Rain. With a low pressure system just off the coast, the north-eastern quadrant of NSW is wet, wet, wet. Now, to be fair, it's only since noon that the rain has set in, but still, not very inviting weather for the first night of an eight-week camping trip -- or any camping trip. So we're in a cabin at the caravan park at Murrurundi, thinking the extra $25 was money well spent.

Seems like we didn't get far from home on day one, with 4.5 hours driving ... it feels like we're only just past Newcastle. We were taking it pretty slowly with the trailers in the wet. Australia is a big place. A journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step, and we've come the first 300km.

The biggest miracle is that we ever left home at all. We always find the packing to be excruciatingly painful, but this time wasn't the worst ... we spent two full days on it, which helped spread the load. I think we brought too much stuff. But such is life.

The day's highlight, apart from the beautiful scenery along the northernmost part half of Putty Road, was our lunch stop at the park at Bulga. Although it was cloudy and cold, the boys enjoyed the play equipment and rode their bikes around on the tennis court. Empty paddocks with escarpments behind, but no-one else around. That's what I love ... the space.

Coming along Putty Road through Howes Valley and past Mount Wareng reminded me of my 19th birthday, when I watched the sun set from atop that mountain, along with Mark Donald, Mark Hinze, Jason Howie, Prashant Maharaj and Chris Hansford. It was a moment of complete one-ness and tranquillity, as I have never had before nor since. We camped up there, and after tea we had fruit cake, my favourite. A good day.