Year off around Australia

Come here as this is where Martin Hayman is staying with his work for Viterra. We book in for 9 nights at $30 per night powered site. The park has a slight 'unkempt' feel, probably from how dry and dusty it is. We're told we can select our own site (as it's not busy) - though the owner did suggest where he felt a good spot for us would be - we agree and go and set up there. Near facilities, and we'll have a bit of afternoon shade from low trees. Once we're settled in, have a quick check of facilities - will do the job. Realise we're not far from Martin's unit as we've sussed out his 2 vehicles parked out front. I had messaged Martin that we'd be arriving today - and he'd let me know he'd catch us tomorrow as he's off to the Ceduna Races today with mates. I get a beaut surprise when I hear his voice outside our caravan chatting with Rog. Turns out he's still here waiting for a mate to be ready to go to the races. Enjoy a nice welcome hug and chat with him before he heads off for his afternoon outing - looking very swish I must say. Rog and I have our lunch, cheese and vegemite sandwich each, before I remember we need to use up the remaining venison cheese kranskis. So I heat them up for us to have as well. While having lunch (waiting for kranskis to cook) Roger discovers an email has arrived regarding our shifts for volunteering at The Man From Snowy River Bush Festival, we check them out and accept them (send back our confirmation of acceptance of the offered shifts). We're very happy - we're part of the Logistics crew and will help with set up and pack down - so we'll be free to enjoy the festival days. Next we head off into Ceduna to go to the Visitor Centre, then go to Foodland and do a restock grocery shop. Have a drive about Ceduna's main streets area before coming back here to put away our groceries and have a relax. Roger's keen (it's hot) to try out the pool here, I'm happy to enjoy the airconditioning in our van while I look at Tourist brochures. Roger returns from his swim - not sold on the cleanliness of the pool (wouldn't put his head underwater, now I know he's worried). Sounds like we won't be swimming here. We relax about camp. Tea tonight is airfryer salt & pepper calamari served with salad - including creamy noodles and coleslaw Rog got at the supermarket today. We have fresh watermelon and grapes. Now our usual routine - Roger goes has his shower (made for shorties and not much pressure), I do the dishes. We both tidy up now relax before bed.
2/02/25 Sunday. Turns out we have a beaut day of staying at camp - only going for a short drive in the evening. Get up around 7.30am. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast. Get our washing ready - strip and remake bed etc. Roger doing caravan maintenance 'stuff' and accidently floods some of our cupboards. Now we make the decision to stay put for the day - it's heating up - and we're happy to stay in our airconditioning in our van while we have a good mop up, sort and clean, plus get 2 loads of washing done, dried and put away. Enjoy a lovely group chat when Tegan calls and Robert's in on it as well 💕 catching up on each other's news and having fun discussing Canada visit plans. Lunch today is toasted sandwiches - relish, ham, tomato and cheese, followed by watermelon and grapes. Relaxing afternoon, Roger reading and I'm finally looking into how to use the smart watch (cheapie 🤗) that Rog gifted me (at my request) 2 Christmases ago!! Tea is pan cooked pork, airfryer potato in chip style with salad. Then yoghurt and banana. Now such a lovely evening we decide to go for a drive to have a walk at the Jetty.
Get back after 9pm and I do the dishes while Rog has his shower. Now relaxing before bed, I writing this up, Roger reading. I might try and watch the latest new Muster Dogs 1st episode on ABC iView before sleep - we'll see how I go. Ended up watching 2 episodes - really enjoying this series.
3/02/25 Monday. We're in for another hot day, so taking it easy in getting ready to go out. Up at about 7.30am, have breakfast, tidy up and get into my bathers - which I'll wear under my cover up dress (I used to use at the beach) so if we decide to swim somewhere today I'll be ready! We head off around 9.30am.
Get back about 2.30pm - will just stay put in our airconditioning and relax. Roger happy to 'binge watch' Muster Dogs Series 3 with me (I happily watch Ep. 1&2 again with him). Tea tonight - Roger panfries the fresh King George whiting we purchased today and serves with airfryer potato chips (he makes) and salad. I do the dishes and then writing this up - intend to watch more of Muster Dogs before bed. Well I did - binge watched until I finished this series (6 episodes). Goodnight.
