So with all the local yobbos camping at Mannum, we packed up the van and we were off on the road after lunch. It's so great with this new van packing up, so easy. We were heading to Narrung near Lake Alexdrenia which is part of the Coorong National Park. I had to talk Marty into it as it was near where we were the other day and he was so against driving down the same road twice. We had heard from a few people how great this free camp was so that added some strength to my argument. Plus it was a short drive down the road, only two hours, and yet crossing another ferry. We pulled up at the camp spot and it was so lush with grass. We hadn't seen so much grass since West Beach in Adelaide, so you could imagine how happy we were. Things were off straight away. The camp spot also had flushing toilets, a jetty to fish off and water! Bloody paradise.
The area had alot of fascinating facts and history about it. Lake Alexdrenia is where the Murray meets the sea, the look of it tells it all though, very much the color of the river. On the other side of the camp spot there is the the Point Malcolm lighthouse which stands tall on a hill and is the only inland lighthouse in Australia. There is also a nearby aboriginal community in the town of Rakann. It's famous for a local aboriginal man, David Musipon, who lived there and who is on the $50 note along with the church. The local church is said to represent the people in the community and what they believe. Very interesting place indeed.
I could tell that Narrung was going to be a great spot as soon as we arrived. Over the next few days we enjoyed swimming and kayaking around the lake. The girls played with some holidaying aboriginal kids and had a blast. Who would have thought that you spend nine months in the NT but your kids interact the most with aboriginals whilst being at Narrung!! The kids dad was an ex army bloke, with Irish and Aboriginal descent. I spoke with him many times and found him fascinating. He not only fathered nine kids of his own with his wife but they foster five other aboriginal kids, three being brothers and sisters as he wanted to keep them together. All five kids were fostered due to violent and alcohol fuelled living environments. This guy and his wife were amazing! They made sure to teach them traditional aboriginal culture and about the land they came from. He was so proud to be aboriginal with he flag tattooed on his arm. He spoke of his disappointment with the locals that don't look after their kids and drink too much. Believed love and discipline were the key, and you could see he instilled his in his own kids, they were so polite and the older ones made sure to look after the little ones. Loved the fact that Marty and the girls got to see he good side of aboriginal culture rather than the drunks in the streets or ones smashing windows. Boo made a good little mate, Kimberly, whilst Meg played with the younger boys mostly. Another lovely gorgeous little mate that befriended Boo was Cassadi. In the short time they had together, l think it was 12 hours, they became really good mates. So cool to watch kids make friends and see how easy they get along and how tight they become in such a short time.
There were a lot of grey nomads camping and we spoke to many, one old bloke who started off nice but as the days went on henbecame a bit of a know-it-all! We did, however, meet a lovely grey nomad couple, Brian and Kerry, who were travelling on their way down from Sydney, moving to Ballarat. Kerry really took a shine to the girls and spent a lot of time with them reading them books and showing them how to patch work. I think she missed her grand kids a bit.....
The Australia Day long weekend was approaching and we had planned to move onto Rapid Bay but we decided to stop here. We heard that Rapid Bay was so busy and they filled up with over 300 campers, so best to bunk down here to we go to QLD to see Boof, Nikki and baby Ella. So it would be a week free camping here at Narrung which would be the longest we have stayed in one spot for a while...
Australia Day long weekend came, and so did 40 bikers from the Ulysses motorcycle club. Most were ok behaved but we were lucky enough to be camped near the most foul mouthed of them all. His name was 'Acid', I'm sure this will paint a great picture for you all!! Don't get me wrong, he was nice enough, but even l learnt some new cursed words whilst he was there. Of course they drank, and the women were just as fowl mouthed as the blokes. Thankfully they drank early so went to bed early enough, around midnight. Marty was quite annoyed at their behaviour but thankfully he held his tongue, l was so worried that he was going to say something and get his head beaten up.
Over the week l continued my fitness regime with C25K with Meg joining me on her bike. I am so glad that l finally have motivation to exercise. I am feeling so good after l finish, it's a great way to start the day and it lets me clear my head and have some "me" time. That's probably the greatest thing, having time by myself and doing something for myself. It's something that is totally lacking on the trip for both Marty and l, having time by ourselves.
After Australia Day the Cronans arrived and thank god is all l have to say. I know l said that we needed time alone as a family, but it was getting to the time were the kids needed other kids to play with. They were getting so demanding, wanting our attention all the time and not playing by themselves. Worst of all l think the girls were starting to get sick of each other and fighting a lot. So with the Cronans arriving, it gave Marty and l someone else to talk to and the kids someone else to play with. It was great to see Nikki, Matt and the kids again. We took a hike up to the lighthouse all together, the kids loved getting on the ferry to cross to the other side. The kids also did some school together and played in the sun shelter for hours with the beanie dolls. The kids tried their hands at fishing but had no luck, they caught more in the shrimp net. There were actually some good sized yabbies that the kids loved playing with and picking up, thank god no one got clawed!
Nikki had a great time in the kayak! Was a pissa of a story really. I had told here that l kayaked over to the other side of the lake to the lighthouse, which was true, but the weather when l did it was a lot better than the day she decided to attempt it. But l forgot to tell her this, whoops. So she decided that on this windy day that she would have a crack. She got over there fine, but then on the way back she had to deal with the head wind. Long story short, she gave up and paddled to the ferry where she was greeted by a less than amused ferry operator. Poor Nikki had to lift the kayak out of the lake onto the banks and walk onto the hot ferry that burned her feet. The ferry woman didn't give her any sympathy with making her wait for the cars to get off before she could exit. Then when she was walking home struggling to carry the kayak she had to walk across a bindy filled grass patch. Thankfully Matt had gone looking for and helped her home. We all laughed hysterically at her misfortune and it was cool that she too could laugh there and then about it. She now holds the nickname, "Princess Nikki"! She did however regain my respect when we both decided to bike ride to Rakaan one day so she could check out the church. It was only 5kms but it was so bloody hilly! I totally struggled as she hardly broke a sweat! I couldn't for he life of me stand up and peddle the bikes up the hill, my legs just wouldn't hold me. After surviving the bike ride back l worked out that l had my gears too low, they should have been higher to cause resistance! Bloody blondes hey.....
On our last few days at Narrung our time was spent chilling with the Cronans and also meeting another travelling couple Mark 'Sparks' and Simone. We all got along well and was great to meet someone new with more stories to share. All three couples had had enough of the grey nomads up the back of camp. They constantly told the kids off for playing cricket too close to their vans, although they were a mile away from them. They also started to make comments of our water usage which annoyed us seeing they were filling their buckets just as much as us! Marty did however have the nickname "Waterboy", but the water was there to use and we certainly weren't wasting it by any means. All in all the camp got a little tense between the young and old.
After our week at Narrung, Marty, the girls and l were all refreshed and relaxed. We had had the best time and this was such a terrific spot, one of the best free camps we've done on this trip. The grass was bloody fantastic! Also Marty and l were continuing to get better together everyday which is so promising that we will only get better. Maybe that's why this week was so great, because we are all enjoying one another again!!!

We headed off on a rainy day, arriving at Vale Park Caravan Park in Adelaide where we caught up with the Woods for a couple of days. We didn't get that much time together due to us preparing for our trip to see Boof and Nikki and baby Ella, but when we get back we will make the most of it with them...... Next stop, flying to Buddina to meet baby Ella!! We're all very excited!

Bell Xxx