Month: July 2021

Boy, that was a super cold night, again OK in bed, but even with the diesel heater running it pretty cold in the van. We’ve left the thermometer outside and it’s reporting 0°.  There is the frost all over the grass and a few of the puddles have ice patches in them.   As the sun hits the treetops the frost must be melting and while we’ve got bright blue skies, it looks like it’s raining here as the moisture falls from the trees.

Sovereign Hill doesn’t open till 10am, so we’re forced to have a sleep-in.   It’s a pretty fresh morning, 9° with a feels like closer to 4.  During Breakfast we realise the Microwave isn’t working.   Liam used it yesterday and we all heard it fritz a bit and he said his baked beans where not as warm as normal, but nobody gave it a 2^nd thought.  Which is a bit annoying as yesterday we just drove though caravan central, Campbellfield, and we could have bought a new one at any one of a dozen RV stores, but no, here in Ballarat, nothing.   So well probably be without one now till we get home. 

The initial plan was to stay 2 nights in Melbourne, but it seemed clear a few days ago that we could manage it with one night.  

We hear the rain on the van in the morning,  So the final pack up ends up being a very wet one.  A lot of sites are empty this morning so a bunch must have left pretty early.  We do get a rainbow over the van (#13 by Liam’s Count).  Having packed up most things yesterday and last night, the worst today was packing up the wet, muddy floor mat in the rain (and I’m sure animal dropping too).  Joy!

About 3am the winds start to pick up and the awning starts flapping about, Justine’s not sure if she secured one of the fitting when putting it up, so feels obliged to go out and check.  From then to about 6am the winds keeps up neither of us got much sleep in all the noise.   At 6 the wind just seemed to stop, and we finally drop off to sleep, so it is really late when we get up.

Tonight was a much quieter night all round.  The bit of rain probably helped.  This morning is cold, but the sun is poking though at times.

In the morning light we get a few more photos of our furry friend,  he hasn’t seemed to have moved much.   While I had the camera out I managed to get a shot of one of those small birds with the blue features.   They move around so quickly it’s hard to catch them