Crossing the Nullarbor

Three days of constant travel took us across the Nullarbor (Nullus arbor - no trees) into Western Australia.
The pups were amazingly good, but I was dog tired!
The first night we free camped along the Great Australian Bight and I cooked chicken and pumpkin over a campfire. It was incredibly windy, but the views were stunning. It makes you feel so small, standing on the edge of a cliff, knowing that the next land mass to the south is Antartica.
I took lots of deep, deep breaths in that mystical place.

Louie's tips for four-legged friends

Yo bitches, studs and my fellow mutts, thought I’d jump online while mum wasn’t looking and let you know what you really need to pack on a long road trip.

1.     Toys. I know this goes without saying, but if you’re like me - can’t live without my best friend and constant companion bad cuz - then make sure it’s in your mouth when you get in the car. If your mum or dad try and take it off you, drop your ears, widen your eyes and give them ‘the look’. Works every time.

2.     More toys. I know, I know, us canines can never have too many toys, but try explaining that to your mum or dad when space is at a premium. My trick for this was hiding them in my bed before the bed was packed. My toy cow Miss Moo is now travelling along with us too!

3.     Tennis balls, or something to chase and fetch. Just because you’re on holidays, doesn’t mean you have to lose your fetching/hunting skills. I like to stay in shape by chasing tennis balls, birds, or sticks if there’s nothing else. Make sure you set aside some time every day with your mum and dad for some throwing and fetching. It will help keep you in shape and make those long distances in the car more relaxing. Thankfully mum likes to follow the mantra of the Dog Whisperer, Cesar Milan: exercise, discipline, affection (it sounds better with a Chihuahua's accent: eggsacisssse, desseepleen, affetchion…)

4.     Treats.  I mean, my behaviour is excellent most of the time – excuse me while I check on Halle, she appears to be choking – but it’s still nice to be rewarded for it. Liver treats, smackos, kabana or cheese, I’m easy to please.

5.     Your favourite bed. Mine is like a little cocoon or igloo with faux leopard print around the edges. At home I have to compete with Halle for the best bed, but on the road she’ll sleep with mum because she can. Sometimes, if the nights get too cold, I like to jump in with them too. It’s not because I’m afraid or anything, it’s just to share warmth okay.

That’s it! Hope that helps all you four-legged travellers out there.

Happy tails.

Louie xxx

Elsa gets her skirts on

Elsa has a lovely aqua annexe with orange striped bunting.
I put it up for the first time last week because we needed the shade, it provided privacy from the vans behind us and beside us, and we were able to sit in it and enjoy spectacular views like this:

I was a bit worried when the wind picked up our second night there. I thought the annexe was going to take Elsa for a parasail across the bay!

This moment

{inspired by Soulemama} "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Things that are making me smile

- Beautiful sunrises with the beach all to ourselves

- Seeing how happy being near the water makes Halle

- The colours of Australia, the reds, golds, blues... Pink and gray galahs nesting in red cliffs, the glitter of of the beach in morning light, the hues of the ocean against the sky.

- Surprising clifftop sculptures

- A roadside bakery in the middle of nowhere offering traditional breads baked in a scotch wood-fired oven

- 'Red Dog' Doby Gillis isn't concerned by caravans and motorhomes pulling up outside his home for fresh baked bread


What's making you smile lately?

Renee xxx

Morning light

Two mornings at a beautiful 'top secret' location on the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. It was a free campsite passed along to me by word-of-mouth and it was paradise. Spotted dolphins on the first morning and we had the beach to ourselves the whole time we were there.

This moment

{inspired by Soulemama} "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Beautiful Port Germein

Port Germein was one of those accidental camping finds, where I didn't want to stop in industrial Port Pirie so kept on driving. It's home to one of the longest wooden jetties in the southern hemisphere and heritage listed loading docks. If Louie's expression is looking a little funny, it's because Halle rolled in the smelliest spots she could find. The little stinker!

Caravan life

Big enough for a cup of tea and pancakes

Louie's favourite rest spot

My upcycled tablecloth curtains

Everything needs to be locked and secured before departure

The hills are alive

The Adelaide Hills are stunning. Originally I intended to bypass Adelaide entirely and follow the Murray River towns north, but I’m glad I didn’t. I felt right at home the second I drove into the hills district, perhaps because of my years living in the Dandenong Ranges? I could even hear the local steam train from our campsite. In terms of camping, it’s been the least scenic of our camp spots, but it gave us easy access to the beautiful hills and villages such as Hahndorf and Mt Barker, with their old sandstone mills and houses. A kransky with sauerkraut and an apple strudel were the delicious local fare. But my favourite was the cherry ripe fudge at the local lolly shop. Hahndorf had a similar ambience to Daylesford I thought (try getting a park there over the South Australian Labour Day weekend!) with the emphasis on locally grown produce, a farmer’s market and plethora of restaurants, but it seemed to have a lot more to offer with beautiful traditional German handcrafts, kids’ parks, art exhibitions and museums. Halle and Louie highly recommend a kransky to all of their fellow dog travellers!

This moment

{inspired by Soulemama} "A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember."

Life is better by the Lake

Captain's log: Day 2,3: 280km

Great Egret and Royal Spoonbill

Tasting the local delicacy Coorong mullet

Batten down the hatches

Captain's log: Day 1, 60km
It was such a relief to finally be on our way on Sunday.
I wasn't perfectly happy with Elsa's renovations, but it was enough to get going. We had somewhere to eat and sleep comfortably and she'd been given the seal of approval by a mechanic.
Then around the 60km mark from my parents' farm, I noticed in the rearview that her curtains were blowing about like there was a gale in there.
Fearing that we'd lost the old roof hatch, I pulled over, only to discover that the door latch had worked it screws loose and flown off somewhere on the highway. Thanks to a bungee cord, we retraced our steps 3km to camp overnight on the lovely Wimmera River, waiting for the shops to open on Monday.
After some clever ingenuity by the local hardware guy, we were again on our way, yay!!