Day One - Four, 29 January - 1 February 2010

In the last two weeks we have fitted Priscilla (with a little help from some professionals, including one Alex Towns) with boost and EGT gauges, a set of drawers in the back, steel side steps (we didn't think she was heavy enough already) and various accessories (cargo nets and organisers).


We have also removed a rear seat, leaving just the one for visitors. Erhem. Having packed, it seems that visitors will need to reside on the roof rack, so we could perhaps have dumped the other rear seat as well.

Jen finished work at 1pm on Thursday and by 4pm we were granted tourist visas to permit us to stay in Australia for 12 months.


Target set off time from Sydney on Friday, 3pm. Actual set off time, 3.30pm. Pretty damn good for for us by all accounts. So it was that we three set off across the bridge and waved goodbye to the Opera House on Friday afternoon. All being well, we won't see it again until Christmas.

We spent the weekend with our Sydney friends at Jervis Bay, and had a lovely time. Jen spotted a ray swimming in the surf while four of us swam in the pouring rain. As you can imagine, Jen almost weed herself with excitement. I made a poor attempt at chasing it, but frankly, my swimming ability belies my nationality.





After a tearful farewell, we headed on our way down the coast for our first night alone. We found a nice camp spot at Congo, a little north of Narooma. The only drama was discovering we didn't have the right fitting for the gas cannister for the stove - schoolgirl error no. 2. Rice for tea on the single gas burner then....

Beach at Congo:



[Schoolgirl error no. 1 by the way, was me tightening one of the bolts on the steel steps under Priscilla, only to discover I'd wedged the spanner in there in the process....]

Monday morning, and Jen awoke with a cracking headache - more water clearly needs to be consumed while camping. We only had two glasses of our newly discovered cask Malborough Sauvignon Blanc! Today we've driven down through Narooma (quite cute, but not a place to stay for us), Tilba Central and the imaginationly stunted Tilba Tilba (both very pretty, slightly hippy-ish type towns, perfect for the Hebden in us all) finishing up in Eden at a proper campsite with showers and power and everything (I can see Alex shuddering as I write).

Anyway, more soon, love to all,

Claire, of Claire and Jen fame
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