We're Under Way!

Monday 27th was a frantic day as we finalised the packing, but we were helped by three wonderful ladies from church who came to help with cleaning the house ready for our housesitters. After a last cuppa with our fabulous neighbour, we drove the few minutes to the Spirit of Tasmania. Incredibly, once through security we drove straight onto the ferry, something we've rarely done. Watching our city slide past as we sailed down the river, we received phone messages from a number of our running friends. We were excited to be on our way at last after having wanted to do this nomadding for a number of years. And then it was time for dinner followed by bed, but sleep was not easily had as the Strait was very choppy and we were sleeping in the bow. Both of us were queasy.

That queasiness lasted through the day after we disembarked on Tuesday morning. Our two days in Bendigo were mainly family and friends time. We camped on my cousin's property, twice visited my uncle and aunt in the nursing home and went out to dinner with long time friends; as well as visiting Bendigo Woollen Mills, the Gluten Free Bakery, the Bendigo parkrun course to have a Freedom run/walk and do some necessary shopping. We also experienced our first frost which we survived without problems.

Thursday saw us leave Bendigo in brilliant sunshine, but 40 km later we were in rain at Maldon. We spent a couple of hours wandering the streets of this historically interesting township.

After making a quick sandwich we set off through Carisbrooke, Talbot and Lexton before making our way to Beaufort's RV Park for the evening. However, before dinner we had a walk around town and a coffee and cake at Angel's Coffee Shop where the owner sat down with us and had an animated conversation. 

On Friday morning we made our way towards Timboon, stopping for an hour to catch up with missionary friends in Skipton. We'd chosen Timboon to be the first of our parkrun tourist stops, but the free camping advertised was not available probably because of all the rain. We parked the caravan at the Timboon Ice Creamery where we tasted a number of flavours. My favourite was definitely the Creamy Blue Cheese Ice-cream. Put this Ice Creamery on your must visit list! Leaving the van there, after ascertaining that we could camp at the Scout Camp a few kilometres out of Timboon, we walked the parkrun course. What a wonderful rail trail. A rather bedraggled koala entertained us by hopping along the trail, staring at us and generally being his gorgeous self.

On Saturday morning we made our way back to Timboon, ran and walked the course chatting with the locals and thoroughly enjoyed their country hospitality. We sat and chatted with two couples over post parkrun coffee and we were told about some interesting structures and a waterfall on another section of the rail trail. After a shower and brunch we set off back towards Timboon before finding the Rail trail at Curdie Siding. Wandering along the Rail Trail was a pleasant way to spend the afternoon. It is fun exploring places previously unknown and we're thankful that we stopped to talk after parkrun.