Its Christmas .....

It’s Christmas, that time of the year when we celebrate the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ the Son of God who placed Him in a manger, the greatest Christmas gift of all to everyone.

We celebrate Christmas this year in this wonderful free land Australia which is now our home and are blessed to have all our children and their families to share it with us for the first time in more than twenty years; I look forward to that and thank God for making it possible. I have asked all of them to contribute to this by writing a paragraph which  will follow.

This is the time of the year when we bless others with gifts and it saddens me to see how Christmas has been commercialized and it seems that people think that they have to spend hundreds of dollars on presents, the prediction is that the average Aussie will spend $475.00 on gifts so nationally we will spend $7.8 Billion! And that it is acceptable to over indulge in food and drink and generally behave badly. Having said that I love Christmas, I remember back in the fifties and sixties when we had great fun making the decorations for the lounge and the tree and getting it all ready for Santa’s visit, singing carols and visiting family and friends. One of the highlights of the year was going to the Johannesburg Municipality Christmas Tree (South Africa) as for about 30 years my dad was

My sister with mum about 1953

Father Christmas and my brother and I had the privilege of helping him dress in his Santa suite, not that he needed much help but it was great fun. He would arrive in different modes of transport, for a time it was held at Baragwaneth Airport and he arrived in a Fire Engine then the next year he arrived in an aeroplane, what times they were.

When our children were growing up we spent most Christmases at home, they all helped decorating the tree, then on the 24^th put biscuits and a drink out for Santa and carrots for Rudolph and the reindeer, it was then a mission to get them to go to sleep which they eventually did. The rule was that they could not wake us before 6 AM Christmas morning but they were always up much earlier and we would be woken with their whispers as the crept down the passage to see if Santa had delivered the much anticipated gifts. At precisely 6 AM the door would fly open, coffee was ready and served, the stereo  turned on playing Carols and the waited for the “a for AWAY and go GO” which was the signal to start opening presents. The joy of watching their faces light up as their presents were unwrapped was something that I will cherish for all time.

Now our children have their own families, the grand children have a great time decorating our

tree. We have a quiet morning although we normally get an early phone call or two with wishes, depending on circumstances we may attend Church, where we get to sing traditional Christmas carols something that I look forward to and enjoy. The children take it in turns to host the lunch which we all contribute too and we have a wonderful time, with carols playing, grand children playing together, then before you know it it's time to gather around the table and after we have given thanks to our Lord we all enjoy the wonderful feast that has been lovingly prepared by the ladies. After we spend the rest of the day relaxing and enjoying each others company . Unfortunately all good things come to an end and it is soon time for all to depart for our homes.

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Kathleen..............The joys of Christmas, so what makes it so special in my life?

Christmas decorations have been in a box for a whole year and when you open to find the hidden treasures of many years of memories gone by one sits and remembers the children and their excitement of waiting for the 1 December to arrive to put the tree up and decorate it and the rest of the house. Christmas lights are a sign of happiness and it gives the world a spirit of love and wellbeing. The girls cuteness of having to wash all their dolls and their clothes, redress them and place them under the tree for Santa and his helpers to put new clothes on them. The wonderful sound of the patter of feet on Christmas eve to see if Santa had arrived and wee voices with excitement when they see all the presents around the tree and then the wait for 6 am and a coffee brought to our bedroom to say that Santa had arrived. One very special Christmas was when my mother spent with us and the children had gotten her up to sit with them until 6am. What happy memories. Now the children have left home and it’s their turn with their children but memories still linger there and on Christmas day I am blessed to be with my family celebrating a special birthday of a King, my Lord and Saviour. Remember that CHRISTMAS means Christ My Almighty Saviour.

A very special decoration I have cherished is my Angel. I have had her since I put up my first Christmas tree 43 years ago. It has travelled many miles and even across the sea.

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Our children have their say

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Chareen.............Special memories

Christmas is one of those times in the year that hold many special memories for me.  During my growing up years I can always remember the excitement and anticipation that we all had.  I have very fond memories of counting the days to the first of December so we could find all the special decorations and tree.  We would gather together in the lounge and decorate the tree together.  It was always a time of fun, love and laughter.  My mothers Christmas angel was always the highlight and it's still not Christmas until she is put lovingly on the top of the tree.  I had the privilege of growing up in a christian home and we all knew that Christmas is about Jesus.  He is the reason for the season.  Our hearts were always pointed towards Him and the Father's love for the world. I learned a valuable lesson from the consistency of this family tradition, it has given us a sense of belonging, of knowing who we are together, it is our identity. As grown ups with children of our own we all can't wait for the time of the year so we can put up our Christmas trees!  My sisters had theirs up in November this year ...

