish delight chockies, was dessert.  Another very chilly night so another early night.