Time to leave the Flinders Ranges :-(
I was
a bit of a novice at staying in a caravan park but the staff were
lovely and helpful. The cabin at Rawnsley Park Station was more than adequate. RPS has other accommodation too - for tents and caravans, cabins with en suite bathrooms, and 'eco villas' designed for those with cash to splash. Having 'got the lie of the land' and seen a little bit of the accommodation at Wilpena pound, if I go again (I'd like to!) I'd choose RPS over Wilpena every time.
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| Last view of Rawnsley Bluff |
I didn't
realise until later in the day that, while showering in the morning,
having left me alone until then, mozzies had made a meal of me.
Itchy!! I left in fine weather, ahead of forecast rains. I hoped to
escape that.
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| Heading to the Rawnsley Park gate and the road to Hawker |
First stop Hawker, for petrol. There I
spotted a quilt and art exhibition – naturally I couldn't resist.
There were also lots of fabulous home baked goodies, jams, chutnies,
etc. I'd have stocked up if the provisions hadn't had to survive
three days in the car before getting home. Also knitting, sewing and
some beautiful dyed silk scarves.
As I left, the first spots of rain. A
portent of things to come.
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| Hawker Uniting Church |
I'd set myself more driving than I
should have so cut out some small towns that had been on the
itinerary and cut across country instead. Given that the rain
increased, that was a wise move. The drive became unpleasant when,
after turning off to Orroroo, I got caught in the middle of a car
rally – the Mystery Box Rally, raising money for the Cancer Council
I learned later from google. A good cause and they obviously raise a
lot of money but I was singularly unimpressed. I got caught in the
middle because I pulled over for the lead car. It had a flashing
light so I thought an emergency or working vehicle of some sort.
Nothing of the kind. The cars that then passed me were emblazoned
with different slogans, all of which you would associate with yobs or
bogans. And some of them certainly drove like that.
I stopped at Orroroo because there was
another Flinders art exhibition there. When I couldn't immediately
see it, I asked at the local shire office. In spite of the advertised
dates, the Orroroo exhibition had finished a week earlier. Not
amused. I'd thought of having coffee there but with the rally drivers
having the same plan I hot-footed it out of town to escape them.
On to Peterborough where, with no sign
of the advertised Flinders art exhibition I kept driving as a section
of the rally drivers had beaten me there for coffee.
Escape at last! It had also become very windy. The door was nearly ripped off the car and I was all but blown away when I stopped at Hallett for a leg-stretch and a couple of muesli bars to sustain me.
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| Hallett Library - doesn't look like it opens much, if at all |
Then on to Burra for a
late lunch. As I arrived the thunder and lightning started. When I
went into a cafe it seemed very dark – only moments before their
power had gone out. Someone was on the phone organising an
electrician for the next day. That wasn't going to help, as it later became known - the whole of South Australia had lost power.
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| Looking ominous at Burra |
After lunch the rain had stopped and
pretty much all the way to Berri I was following a rainbow. It was
rather lovely and eased the tension of the stressful section of the
day's drive. Little did I know what was ahead.
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| Chasing the rainbow |
As I arrived at my Berri Hotel the rain
started again and when I went inside, more darkness. The stay here
became a cross between farce and the surreal. I had to call reception
to let me out of the room I was given. A broken door handle and dodgy
lock had trapped me inside. I was given a new room. It hadn't been
cleaned since the previous occupants had departed. A third room.
Seemed OK. I went to sit and read in a lounge area with a gorgeous
view over the Murray.
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| Paddle steamer and houseboats on the Murray at Berri |
When it became too dark to read I went to have
dinner. A choice of Caesar or Greek salads since there were no
cooking facilities. Eaten by candlelight in an atrium where I could
see the lightning flashes above me.
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| Dinner by candlelight! |
On finishing the salad I ordered a
drink before dashing upstairs to get my tablets. The dash took a
while. The ceiling was leaking. Moved to my fourth room!!!! This was
an upgrade which meant I had a full ensuite bathroom. The three
previous rooms were “budget” class and had a shower and hand basin
but the loos were down the hall. Mind you, the fourth room was Fawlty
Towers too – the bar fridge was faulty and had been pulled out of its alcove so
you had to walk around it. This room also had the same fabulous views
over the Murray although a bit dark to see by now.
When I finally got downstairs they gave
me my drink for free. I settled down to write a blog draft when I was
ushered upstairs. “For health and safety” they were clearing the
ground floor! Thus, for the first time since goodness knows when,
recent illnesses excepted, I was in bed before 8pm! Surprisingly, I
fell asleep quite quickly and awoke about 1.30am to find power
restored. Quickly plugged in my phone to recharge! Then I fell asleep
again, not waking until about 7.30am. How about that!