I agree with these words of Franklin Sanders {At Home in Dogwood Mudhole} “A tradition is something you do once and discover a joy so deep that you do it again, Christmas after Christmas, to keep on savoring it and make it last. ”   The happy memories and sense of wonder that filled my growing years are one of the many reasons I still love Christmas today.  I am filled with a sense of His almighty act of love coming to earth and bringing about the salvation of man.  The traditions of anticipation, the wonder, the pleasure of family were the best gifts that my parents bestowed upon me.

Once we were blessed with children the importance of Christmas and forming traditions for our children really impacted us. We want our children to know we love them, that God loves them and to have precious memories too. A tradition is something that can change over time or be created with a sense of purpose. Special moments need to be created they do not occur by accident or without planning. I have come to realize that the traditions I grew up with that created those special memories are the reason I want to continue each year. I want to keep 'savoring it and make it last' with my children and that is the legacy that I have from the many experiences growing up.

 We have three children.  Our oldest are 20 and 18 and will pop their head in and check whether or not I have purchased the Advent wafers.  I only buy these wafers during Advent and it's a tradition that has stuck. Advent is a new tradition we added to our family in 2000.  Last year we created this upcycled Nativity scene together.  Each year we choose an advent book to read.  This year we are reading Jotham's Journey. As our youngest grows we have added a

few more things we do each year that he enjoys.  We have started an annual trip to Melbourne to have a look at the Myer Christmas windows.  This started with my oldest two when we were living in New Zealand and it's continued here in Australia.  Some of the other traditions we practice are going to see the Christmas lights in our neighborhood, visiting Melbourne to see the laser light show, visiting the Town Hall to see the Gingerbread Village, read our ever growing pile of favourite Christmas books and I make a gingerbread house . I did not realize this had become a tradition until I was asked last year "Where is the Gingerbread house ?"  Some traditions just happen by accident. Even after Christmas we focus our hearts and minds on the Lord and look at the 12 Days of Christmas

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Nadeen.............Memories of Christmas

Hooray school is over for the year and now we get to play with our old school book. Who on earth wanted those Ewwwww!!! So what did we do? Make Christmas decorations with them of course! Then off to find candles to wax the hinges of the doors so when we want to sneak out of bed the doors won’t creak!

Christmas night, oh what a treat. We would make sure that the song ‘Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer’ that was on our famous Christmas tape was ready to play full tilt at 6 AM.

Lying in bed desperately trying to fall asleep so Father Christmas could come and deliver presents. . .  Midnight I would wake up Girl and we would try and sneak to the lounge to see if there were presents. Most of the time all we would get on our way to the lounge was “get back to bed”  Darn!!! Mom has got good hearing. Then try again and again until we finally made it to the lounge. And boy oh boy what a surprise! Stockings filled to the brim.  Now to wake our brother . . . then much much later our eldest sister.  Now for the agonizing wait till 6am to wake Dad and Mom with coffee. Hurray! finally 6AM. Running into Dad and Mom’s room shouting on the top of our lungs “Father Christmas was here!!!” Off to the lounge where their coffee was waiting. All four of us waiting in anticipation for the famous words from Dad. . . “A for away and G  O  for go! Opening presents was amazing and so exciting.

To this day I try and make it as exciting for my three boys as it was for me. Memories, priceless memories of family time and amazing gifts. But they don’t have their mothers’ genes and sadly I wake them up screaming “Father Christmas was here” but wait . . . I wonder if that will all change now that they are a year older.

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Derek (Buddy)............What do I love about Christmas... 

A number of things, the first being present’s… who doesn’t love presents? It’s not the gifts that matter so much the simple fact of being thought of is the best thing for me, and of course I love wrapping the presents up so much that it is impossible to save the paper.. I think that paper at Christmas should not be saved. The second thing I love about Christmas is the fact that family get together to celebrate and have a good meal and times together, it’s not often that family gets together to give each other gifts and have a good meal and laughs and then afterwards to sit on the couch feeling over full from eating too much.  Lastly the most important of all is celebrating the Birth of Jesus Christ, without that momentous moment we would have had no future and our world would have been worse off than it is now and we would of not had many things we currently enjoy today.

