The weather across all of Victoria was bleak when we stirred on our final day on the road. Strong gale force winds, rain and possible storms with a number of warnings were featured in the forecast. When we ventured outside the sky to the west was looking threatening, so we made the decision to move on before we were caught out by having to pack up the Tvan in the rain.
It was 8.00am when we pulled out of the caravan park and drove back through the centre of Bendigo. There were no signs of the revellers participating in the Winter Beer Festival that was well underway when we arrived yesterday.
The rain increased as we drove south and climbed higher into the hills to the north of Melbourne. The temperature dropped as we approached Woodend and the rain persisted. Staff in a busy cafe found us a table close to a warming log fire.
Breakfast, tea and coffee were ordered. We watched as new arrivals to the cafe seemed to be well known to others already seated. As this was a recurring occurence we gathered we were sitting amongst Woodend locals.
The rain began clearing as we started the descent down the hills on the outskirts of Melbourne. Patches of blue sky appeared, but there was no change to the strong winds.
We arrived home at 11.30am under threatening skies. Things were in order around home. Some work will be needed to tidy up around the garden, but everything else was in order.
Our initial reflections on our time away were consistent in terms of the experiences that would stay with us forever, the places we would revisit in the future, and the places we needn’t bother going back to.
A lot of planning was necessary to minimise the risks of travelling on our own through remote country. Catering with limited opportunities to replenish supplies was taken into account. Power and water needs were considered and monitored regularly. Communication needs were covered with two mobile phones when networks were within range; the satellite phone provided coverage when all else was “off the grid”. Additional fuel was carried during really remote travels, giving us increased range between fill-ups.
At times we battled frosts, heat waves, flies, dust, mosquitoes and gale-force winds. We’ve enjoyed fresh fish given to us by strangers, watched stunning sunrises and sunsets, enjoyed meals with friends while touring the country far from home, relaxed in thermal springs – some on the edge of a desert and another in the tropics, watched an azure kingfisher flit from tree to tree, dodged emus, cattle, lizards and snakes and chatted with interesting people and like-minded travellers along the way.
It will take some time before the dust is removed from our clothes, the Tvan and the Prado. It has been a challenging, rewarding and memorable adventure given the remote destinations we experienced.