4/05/25 Tuesday. Roger gets up at 7am, I'm slower and get up at 7.30am. Roger has decided we'll go driving today - Streaky Bay (110km away) here we come. So have our breakfast, then while I'm off having a shower, Roger packs our lunches. Once we're organised, we head off around 9.30am.
Return around 3.30pm. I update our budget books and do some research on MFSR Bush Festival and the guidelines for volunteers - sounds professional run - should be fun. Roger relaxes reading - on his mobile. Tea tonight, Roger cooks up a Tandoori chicken fillet (from Streaky Bay butcher) for me, and he has his smoked barramundi- serves with boiled vegetables. We then have banana and yoghurt. Roger has his shower (in our caravan - not liking the height of shower heads and all the mosquitoes in this parks amenities). I do the same (don't wash my hair though - just want the sand off my body), then we both get the dishes out of the way. Roger now in bed reading, I'm writing this up, then bedtime for me too.
5/02/25 Wednesday Up we get at 7.30am this morning. No rush as we have no 'going out' plans today. I'm just planning to go for a walk into Ceduna - Roger will drive in and do some shopping. We have our breakfast (our usual, porridge for me, weetbix and toast for Rog) with our cuppas - tea for me, coffee for Rog. I'm ready for my walk (with my backpack for water) and leave at 10am. Same time Roger drives into Ceduna.
Roger gets back 20 minutes before me, I get back to the caravan just before 1pm. We have lunch, I make a toasted sandwich for Roger and 2 open toasties for myself - relish, ham, tomato and cheese. Now spend the afternoon at camp - doing what we want to - me researching for shopping in Adelaide and then starting to pack for my Adelaide trip to catch up with dear friend Sharon. Roger doing some maintenance on the caravan and ute (not sure exactly what). He did tell me he's got the ute booked in for a service tomorrow - that's good. I'm doing tea tonight - my favourite Thermomix pasta dish, hoping when Martin gets home from work I can persuade him to have tea with us - he did! Enjoyed the company of this lovely young man - he's working long shifts in tough conditions (hot and windy) - says it's not going to be too long until he moves on to try other work places. After Martin leaves - he's got clothes washing to attend to - Roger and I have banana and yoghurt, then Roger has his shower. I'm writing this up before doing the dishes and finishing off my packing. I'm feeling so excited to be catching up with Sharon for a few days in Adelaide - so blessed 💕 Roger's relaxing before bed.
6/02/25 Thursday. I'm up at 6am to have a shower (in our van) and then have breakfast before getting ready to leave for Ceduna airport. Roger gets up and has his breakfast and gets ready to drop me off at the airport. We leave just after 8am.
Roger now having a mini holiday without me. He stays here in Ceduna to have a relax and sight see for himself. Also catching up with Martin Hayman when this suits them both.
9/02/25 Sunday
Roger brings me back to our caravan after my trip away to Adelaide. It does feel like coming home.....now I unpack, and enjoy catching up with Rog and his news. We're going to take Martin out for tea this evening. Martin has suggested the hotel as the best option - we're happy with that.
Martin picks us up in his Audi so we can go out to tea together at 6.30pm.
We return, nice and early, just after 8pm as I have requested - just tired and wanting to catch up on my journalling. We say our goodbyes to Martin, as we'll miss him with his work day tomorrow. Enjoyed our time spent with Martin.
Roger has his shower in the caravan, then heads to bed. I'm catching this up and then I'm heading to bed too.
10/02/25 Monday We get up at 7.30am. Roger having his weetbix, then we both have a large crumpet each for our breakfast. I have flaxseed oil and honey on mine - very nice. Once we finish our breakfasts, Roger drives to Ceduna Foodland to get some groceries and goes to the Bakery for bread and a cuppa. I stay at the caravan and do some texting - Sharon and Martin. Then I do the dishes and get ready to leave. Roger is back from shopping and getting us organised to leave too. We head off from here around 9am.Read more