There are two Christmas that stick firmly in my mind. One being…  We were in Berg Aukas Namibia, I got tools from granny Williams, Pop pops Williams had passed away some time prior to this and these tools which I still have today were my share. I was playing with a rubber mallet and  was warned to be careful, I bounced it on the floor, I wanted to look at it from a different perspective -  looked at the top of the hammer… and the hammer hit the floor all right and I was too close and it bounced off my forehead … ouch!

And the second one was in Windhoek Namibia (South West Africa at the time), my  Dad came back from the war on leave and he set up the pool…  Nadeen waking us up at night to have a look at what father Christmas had brought us…..it just brings a smile to my face.  As a kid I found the best thing was my dad did the dishes that day.  Woot no hand washing dishes for us kids! 

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Maryleen (Girl)........Such an incredible tradition celebrated worldwide!

My greatest memories were when I was 7 or 8 with family. We were brought up knowing about Santa which was such a wonderful thing. The mystery and intrigue of Santa was incredible at that age – how does he get presents to ALL the boys and girls in one night!

I remember clearly one night. It must have been 2 AM and my sister (Nadeen) waking us all up to see if Santa had delivered our gifts. We silently crept (although I’m sure my parents never slept Christmas Eve due to us being up so early)…… YES! The tree lights were on and there under the tree were our gifts. My mother always taught us about Christmas and that it’s actually Jesus’ Birthday. There were beautiful Nativity scenes in our home amongst the decor. I could not wait to make tree decorations with salt dough. We would bake them and then paint them then with much glitter it would be ready to hang. We always had a huge water melon that stayed in the pool (to keep cool) for it was too big for the fridge. Then the desert – YUM – one lucky person would find a coin in theirs…. Mum use to play the piano and we would all sing carols together – so much fun with a big family.

It never really was the gifts for me. What I love about Christmas is having fun with siblings, decorating our home, the imagination and the magic of the season and family time.

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May you and your family have a Blessed Christmas 

Until next time.........Remember Jesus is the reason for the season

The Outback - A Dream Comes True Part 3

THE STORY OF OUR OUTBACK ADVENTURE CONTINUES
Monday 3^rd June: Packed up leaving at 6h15 and having decided breakfast on the road would be the answer of weetbix and cornflakes and other varieties.

But as I said in the beginning, how God looks after us when we pray for His protection. His angels were on assignment when on the road travelling towards Ayres Rock with many Wedgetailed Eagels that were on the side of roads some sitting on fences others 

eating prey. A red car overtook us and in front of Nathan decided to stop on the highway and have a look at these beautiful birds and hence Nathan stopping too. But Dennis travelling the speed limit of 110k’s took his eye off the road a split second to see a bird looking up to see the cars in front stationary in the middle of the road, swerving to the right going on 2 wheels then back down and shooting forward in front of Nathan and thank goodness the red car decided to pull off. Quite shaken in the car and adrenaline pumping litres out we were safe with quite a few white faces all around So the moral of the story is to keep eyes focused on the road and not to stand stationary on the highway so it was a lesson learnt by all. 

We traveled on to Mt Ebenezer having pie and chips for lunch and a most welcomed cup of tea. 

We left there driving onto Yulara where Ayers Rock is other name for it is Uluru, arriving at the camping ground at 3pm... Beautiful camping grounds set up camp and decided to go and watch the sun set on Ayers Rock.

What a breath taking sight to see. People stood amazed clicking camera’s were heard and yet the sound of silence too, just watching the colour change on the rock while the sun was setting. Dennis and I took the road around the rock looking at it from different angles it’s a spectacular sight and would advise for those out there to take the time to go and see this magnificent rock. 

Arriving back at camp site had chicken for dinner. Bed time was most welcome.

Tuesday 4^th June: Up at about 7h30 had mince and egg for breko’s did a load of washing costing $6 then to post Derek the photo’s for our web page which. We had a cappuccino  and tea then posted some cards and for the first time saw a Sturt's Desert Pea in bloom which is the national flower for South Australia.

Sturt's Desert Pea

What a beautiful flower and to think it grows wild here. From here we went to Kata Tjuta means many heads (The Olga) this rock is about 50k’s from Ayers Rock we walked the Walpa gorge, means windy, got the old bones into gear and what a walk but worth the agony of sore muscles and stopping for breath to take the beauty of God’s creation.

From here we had the highlight of the day I went for a camel ride, this has been my dream. Beautiful creatures with eyelashes a woman dreams of. Dennis also went for his ride. Onto the cultural centre and watched the Aborigines’ painting and working at their art. We got back to camp feeling just wonderful of a time spent together enjoying the outback here. We went to the reception centre to go on the PC to check our web page which Derek and Raylene put together for us came back to camp and Maryleen cooked chicken. We packed up camp as much as we could for an early start the next day.

