Day 299 – 27th February, Saturday. Melbourne – Byebye Betsy.

A major thunderstorm during the night meant we got very little sleep again and with everything soaking wet, our last day down under didn’t start off too well.
We managed to get out of the park just after 10am and took a brief tour of the old port of Echuca with its forge and traditional wood turner. Some of the stuff they make is stunning – it’s such a shame its over here and not back home, our holdalls are already bursting at the seams and GollyPearl is going to have to ride on my lap (along with all my camera equipment and my handbag). I dread to think how hot it will be in Hong Kong when I am wearing 4 layers of clothing because I simply can’t fit them in the case.
We stopped at the small township of Kilmore on the way to Melbourne and I finally bought myself a bull whip. The aussie souvenir collection is now complete.
Betsy was delivered back home safely to her depot and the ludicrously large deposit was refunded to us without issue. She did well. A little over 7,000kms in 3 months and only a couple of minor hiccups along the way. I will miss her in a way, but I certainly won’t miss her leaky back window which forced me (sleeping closest to the door) to leap out every time a storm came in the night and shut everything up. I won’t miss the one ring cooker, the dodgy clutch, or the irritating noise she made when reversing. But all in all, she was a bargain and she made our trip so much more hassle free than if we’d tried to buy something of our own. So thanks Betsy... may you continue your adventures with another set of travellers on another set of roads.

Day 298 – 26th February, Friday. One last hangover in Echuca.

Slept all morning and only made it out of the van in the afternoon for trips to the toilet, the camp kitchen and to take a photo of the strange Echuca tradition which is the ‘thong tree’ on the banks of the Murray River. Never again will I be persuaded that ‘depth-chargers’ are a good idea, especially ones involving Jagermeister.

Day 297 – 25th February, Thursday. Echuca.

Swam and lounged by the pool all day before deciding to hit the town in Echuca (to sample its two bars). As usual we were only intending to go out for a couple of pints, but met up with another couple of girls from the campsite, (Mandy and Gosha) and ended up dancing, drinking and staggering back to their cabin for a more dancing and singing and a go on the Bongos. I think we eventually made it to bed about 3am.

Day 296 – 24th February, Wednesday. Echuca.

Said a sad goodbye to Karizma and the kids and drove north to the Murray river and the old port town of Echuca. We sorted and attempted to pack everything back into our two tiny holdalls for the return journey to the UK before wandering down to the river to see the Paddle Steamers. The ports of Echuca-Moama have the largest collection of working paddle-steamers in the world. All restored to their former 19th century glory and now used to provide lunch or dinner cruises up and down the Murray.
Thankfully the campsite on the river has a lovely part shaded swimming pool too which we sunk into when we got back; the temperature was still ridiculously hot.

Day 295 – 23rd February, Tuesday. Maldon and Castlemaine.

After a slow start, but a very good night’s sleep, Karizma drove us out to a tiny old-fashioned village called Maldon to peruse the antiques and craft shops, (only to discover that most of them are only open at the weekends) so we had fish and chips (with a minor paddy from Ant due to the incessant flies) and moved on to the next township of Castlemaine which was again very pretty with tin roofs and upper balconies covered in iron fretwork: very typical of old mining towns in the area. I had my first ever liquorice flavoured ice-cream and managed to return having bought only one more second-hand book. Restraint is definitely going on my list of things to learn.