It was with great hopes that we would leave on the 15th, but like all things in life, they take a little longer than expected. Some last minute 'improvements' together with the painful task of deciding just which essential bits were to be packed and which were to be left behind delayed us one more day.

On Sunday morning, all packed up and ready to roll, we left Sydney and headed out along the Hume Highway to take the route through the Riverina rather than through Broken Hill to South Australia. No pressing reason for this except that with more civilisation along the way, there would be more places to call in to stay for the night or to get something fixed should it happen to break down on us.

We got as far as Wagga Wagga the first day and pressed on a bit more to the little town of Coolamon off the main highway. The town was an old fashioned country town with a wide main street separated down the middle by a park and trees. Angle parking of course and old shopfronts with an eclectic mix of goods for sale. It being six o'clock on a Sunday evening the newsagent - keeper of the keys for the tiny Council campsite in town - was of course closed. But we decided to lob in there anyway. While the fancy new amenities block needed said key for entry, the little former block with one shower and one toilet was open, so with the electric hook-up all was fine for our first night.

And did we need the electric! Our small newly-purchased, Bunnings-special heater (plus thermals, mohair blankets, sleeping bags…) was a godsend - that night it got down to 1° C.

Next morning in the fog and cold, the old showers were brilliant - hot and steamy and well worth the $10 we paid at the newsagent later that morning.