Wednesday 5^th June  

Kathleen at Kathleen Springs

On our way to Kings Canyon driving on the Lasseter Highway leaving at 7h37. Once again stopping for breakfast on the road of cereal and coffee. Just before the Canyon we stopped and took a photo of Kathleen Springs we did not go into it far a walk.




 Arriving at Kings Canyon Another beautiful area of mountains which we walked up the centre of the gorge there was another walk up the side of the mountain and one needs to be very fit to do this which Nathan and Dennis walked up to the top and it was very, very windy and not pleasant they walked down the same way the object of this walk is to walk around and over the gorge and back down the other side.

We had lunch a Kings Canyon finding the price very expensive but when you need to eat you need to eat. The road to this canyon and beyond is shocking corrugated sand roads and very tiring and sore on the back and bones.

Here is another time God’s angels on assignment were at work. Nathan finding the road better on the right side of the sand road and thought that he would see the dust of another car coming and he would move over, but this was not so and suddenly there was a car in front of him swerving to the left also going on 2 wheels then back and forwards and finally coming to a standstill with a tyre coming off its rim so we spent the next hour changing tyres. But we made it to Glen Helen Camp site after a long travel and feeling very tired and having to put up tent in the dark is not a pleasant feeling when travelling all day. Saw Dingo’s on the camp site prowling around for food. It was extremely cold here and thank goodness for the camp lounge with a huge fire going in the fire place this is where we parked for the evening before retiring to bed.

Thursday 6^th June  My was it cold this morning having toast for breakfast and hot coffee to warm the hands and body and I must say it was a wonderful feeling getting into the car and turning the heater on to warm the tootsies and finger tips. The first thing was to put air in the tyres as we were going onto sealed roads and that we are looking forward to as the travel from Yulara  to here was shocking. With the sun rising and clouds in the sky’s gave the most amazing colours which Maryleen and me taking photos of the country side beautiful too as the mountain ridges sort of followed us around the road also stopping at Ellery Creek the Big Hole.

Our journey to AliceSprings most pleasant arriving at about 11h30am and it was a dive to Red Rooster and Maco's for lunch, the drivers content as their body fuel has been replenished now off to find the Caravan park we looked up on the net only to find it was not to our liking so eventually found a good one called "G'Day Mate" booked in there and set up camp

Then we went our different ways Den and I to see Todd Mall and walked through there ending up at Kmart to buy another light for our tent and got other things which we needed. Back to park had dinner then it was up to the Anzac heights to look over Alice Springs at night time, a spectacular sight and photos were taken and in the midst of this coldness ice cream was eaten

End of Part 3.............................. Say something good

The Outback - A Dream Comes True Part 2

THE STORY OF OUR OUTBACK ADVENTURE CONTINUES
Thursday 31^st May  Lying in bed at about 3am listening to the wild can be quite daunting if you don’t know what to expect. We got up early packed up camp and paid our camp fees which was an honesty box by the gate. There were many campers there. Farina is now one can say a ghost town of homes in ruins with parrots making their homes in chimneys and the sand dunes sort of moved into the ruins it has a beauty all of its own as you can see from the photo’s we have taken below of the Post office Hotel 1878 which closed in 1960.

Farina

Leaving the ruins and arriving at Marree to put petrol in and my petrol price rising the further we go into the outback. We are now going to Lake Eyre stopping off at a camp 

site along the way which also has an honesty box; we just stopped for tea only to discover Dozer had an injured tyre so major surgery was booked. Using the plug kit for tyres, surgery began by removing the foreign object and with surgical tyre instruments a plug was inserted to stop the air from the tyre escaping hence a chemical reaction had taken place and surgery complete. Once again we were on the road to visit the Lake and what a spectacular sight as far as your eye could see so the salt laid and during the raining months here this is full of water so there is no way one can go into the lakes to see it but only from one of the main roads.

Lake Eyre

We had something to drink here too and let me tell you that the flies are very friendly here they sit on you without permission causing the most irritating itch to the face and body not pleasant at all, so out came the fly net which is placed onto the hat and then the flies do not bother the face. We decided to go back to Marree to camp arriving there at about 4 PM setting up camp and making a fire to keep warm and of cause roasting marshmallows. Found the folk most friendly and the caravan park interesting.

Friday 1^st June: Up early having showered and then bacon and eggs for Breko’s it was time to start the Oodnadatta Track.

