So, here we are back on the mainland. Time spent both south and north of Adelaide before heading down the Yorke Peninsula (currently) as we wait for our next exciting instalment, Lake Gairdner for speed week in March. I then wait for knee replacements around the middle of the year, probably back in Brisbane.

So there we go, lots of water under the bridge, and a bit of smoke. And that is where I left you, tethered to the grey nomads site, just wondering what happened to us over the next month.

The time in Adelaide, both south and north were spent doing various medicals, in fact it took one GP, a haematologist and a spine doctor to agree to my request to have a cortisone injection in my spine, which is why I went to the GP in the first place.

After much donations to Adelaide City, we moved north to our friends in Nuriootpa for a farewell drink for five, before spending time on the Yorke Peninsula. The camp sites around the peninsula are great, only $10.00 per night, $50.00 per week, or $150 per month, and once you pay, there are 19 different sites you can choose from and you can move around as much as you want.

Mosquito Flats (go figure), Foul Bay Boat Ramp, and Daly Heads were our choice this time. We enjoyed the various beachside camps, and will definitely go back again for a third visit in a few years time. We met a lovely couple Greg and Sharon from our home state at Mosquito Flats. They asked us what we did on the road We shared a game or three of Bananagrams and Scrutiny, then introduced them to geocaching there was a cache close by. By happy hour that afternoon, Sharon was signed up and paid for premium membership.

After a night at Warooka, and another in Minlaton with caching friends, and a visit to friends from the past, we moved on to Port Pirie, camping behind the old, waiting to be renovated, Federal Hotel. Second night there, our old mates Greg and Sharon from our home state, and Mossie Flats, arrived. Together, the four of us did a tour of the pub with Mark the publican, a taster to what he and his lovely wife want to do when they finish the extensive renovations.

At this time, the threat of Corona Virus seems like a far distant threat. Even though we did the new recommended grey nomad hugs with our old mates Greg and Sharon from our home state, and Mossie Flats, we would never have believed what was going to happen in the next two weeks.

From Port Pirie, we headed up to the Centre of the Universe and the CrossRoads of the World. For those who dont know where I mean, I am talking about Port Augusta, a little know out lying suburb of Port Pirie, where we stocked up on groceries, before heading up into the Gawler Ranges. The plan was to visit Mt Ive Station, and work for our keep during the Dry Lake Races on Lake Gairdner a beautiful salt lake. It has been on our bucket list since we hit the road in 2011.

We arrived as arranged with the owners on 8^th March.

One week later, the news came through that the Dry Lake Races had been cancelled. Being isolated on this property, we really were still not aware of the implications of the cancellation, or the virus.

With the cancellation of the races, cancellations for accommodation rooms and camping bookings started rolling in. As did more campers, willing to get away from cities while they too were unawares of the implications of this horrible disease. At the end of the second week on the property, we decided to leave the property, and head back towards Adelaide, and on to Millicent, for an upcoming event at Easter. A days drive from Mt Ive to Kimba and we were shocked to find the measures in place already. Cafes serving take away only, supermarket shelves empty, and the roadhouse not open, only serving fuel via ATM pre payments. Kimba was very welcoming, offering for us to stay at the RV camp for up to six months if we wanted. But we were beginning to get worried now. Part of our plan for the rest of this year was to attend the event in Millicent, visit some old friends in the Grampians, then head back to Qld for a much-needed knee replacement. The event in Millicent was cancelled. Our friends in the Grampians, while very welcoming, are elderly and one has an immune system problem, we decided, after Port August, the Centre of the Universe and the CrossRoads of the World, we would head back to Brisbane. Slowly.

After three nights in Port Augusta (did tell you it was the Centre of the Universe and the CrossRoads of the World) a dental appointment, a car park consultation with a medical practitioner for a re-write of scrips, and a further stock up utilising the 7.00am opening to allow us to buy some toilet paper and the meeting up with our old mates Greg and Sharon from our home state, and Mossie Flats and Port Pirie,  we started our journey back to Brisbane. We still thought we might be able to take the tourist route planning to possibly head down from Broken Hill to Menindee, then following the Darling Run back to Bourke

As so it goes, Port Augusta to Peterborough only to find the usual RV camp was closed, still plenty of time in the day, we continued to Manna Hill for the night. On waking the next morning, we found the rest area was closed.. Our 4wd was overheating on the uphill drive to Broken Hill, which looked like a ghost town when we drove through. After realising that our plan to drive the Darling Run was futile, we fuelled up and continued on to Emmadale Roadhouse, we welcomed us with spray bottles of soapy water and a smile. We camped out the back and promised to return in better days. On approaching Walgett, after another hot driving day, we phoned ahead to shire offices to ask about the RV camp in town, to be advised that everything was closed, even to essential travellers. When we advised them we had over 500km already that day, the shire CEO suggested we try the Barwon Inn, just out of town. A quick call confirmed that we could stay there for the night - free of charge. Called into Lightning Ridge for coffee, and had a lovely chat to the lady in the cafe, before heading over the border at Hebel. On crossing finally into our home state, we thought there would be bells and whistles, and hoops to jump through, but found, just a tiny outback location, a pub and a fuel stop. No Border patrol. While we had phone signal in Dirranbandi, we phoned ahead to St George, to find that all three caravan parks were operating for essential travelers, so a night in St George was confirmed. The local Toyata dealer was called upon as the air con in our tug had started playing up, and the situation was rectified very quickly.

Our final big day was St George to Kingaroy. We planned to go into the caravan park there, do some shopping the next morning and move on to Murgon. After quick phone call, was told that as we only had to travel on to Murgon the next day we could not stay there. My mistake for being honest. We shopped in Kingaroy and arrived in Murgon, where we are now hunkered down on a farm, with a view to die for.

My hat goes off to most of the towns we passed through, sorry that we could not stay longer and spend more money.  They are all heroes in our eyes.

We travelled over 2,200 km from Mt Ive Station in South Australia to near Murgon in Queensland for our hunkering down.

Six nights and a lot of long days.