Sun, silos and strange stopovers

 After leaving Coffin Bay NP and eating some underwhelming oysters (oops! Sorry Coffin Bay) I headed to Lincoln NP where I met up with Phill and Liz again. It was a beautiful park with some lovely walks, beautiful views and beaches, and a wide range of bird life. After enjoying the serenity, we left there to explore the east coast of the Eyre peninsula.

At Tumby Bay, I stayed at the CWA which was a bit of a hoot. I did have my own bathroom but it was a bit like camping in someone’s driveway. There were 2 other people there and then a car turned up, full of people in black suits covered in a strange logo, who promptly backed into the veranda post, knocking it over. I found out later that they were members of the Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes!

I left Tumby Bay and had the worst trip so far - gale force winds that blew Van Morrison all over the road. It was a very slow trip and I had to keep stopping when it became too dangerous. Eventually, with lots of stops, I reached Whyalla for an overnight stop before heading to Mt Remarkable NP. And here Van Morrison had to prove himself again! The road into Alligator Gorge was STEEP! Very steep! Very, very steep! Get the picture? At one stage I had to drop to first gear to get up a rise! But Van Morrison rose to the challenge and delivered me (slowly) to a great 9km walk along the gorge. Huge red cliffs and towering red gums - probably my last true glimpse of the Flinders Ranges (do you know that they go all the way to Kangaroo Island?).

So now I’m travelling in more rural and pastoral areas before getting to the Coorong. There’s silo art and rolling hills, all green with crops. Last night was hoot! I’d gone to see the silo at Farrel Flat and ended up going to the pub there (as you do ... especially when it’s the only thing open) and staying in the backyard for free (as long as you buy a meal).

Well the pub is amazing - it is full of collectibles, motorbikes, strange posters and bobble heads. What it isn’t full of is people. Chef cooked me a meal, offered me a job (“I want to have a holiday”), then invited me into his lounge room to watch a movie - with his mate Doug, 3 long haired chihuahuas, one jack Russell, a blue heeler and a scruffy little dog that kept licking my shoes.  It was all a bit bizarre. So if you’re ever in the area, stay at the Farrel Flat Hotel - Chef even has his own wine that he’ll sell you at a premium! It was a very expensive ‘free’ camp!