We le ft Marree and about 53k’s out there was Road art.

Having seen that we stopped at the Bubbler which is in the Wabma Kadarbu Conservation Park. It’s a spring that bubbles and also looking over the arid terrain. Walking down to the Blanche Cup on Hamilton Hill. It’s amazing to see water spring up in places one would never think of it being there and this makes one realize how God supplies all our needs, it a place like this for the creatures of the desert to drink.

From here our journey led us to Coward Springs with another Honesty box of entrance fee $1 it also has an honesty box for the sale of post cards and paintings. One can get into the spring which today is but just a small place but the water is rather warm. The buildings here have been restored taking many volunteers helping a hand but I can say the flies are shocking here thank goodness for my net over my face.

Our next leg of the journey is to William Creek arriving there 12h50 dining at Dingo’s Restaurant where we had hamburgers and what a size it was, most interesting town with no cell phone coverage but a Telstra booth to phone and a phone card is needed.  A most enjoyable lunch. Parking meter money is donated to the outback Flying Doctor.

 Below is a beautiful painting found in the Dingo Café wall.

A most enjoyable lunch. Feeling refreshed and back on the road to Coober Pedy, arriving a Riba’s Caravan Park at about 4 PM. Now this is a town one will not find anywhere in the world like this? The people are very friendly and most homes are

underground. The temperatures remain the same in summer and winter so it’s a constant heat which is just right to live in. The office at the caravan park is underground and most warm welcome entrance to office. We decided to take our camp site underground too but putting up tent is another story especially trying to knock in the pegs into almost stone. The stone is very soft and light but a problem to knock the pegs into. Anyway all set up with lights to show us the way so it was off to the pizza restaurant which of cause I had fish and Den had steak as well as Maryleen and then Nathan had Lasagne for Dinner it was almost going on for 7 PM by this time the campers all gathered around at office entrance for A demonstration and walk through the opal mine and the do's and don'ts of the mine this was part of the camping package so we now know how to mine opals very interesting. Taking heaps of photos’s which you can see from below. This took about an hour and bed it was as the next day we will be sightseeing around the town. What an odd feeling it was camping underground.

Saturday 2^nd June: up at 5h30, after breakfast it was off to walk around the town each of us going our separate ways taking heaps of photos’s and just enjoying all the wonderful works of people’s hands the making of jewelry and how they actually live. We ended up at the Old Timers Mine paying $10 to walk through this museum. This mine was the original opal mine dating back to 1916 it actually has the kitchen bathroom and bedrooms and the actual miner actually  chipped out the stone by hand to make his daughters bedrooms. This old Time mine was filled in the shafts, hiding the mine below and nobody knows why they never returned to dig out the opals still waiting? It was in 1968 that the hidden mine was accidentally discovered when an underground home extension broke through revealing the precious opals which is still there for you to see today. Apparently it’s like having a fever and just wanting to go into small tunnels seeking opals. This mine has actual opals still in the wall at the value of about $250,000 but if taken will collapse the mine as it’s the main the pillar of the place but then the owner also says it’s for the public to see what it looks like in natural form in the rock

There are stone sculptures are in the mine wall of the Old Timers Mine as you walk around here one can see opals in the wall. We also had a demonstration of the instruments and machinery of how it works. The blower which sucks up the unwanted stone and sand and blows it out which Nathan and Dennis had the honour of holding the stones for the blower to suck up some instrument which you can see from the photo’s. After a wonderful time spent in town it was bed early for an early rise of 4:45AM

End of Part 2..............Yesterday is History, today is a gift and tomorrow is a mystery.

The Outback - A Dream Comes True Part 1

This adventure took place in 2007, our then Terracan  4x4 was stock standard (due for replacement in August that year)and we were as 'green' as when it came to 4WD in AUS., we had no equipment at all but had great fun kitting out, most has survived and is still used today when we go out. We did not have Camps (a comprehensive travel guide to the best free camping and low cost camping spots, rest areas, station stays, national and state parks, country and remote caravan parks throughout Australia.) or Memory Map (navigation software which is easy to use on a PC, Pocket PC or WM Smartphone. With a GPS connected it will show your position on a full colour detailed map and help you navigate your way) back then so all planning was done using maps and the internet. Kathleen kept a diary and on our return she wrote the story, which with her kind permission is going to appear in chapters over the next few weeks - enjoy.

