My favorite Australain bird: the friendly, gregatrious and raucous Galah.

5/27/08 Ran a few errands before departing: bank, Miners Store (for milk, cereal and juice) and water plant to fill up the fresh water tanks on the campervan.  Stopped by John and Yoka’s Opal and Art store to get a painting.  Also said my goodbyes, as they’ve become lasting friends in Coober Pedy over the years.

Then topped off the petrol and on the road by 10:00AM.  Nothing eventful along the way, except for the crosswinds that keep me fighting to maintain a straight line of travel.  Made it to Pimba (366km) and again filled the petrol tank on the van.  After that I began to keep an eye out for a friendly rest area to make my home for the night.  Found one with a toilet (fairly rare as most are just gravel parking areas with a shelter, picnic table or two and a garbage can) and about 10 campervans…I can’t help but think that there is safety in numbers.

Stopped outside and had a visit with a few other campers who were sitting in a group and singing along to one of the travelers strumming her guitar.  But too soon I began to get hungry and it began to get cold.  So I retired to my van for the evening to create a quick spaghetti supper and finish work on the travelogue.  Just didn’t sleep too well…seemed like the trucks along the highway were about to come through the campervan.  I was only about 20 yards off the bitumen.