Firstly apologies for the last blog as i was really tired when i was writing it and was having trouble getting it right so i thought i would save it and come back and finish when i wasn't so tired but as i am still getting used to how the blog works it actually posted it hence why it was so disjointed so hopefully todays will be better.
Started the day early filling up with fuel and topping up the gas ready to start the "Nullarbor"as i couldn't wait to get going.
I was so excited to begin that i only managed to get a quick snap of the famous Nullarbor sign out the front window of the bus as i sailed past........but once i got over my initial excitement i settled down and just cruised along taking in everything and was surprised at how green it was as I was just expecting red dust.
The first nights camp was just East of Bordertown right near cliffs overlooking the Great Southern Ocean and the second night i stayed in a caravan park behind the roadhouse in Balladonia where i purchased a $5 ice-cream and a $5 Latte....I enjoyed both so worth it.
Speaking of prices i was paying $1.97 P/L for Diesel in all but the roadhouse in Mundrabilla which was only $1.88 P/L and was glad when i reached Norseman to find it was back to $1.59 a litre and was surprised as it is the only place i have seen it cheaper than Petrol.
At the border crossing there is a quarantine station which is manned 24hrs a day and everyone is inspected so the night before i cut up and froze most of my vegetables so i wouldn't have to throw them out as you can't take across fruit vegetables honey or seeds.
The inspector also warned me about the 1080 baits that the farmers use to kill foxes and said not to let Meg out anywhere along the road or in the free camps and that the only place that was safe was at the Roadhouses which is why i stayed the next night in one.I had heard about them but couldn't find any information on exactly where they were.
I had expected there to be phone service at each of the roadhouses but there is only service as far as Madura so i decided i would fire up my satellite phone and give it a try. WELL do you think i could find a satellite NO! just as well there was no emergency as i could be still waiting.I thought that was the whole point of a satellite phone that they work anywhere and its not as if there were any buildings or huge trees etc to block.
I did try it again the next day and had a satellite so sent a text message which apparently was never received so I'm not too sure that that it was worth the effort to get one.
I also had a bit of a "Wolf Creek" experience as a truck came up behind me and wouldn't pass which is really unusual for a truck so i slowed down and pulled over a bit and he still didn't pass so i just kept getting slower and slower to force him to pass which he finally did but he didn't pull ahead as is normal so I again slowed down and so did he by this point i was getting a little concerned so fired up the non working satellite phone hoping for a miracle when he pulled over to the side which meant he would be behind me again and sure enough he started following me again and just sitting behind me.
I was relieved to see another car with a camper on the back overtake us both so i was pushing the bus to go faster so i didn't lose them and when they pulled in to one of the free camp spots i followed and the truck went on past so i just sat for awhile waiting to see what the other campers were doing and after about 10 minutes they pulled out so i followed them and got to Balladonia where i was relieved not to see the truck.
Im not sure what he was up to whether it was all just a coincidence but that was the only time while i was on the Nullarbor that i was in any way concerned as there is so much traffic going up and down the road and roadhouses dotted along the way so it really wasn't much different to driving on the Hume Hwy but it definitely has an aura about it and "Would i do it again"In a heartbeat as i loved every minute of it.
Oh and did i mention i kicked "Henry" the Polish fisherman out in Ceduna for not paying his way????
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