Let the wandering begin......

Saturday morning arrived and we loaded our bags and drove down to pick up our home for the next few weeks.  We stowed everything and then it was time to hit the road for some new adventures.

Before we finished work we both had holidays booked during this time as we were going to spend a week in The Capertee Valley and then finish in Canberra for a reunion with the RAAF guys and gals.  We could see no reason to change our plans other than to add an extra week on the end ensuring we could really put this new van 'through its paces'.  

We had decided that our first day would just be a short trip up the Hume Hwy to Eurora where we know the little caravan park and always enjoy our stays there.  We arrived safely and left the van hooked up for just the one night.  We took a walk into town, admiring the window displays for Wool Week, before coming back to cook dinner and settle down for a quiet night in.

All went well and everything worked, the bed very comfortable and neither of us woke too early.  Once we did we took our time having breakfast and then set off again for another day on the road.  Again we took it easy, checking out Balmutton, Violet Town and Benalla as we passed them.  The Lawn cemetery at Benella caught our eye with the very colorful flowers which we discovered on closer inspection were silk.  Not sure who keeps it looking so lovely but it is a credit to them.

This thirsty magpie was very entertaining when we stopped a little further up the road to eat our lunch.

We had planned to drive into NSW today but as the afternoon wore on Bill was tiring and so we decided to stop at another favorite little spot at Chiltern.  Not very far up the road but better to stop now than drive tired.

As we arrived, so did the wind and Bill's hay fever kicked into full gear so he locked himself in with the air conditioning for an hour or so.  Once he, and the wind, had settled we went for a walk around the town before returning home to cook dinner. Soon after we were turning in, this 'Grey Nomad' stuff sure takes it out of you - but I'm sure we'll get used to it!

The next morning we stopped on our way out for a coffee at The Mulberry Tree and enjoyed a half hour chatting to Regina who owns it.  At the ripe old age of 70 something she still cooks all the food and runs the B and B as well.  One very incredible and entertaining lady.

We crossed the border and soon after stopped on the outskirts of Albury for a few bits that I had forgotten to buy as I decided our menus for the next few days.  Our next stop was for lunch at the Hume Dam Picnic area and then a look at the Reservoir and the Murray River beyond the spillway.  A cold windy day here after a very hot day yesterday.

We stopped a little while later in Holbrook where we were surprised to see this Big Submarine.  After the sub was decommissioned in 1995 the Navy gifted the fin to the town. 

This resulted in the town fundraising to purchase the whole outside skin of the HMAS Otway above the waterline,  to honour Lt Holbrook the towns namesake.   It now sits in Germanton Park together with a model of the B11 and a memorial to Lt Holbrook.

Back in the car we drove on to Tarcutta where we found the National Truck Drivers Memorial opposite the truck stop and roadhouse.  This memorial is a fascinating piece commemorating the many drivers that have died while at work on our roads. Also there is a monument to Slim Dusty as he and his wife were patrons of the Truck Drivers memorial.

Not finding a really suitable camp site there we continued on to Gundagai where we stayed in a lovely park beside the Murrumbidgee River.  Right across the road from us were the two historic  trestle bridges, one the old Prince Alfred Highway and the other was the railway bridge.  

Our host told us it was the longest trestle bridge in the country.  Such a shame they are now in ruins and look likely to remain that way until they both finally crumble.  

The sign says they are 'Managed Ruins' so I guess we can enjoy seeing them for a few more years until they disintegrate totally.

We had a walk to look at the bridges and the Murrumbidgee before heading inside for dinner and a movie.

Until next time..........