top of page
Kylea Harvey

‘West to East Adventure 2024’ - Madura Pass to Kidnippy Rest Stop (Nundroo SA)


I’ll start todays blog by saying, some days I feel like I’m freaking invincible & kicking lifes arse, some days I’m a dickhead getting my 4.5T bus bogged 🤪

Guess what day today was??

But I’ll come back to that.


Firstly… last nights sleep was good but I woke super early (3am early). I had my diesel heater running & tried out the new earplugs I bought to help block out the slight hum & click that comes with it running. They worked in that regard but not being used to wearing them, I can’t say I’m a fan. Sure, I couldn’t hear the heater or Hazels snoring, but every turn of my head on my pillow had my hair sounding like sandpaper running across my brain 😳 🤪

Anywhoooo… I couldn’t get back to sleep so I got up around 4.30 & had a beautiful hot shower out in the dark & cool air before packing up & taking Hazel for a walk.

It was cloudy & misty so sunrise wasn’t visible but it was beautiful in its own way.



We were back on the road by 6.30 with our first stop being Mundrabilla Roadhouse where I got fuel, went for a wander & crocheted for a bit killing time hoping I might catch Insta-friend. Unfortunately that didn’t eventuate.




A wide load with pilot vehicles had pulled up at the roadhouse not long after me & I did think I should get going before them but that didn’t eventuate either 🤪 So I crocheted an extra couple of rows, waited for a bit of rain to pass & let them have a head start before getting going again.


I caught up to them just before Eucla & while overtaking any vehicle has my butthole puckering a little, overtaking a wide load uphill on a bend (albeit on an overtaking lane) had it more than just puckered 😆

I did however get to use my 2-way radio for the first time & could hear the truckies, pilot vehicle & police escort & none of them were freaking out so I figured I was good… and I was 👍



Then we crossed the border!

And let me tell you, the second you cross it, the lovely wide West Australian roads are replaced with skinny arse South Australian ones & the grip on the steering wheel was tightened a little.




We stopped for a quick photo op along the Bight but kept moving pretty quick for fear of getting caught behind the wide load again.


The Nullarbor Roadhouse is one of my fave stops. It’s smack bang in the middle of NOWHERE plopped on the ‘treeless plain’ & I love its vastness. Surrounded by absolutely nothing, there’s always roadtrains, caravans & of course sexy orange buses pulled up in random spots.



I made myself some lunch & managed to hit the mother load of maxibons after yesterdays disappointment. I couldn’t decide between the ‘waffle’ or ‘monster cookie’ so, as to not play favourites, I got both & can now confirm with the gift of hindsight, the waffle was a bad choice. Way too sweet. Lesson learnt, onward we go to tonight’s camp spot.


And this is where the fun starts….


I arrive at my camp destination & promptly get myself into a sandy little pickle 😳😬🫣

Out I hop & start digging sand away from the wheels, hop back in & move a tiny bit.

I hear my dad in my head saying “So long as you’ve got some floor mats on board to give you some traction you should be right”

What I also have in my head is me saying “But I don’t want to get my pretty new floor mats all fucked & dirty” soooooooo out I hop, dig some more, move some more, dig some more, move some more, dig some more & I’M OUT!!!!!

Heart pumping, jeans & hands filthy but my floor mats are still clean & intact. PHEW!!!


With Beryl safely on level firm ground, Hazel & I went for a little walk to destress & have a poo (I did the destressing, she had the poo) & then came back to set up the Starlink - which decided to have a meltdown. No connection. 😳 Deep breathes… unplug, replug… NOTHING!

More deep breaths, a couple of profanities muttered, unplug , replug… WE’RE LIVE!!!!


Thank f#ck for that!!!!! The 2 maxibons that got added to my stats today have been worked off with digging and adrenaline 😆


Todays Coaster Karaoke playlist for those playing along Poor Man’s Poison Radio


ROADTRIP STAT TALLY

Distance covered - 1892km

Fuel cost - $453.24

Maxibons eaten - 4

Incense cones burnt - 13


65 views

Comments


bottom of page