So here we are again, South Australia and not a wombat in sight, we left home in Little bus with a nice long trip planned, up to 3 months if all goes well.

We trundled out onto the Nullarbor, making our way east, staying at some new and some old camps, and poking our noses into a few spots to check out for next time.

The weather on leaving was cold, nights down to 2 degrees, (thankfully we have a thick crocheted  blanket that keeps us warm)  but then over the past few days it’s been glorious and warm, up into the 20’s which makes for pleasant days and cool nights down to single digits. To celebrate the end of the Nullarbor long drives we took ourselves out to the pub at Kimba for a meal and were introduced to Coopers Dark Stout, then somehow we rolled ourselves home and I’m not sure how, but into bed, that signified the end of the first stage of our trip, from home to Port Augusta

So Saturday night saw us spending the night in Port Augusta, where we ended up in the Shoreline Caravan Park instead of our planned spot. But they gave us a great little site, right on the shoreline (hah hah I know right!) where we had a view out over the water to the freight trains moving around coming in and out, but those that know us know that that suits us right down to a tee. So again we slept like the proverbial. It also offered us the opportunity to restock and do some washing etc

Today we started our planned adventure proper, new Territory, and yet the total distance of 60km or so took us all day, From Port Augusta , we headed south, then south east up the Horrocks pass (wow that is a different drive! (Which we both thoroughly enjoyed) and then into Walmington, a sleepy little town which surprise surprise had markets on in the town hall. After a wander round and up and down the streets we headed off to Alligator Gorge in the Mount Remarkable National Park….. Now it is possibly named Allligator because of a bloke called Ali who way back when was the first to take his sheep in there to water them,….. or its named after the lace monitor lizards that are around there that someone may possibly at some time remotely thought they looked like Allligators? But anyway I digress, because Alligator Gorge is a must do if you are in this area… BUT and its a big BUT…. DO NOT TAKE CARAVANS IN THERE!

Or for that matter tow anything, there are big signs telling you not to alright? But as we are in Little bus Nah why not so drive in we did,

A: its quite a way in

B: it is extremely windy and torturous

C: the edges of the road disappear vertically down to nothing

D: when it says steep, its steep both down and up,

E: they put in spoon drains that cross the road on the steepest parts , every 100m for 2=3 km so these make you come to a complete stop if you want to retain your suspension.

So after a white knuckle ride in, sitting in the passenger seat, and while Jo looked at me from the drivers seat with a manic grin saying “gee that was fun” I was able to retract my fingernails from the door trim and off for a wee little walky we go.

The walk was a 2km circuit that headed down steep rocky steps then down to the creek line, which was dry, it followed the creek line for about a km, through the narrow cleft cut through the orange rock b y the water then up and round again back to the carpark.

I won’t try to describe it but fair to say take 3 things

Good strong footwear, your time, and lots of Photos ( Oh and water and hats and all that other stuff too)

 

Thoroughly enjoyed it would rate it 4 stars out of 5 and would do it again.

After that we toddled on up the road to our camp, a free camp on the road where we have parrots in the trees, Crows pinching the Parrots apples, the gentle noise of traffic and some relative e peace and quiet.

And pork sausages for tea….. yumm and what a way to end a spectacular day her in the Southern Flinders ranges!