Getting to Wagga Wagga

We are heading for the Australian Championships and Oceania championships at the moment and are due to commence competing tomorrow afternoon.

We left home on Wednesday morning (just) so this is a summary of our travel between now and then.

Tailem Bend for pasties for lunch and a cuppa while we admired the very pretty gazania weeds.

Visited Barry Diment in Bordertown (hostel) before heading on over to Serviceton to celebrate birthday tea for Trevor's cousin Judith Carter.  After a delightful dinner we headed down the road to Andrea's new place, where we used her spare room for the night.

Thursday 26th we had a quick toast breakfast before heading back to the farm for a cuppa with Judith and more catchup.  We had to be gone by 1030 though to get to Shepparton by the evening.

Lunch at Warracknabeal,


cuppa at Elmore by the river,


Made it to Jon and Nina's place in Shepparton just before 5, in time for an early tea before we went out on a night walk to spot some interesting animals. Saw sugar glider, possums, tawny frogmouth and a duck in a hollow of a tree (looking down on us).  We learnt that if you hold your flashlight at eye level and shine it from there you will see the eyes reflecting back on you and spot the animals much easier. Use a red light so as not to scare them away once you spot them.

Back to a long night of catch up with Jon and Nina before finally drifting off to bed.  This included making friends with "Beardy" who is one of their pets.  He feels beautiful and likes to tickle your neck as he tries to burrow under hair at the back of your neck, and have his head stroked.



Friday 27th was a public holiday in Victoria .  We enjoyed bacon and egg breakfast and then a walk around the Shepparton lake (including a short "across the river" diversion)

Cousins Jon and Trevor

Nina, Jon and Trevor

 before a cold rock icecream each


 and one more cuppa with Nina and Jon before we headed off on our way.

We decided to book a motel room, avoid the cold night and enjoy a good sleep (hopefully) at Culcairn Motel before we start competing tomorrow, and took the back roads there via  Lake Mulwala (where we ate our very late lunch as the paddle steamer passed by)


,and places with funny names like "Howlong", "Burrumbuttock" and "Walla Walla" while enjoying the stunning vibrant yellow of the canola crops

and the snowlike effect of the legumes with their white flowers sitting on top of the dark green.

Finally we arrived at our Motel and have settled in for a quiet night. It will be good not to have to drive so far in the next few days.