DAY 143 – HOME AGAIN

SATURDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2021

After 4 months and 21 days; or 20 weeks and 3 days; or simply 143 days and covering just over 14,000 Kilometers; we are back home on Bong Bong Hill in Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia.

PART 1 HOME TO COOMALIE

PART 2 COOMALIE TO HOME

However, first I need to back track a little to Day 140, 3 November, and Hay

Hay to Buckingbong Reserve, Gilenbah 3 November 2021

Once we had topped up with water, and caught up with the washing we were ready to get back out into the freedom of bush camping. It was a short 160k drive along the flat Hay Plains to our next stop, beside the Murrumbidgee River at the wonderfully named Buckingbong Reserve.

We set up home on a grassy site overlooking the Murrumbidgee, which, after all the recent rain is much higher than usual, and flowing very fast. Norm felt uneasy camping on the ‘black soil’ with more rains threatening. We did not set up the full camp incase we needed to move in a hurry.

In the afternoon a couple of men from the nearby Department of Primary Industries Fisheries Hatchery popped in for a short visit. We didn’t notice if they released any fingerlings. Meanwhile cheeky Rosie took advantage of Norm’s brief absence to jump onto his chair. She was rather pleased with herself.

Light rain had started to fall as Norm set up the fire to grill our steaks for dinner. We had to resort to lounging by the fire under our umberellas.

During the night several thunder storms moved by, dumping heavy rain, and making us both feel nervous about the prospect of getting bogged.

4 November 2021

First thing in the morning we hooked up the van and moved it across to the edge of the sealed roadway. We loved the camp spot so wanted to stay another day. As soon as we had set up on the new location the sun came out of course, and we enjoyed a beautiful dry sunny camp all day. A stunning sunset and pleasant evening by the camp fire completed our day perfectly.

5 November Buckingbong to Gunning

I woke with a very heavy heart this morning, the anniversary of the dreadful day that my darling son Tony passed away. Before packing up to continue our amblings, I spent some time beside the river, remembering the happy times and the sad times too. I could not have chosen a more perfect spot to reflect.

Typically Norm found yet another road much less travelled winding through beautiful country to rejoin the Sturt Highway at Galore. Despite the wet weather, it was a lovely scenic drive.

Once back on the Sturt Highway we ambled down the road, past Wagga Wagga and finally back onto the Hume Highway up to the pretty, historic village of Jugiong. Our plan was to spend our last night of this epic journey camping beside the Murrumbidgee at the Jugiong Recreation Park. We were both looking forward to treating ourselves to a delicious dinner out at the Albert Hotel.

We had hoped to pop into the Long Paddock for a quick lunch before setting up camp. Much to our dismay the village was teaming with visitors, all having burst out of COVID lockdown, following the easing of resrictions. Despite the wet conditions, all the decent camp sites were already taken and we were left feeling deflated. There was no choice but to pull over and make our own lunch. We found a spare parking spot infront of the local Rural Fire Service Shed, with some eye catching flowers to feast our eyes on as we ate our cheese and tomato sandwiches…

… and then we rejoined the Hume for a very wet last leg of the last full day on the road. It was a soggy campsite where we set up home at the Gunning Showground, so we dined out at the nearby pub that evening. They had a novel way of describing the COVID safe social distancing rule.