A bad day

We have come to a standstill in Roxby Downs after our tow bar snapped off the Land Rover today. Which has left us stranded in Roxby Downs a town built to service, Olympic Dam a huge mine nearby which you may have heard in the news recently as protesters have been active trying to close it down. We are not sure where to from here, possibly a trip back to Adelaide for a new towball and bar? A road trip definitely throws challenges at you- a lot ,which either makes you stronger or sends you home....we're going to keep tracking !

Roadside amusement

You spend lots of hours in the car on a road trip- sort of goes without saying and small things become amusing like these great South Australian road signs - there is a series, I'll try to get photos of the others and post them before we leave this state behind oh and also rubbish bins- check out the orange!

The Barossa

We are back on track- spent today checking out the Barossa Valley. A very beautiful place, we were overwhelmed at the enormity of some of the wineries, they were on huge scale productions! But they haven't got the kids entertainment factor sorted half as well as a lot of the wineries on the good old Mornington Peninsula, I mean a playground anyone?
We also visited Maggie Beer's farm shop/cafe which was pretty special, lots of yummy produce and the best soy chai latte I've had since leaving Melbourne!

Sick and tired

We are tired of being sick in Mildura. Harry has had bronchitis which I proceeded to catch, not surprising given that I'm the one he's been coughing and spluttering all over. Today was spent alternating between the couch and bed, though after all that rest , I think I am starting to feel better. We want to move on from Mildura, not that we haven't enjoyed Mildura but we want to go and have adventures not rest in apartments. It hasn't been all bad though, here are some highlights:
1. A Paddlesteamer ride down the Murray, reclining in a deck chair with the afternoon sun on my face watching the Gums on the riverbank pass us by.
2. The hospitality of the locals, I think they are feeling for us too- from bringing the remainder of our Stefanos 6 course degustation meal to our room as Harry was too sick to stay at the restaurant to the lady that owns the apartment we are staying in giving us enormous bowls of oranges *to aid our recovery
3. The amazing park our front door opens onto
4. The farmers market we were able to go to yesterday, lots of yummy fresh produce
* the irony of us being stuck in a town famous for oranges when we are all sick hasn't escaped me!

We hope to get to Mungo National Park tomorrow

Maddy in Mildura

Hello everyone, well I know what you're thinking this is not a caravan park, well we had to go to the Grand Hotel because Harry has bronchitis and he has to be kept in the warmth to get better because if he doesn't it could be a bad trip for him because he'll be in bed all the time and will never see beautiful Australia, poor Harry, but it's quite nice the Grand Hotel. How nice does that pool look. By Maddy

Sickness

We have come to a grinding holt in Mildura. Harry came down with a sickness the Friday night before we left, his fever has continued on and off and his cough has got worse, so today I took him to a doctor and ....Bronchitis!!So I've checked us into the Grand hotel( not that our room is that grand) so we can be warm, have a TV so he can rest and a bathroom in the room- what luxury!
Oh forgot to mention Maddy had a 24. hour virus yesterday and I've come down with a cold. Em remains unscathed and is currently out shopping with Pete while the rest of us sickies rest in this warm, spacious room.

Apprehension

There are a few little things that worry me about our impending adventure:
1.The ability to obtain good, fresh healthy food- I don't want to end up like the family we saw at Inverloch caravan park eating toast and jam for tea with lollies for desert...
2. The ability to get sleep in this "double" bed (more like king single) that Pete and I are going to share for 3 months
3. The midnight walks to the loo
4. Snowflakes survival, contending with "Roughy" Tracey's cat( Tracey is kindly
looking after him while we are away)

That pretty much sums it up for now..
We had our first day on the road today it went well and not so well, Harry is sick, water tap on van not working, we nearly ran out of petrol.....stay posted xx