DINGO DEN’S OUTBACK DREAM COMES TRUE

Dingo’s dream started about 3 years ago after reading the book on Burke and Wills’ life (BURKE'S SOLDIER By Alan Attwood) which is part of the history of Australia so the desire to visit the outback began with travelling around the outback with his 4x4 and his mate Kangrookath. Well, after many maps and searching the web for different places to visit and placing it all together on his PC along came the date for June 2007.

The saving part we will leave out of it but the list for things to take with became extremely long

realizing that most of the things were a necessity like the porta potty which of cause was a laugh by all even the wee house to surround the cutie was tested and all was all right in that area. So in the shopping trolley was a tent with extra poles which had to be purchased the porta potty and 4x4 mattress, sleeping bags and thermal blanket so the sleeping place was sorted then the brain triggered off with the tummy and what was needed for the trip in the cooking utensils

 and car fridge etc. and not knowing the exact places and what was there we had to have all especially been told by the various places when travelling the outback to have at least 10 days of food and water just in case you get bogged in. Chairs were necessary and table for gas cookers and the most important was lighting. Whew! What an expense to lay out but all was fun with the shopping trolley.

Our daughter Maryleen and her hubby Nathan decided to do the trip with us so it was a togetherness of decisions and planning which worked out wonderfully.

With Dennis having to go up to Adelaide the last week of May for work we decided to leave on the 27^th May staying in Adelaide until the 29^th then leaving early the 30^th May for a trip of a life time and memories that are just indescribable.

AND SO THE STORY OF OUR OUTBACK ADVENTURE BEGINS

6am on Sunday morning the 27^th May The house was bursting at the seams with life and excitement Maryleen and Nathan arrived then Derek came over with his camera and took shots of us by our cars all packed and ready for Adelaide the excitement was just so over whelming and Prayers were said for safe journeys right throughout this trip and believe you me God’s hand was on us throughout this trip as you will later find out how prayers get answered.

Maryleen and Nathan travelling behind the Dingo

We stopped about a hour into the trip for breakfast at our favourite eating place just outside Ballarat leaving there with tummies full and ready for our trip to half way mark of Border Town where we had a cuppa and walk to get the bones moving etc. Leaving there and then stopping at Coolepyn truck stop for lunch. Back on the road and next stop was Adelaide. It was Maryleen's first trip to Adelaide with the 2 days of showing her different places there and then doing the last bit of shopping for the trip at the supermarket of fresh meat and different food stuffs which was needed. 

Adelaide

Back to the apartment where we were staying in Adelaide sorting out the meats into meals and placing them into the freezer which Nathan had. We had the fridge in our car so it all worked out just right with the food stuffs. We packed up the night before with most of our luggage and it was a case of putting the clothes etc into car and leaving. Which we did on the Wednesday morning all excited about the trip but stopping off at Maco’s for our favourite egg and bacon mac muffin yummmmmmmmy. Then it was off to a garage to fill the tanks.

We finally on our way to the outback!

30^th May 2007

Our first stop was Hawker it is well known for their art work, the Muriel’s are just amazing on walls and it was wonderful to find out that the shops with the art stuffs were all Christians also selling different biblical goods etc it was such a warm feeling just walking around, this is also where we put petrol in. It was good just walking around there.

Hawker

Our next stop was to the Wilpena Pound only to find out one has to take a flight to actually see the pond so we gave that one a miss. So the decision was made to drive through the Flinders ranges and what breath taking sights it was so beautiful that the photo’s that we did take do not do it justice.

Wilpena Pound

Driving through river beds and seeing the different rock formation and how it changes from different colour sand stones to quartz’s. We also had a good laugh having communications between cars and Maryleen chatting away on her hand held radio saying she needs to go to the toilet but of cause in more direct language and all was quite when suddenly a man came onto air saying “that’s nice to know” well that brought the house down he was even so kind as to direct us over the air to get to the toilets. I think one could just have a holiday in the Flinders Ranges without going anywhere else. 

Flinders Rangers

Leaving the ranges we travelled through Leigh Creek then decided to travel on to Farina where we set up camp at dusk and made a camp fire. It was quite chilly there for our first night in the outback and did creatures great and small make themselves known.

The wine glass

This wee box Dennis made for me as a surprise gift to open when we arrived at our first camp. It had a lock and key which I had to use to open it and in so doing I pulled out my wine glass, it was broken! This wee box was made as a preventative measure from glasses breaking so when Dennis saw the breakage his expression on his face was priceless!  So with Dennis and Nathan’s expertise in repairing it with duct tape, the glass remained like that till the end of the trip. 

The art of repairing the stem of a wine glass

End of Part 1 ...........................Turn your dreams into reality