Days 48, 49, 50 and 51.. Sunday to Wednesday, 4 to 7 August 2013.

Where have we been?  Travelling days, all the way from Ross River across to Alice Springs and then south to Kulgera, Coober Pedy, Woomera and here at Port Broughton.

Sunday morning's travel was bitter sweet, leaving the lovely Ross River and back to The Alice. Fuelled up there (heaps cheaper) and back to the Stuart Highway and further south for some 300 k's to Kulgera. This place is just a dusty outback roadhouse with a certain ambiance. Had a beer at the bar before 'happy hour'. Can of beer was $8. Asked what the price was during this 'happy hour'. The reply? '30 cents off'. Didn't bother. Went back to the van and had some from the 'fridge. Much better. So many stars to see when in the outback. Gerry just loves looking at the Milky Way stuff...to me, they are just stars.

That was Sunday. On Monday we continued down the highway towards Coober Pedy. A nice easy drive, stopped at Marla Bore for some fuel, cuppa coffee and a fruity bun and some manouvering around a pesky road train that had decided to park across one end of the bowser lane while he unloaded. Ahh, the carefree nature of the outback....priceless (but can be a pain in the ring-gear!).

Got to our favourite park at Coober Pedy at a reasonable hour. Geraldine had co-ordinated our trip to ensure that we stopped at this park so that we could have one of their famous pizzas. I agreed with that idea, 'coz they are REALLY good. But.....they are doing renovations now aren't they? The pizza oven is disconnected isn't it....back in operation of Friday, isn't it? But today is Monday! Do we stay until Friday? Nope, we get a pizza from 'John's' which is nearly as good...the red wine helps things along. We live!!!!

Tuesday was a drive south along a rather featureless highway for nearly 400 k's to Woomera. The highlight of the drive was having a 'burger with the lot at a place called Pimba. Turned left after the burger to Woomera. Parked the van at the tourist park (a dusty, well-used place), then had a walk around good old Woomera. Checked out a few displays of the old rocket stuff and the museum place. Went to the bar at about 1700 for happy hour. Had a chat with Rob and  'my name is Gay, not 'I am Gay', who hail from a place called Lara, just north of Geelong! Small world I keep saying! The bar is so basic it has a great ambiance. The grey nomads have their usual one or two drinks and go back to their vans and continue drinking their cheapies. The mining blokes stay at the bar until whenever.

Wake up Wednesday and there is dew on the car windows for the first time in weeks....and it is quite cold. Head off down towards Port Augusta. We are travelling in as south-westerly direction and the wind is a fairly stiff southerly...a bit of hard work for the car and me but we do alright! Stop at Augusta and pick up some provisions. Having turned left at the Eyre Highway we now travel towards Adelaide until the turn-off to Port Broughton...about 30 k's off the highway but beside the water. We get a lovely site right beside the bay. Set up camp, go for a walk along the pier (if there is a pier in a town, we will walk it!). Have a nice afternoon at the park, talk to the neighbours and watch the sun go down over said bay while we enjoy a beer/wine, but hell it's cold!

Tomorrow we will be back in a big city and shall be spending a few days with Mary and Phil at Port Willunga.