As The Horses Ran… We Camped 😎
Rambling On… 05 November 2021.
As I said in the last newsletter, hubby and I went away over the recent long weekend for some R&R. The Melbourne Cup Runs on Tuesday and many take Monday off to make it a long weekend.
We left home around lunchtime on Thursday after I got my hair trimmed, headed north for just over five hours, and set up camp near the town of Robinvale right on the Murray River.
We got most things set up just in time, so we weren’t drenched to the skin by the torrential rain that we’d avoided on our journey. Though we knew there was a possibility of the supercell storm reaching us, we weren’t about to cancel our trip.
We put the awning up just before it started bucketing down. With the rain came the gale force winds which had me worried about the awning being ripped off. Several times through the night we went outside to make sure things were tied down securely and weren’t about to fly or be ripped off.
We were lucky and of course, we made sure we weren’t too close to any River redgum trees or other gum trees. These trees can have large branches dropping off without any notice and they’re dangerous. People have been killed because they were camping under trees and were crushed by the huge limbs.
The next day was much calmer and we had a great weekend after our hairy scary start.
We saw lots of birds, a couple of eagles which are so majestic and huge, lots of cockatoos, galahs, and parrots. We didn’t see any koala’s this time, but would you believe we saw a family of wild goats on the other side of the river.
No goats aren’t native to Australia but there are a lot of goat farms. The animals escape the farms and end up in the national parks and bushland.
On our third day away we saw a goanna that had to be over a metre long. It actually wandered past our camp and didn’t seem perturbed by us at all. We were talking when it came into view, but it didn’t look our way once.
When it heard a boat on the river heading toward us, the goanna stretched its body up against the trunk of a tree and froze. It blended in so well if we hadn’t seen it before it reached the tree, I’m not sure we would’ve noticed it was even there. The big lizard waited for at least five minutes after the boat had passed by before it continued on its journey.
We were also problem free this time around.
The last time we went camping we ended up depleting our batteries and couldn’t get water from the tanks since the pump couldn’t work without any power. My man is so smart and ingenious.
He worked out the solar panels which were on the second-hand van we’d bought last year were no longer working. Hence the power issue. We don’t have a portable generator since our vehicle can be used as one just by turning on the ignition, so we weren’t without power for long.
However, my man ordered a couple of new solar panels and after removing the old one, scraping the old silicon off the roof, he installed them. Our power problem was solved.
He’s so good at thinking outside the box. Our van is tiny and doesn’t have a shower, but he managed to rig up a big waterproof container with hoses, a 12volt pump, a cheap portable gas hot water unit and a shower rose with a long hose. A double foldable ensuite tent which we pack in the back of the BT50, and we’re set.
We use river water to bathe since we don’t want to deplete our drinking and cooking water so quickly and while it’s not like showering at home—we spray ourselves down with water, turn it off, soap and shampoo up and rinse off—its better than not showering at all. Shudder. A lot of people would call our way of camping glamping, but I don’t care. I like to feel clean.
Anyway, we had a nice relaxing time and though we’d like to go away again soon, I don’t know when that will be. Probably not until after Christmas and into the new year when the school kids are back at school so we can have our peace and quiet.
I hope you’re all well and I wish you all a great weekend.
Stay safe, sane, happy, and healthy.
Love Becca Van xxoo.
What Have I Been Writing?
I’ve just started writing Slave Gold Elites 2 and though I don’t have much down yet, I’m liking it so far.
I hope that Tamika Greenway gets her happy ever after. She deserves it after the crap she’s had to deal with.
Slave Gold Elites –
Amongst The Stars
Available now on platforms like Amazon and Kobo.
Released November 8.
Slave Gold Elites –
Amongst The Stars
Available to Pre-Order on Siren BookStrand website.
Release Date November 8
Slick Rock 35 :
Perfect Harmony
Available to Order now on Siren BookStrand Website.
Release Date September 17
What Have I Been Reading?
I’m reading Susan Bliler’s Chief, (Skin Walkers book 19). I’m 72% through the story and though Alise and Chief have had a rough, emotionally tumultuous start, I can’t wait to read till the end.
If you like paranormal, fantasy stories, then have a look at this series.
I will leave it there for now.
Enjoy your week ahead, until next week.
Love,
Becca Van XXOO
PS. Email me. Let me know what you would like to learn of me…
