A bit of a belated update today following some IT issues that needed time to work out for themselves, but here now!
Awake early as usual, and into the common area for another excellent breakfast, and I also finally met my fellow guests. All packed up, and ready to leave at 09:30, after checking the room several times I still managed to leave my toothbrush charger ..... fortunately I was returning to ask about local fuel stations when the host was wondering how to contact me to let me know .... lucky escape there!
So, finally away at 09:40 and I continued my journey along the Alpine Way. The scenery along the road was increasingly stunning, although for much of the time obscured behind the woodlands lining the road; I also had to be swift on the brakes to avoid a Kangaroo in the middle of the road as I rounded a corner. The first stop of the day was for a scenic spot just past an area known as John Groggin in the Murray Gorge.
I continued along the road, starting to get the feeling that I was playing fuel roulette; the car was saying that I had 130km worth of fuel, but every time I turned the engine off and back on again after a stop that number took an alarming drop, and I had about 80km to the next filling station I had started the day with a range of 130km so it should have been comfortable, but I did find myself thinking that maybe I should have found the 'servo' on Thredbo that was reportedly very expensive.
The next stop was at Scammells Ridge Lookout; a left turn off the main road, and 200 metres along a steep narrow paved track bought me to a glorious view out over the forest.
It was with some relief that I made it into Khancoban and refuelled the car, and refuelled myself at the cafe next door (just coffee today, no cake) before setting off over the border out of New South Wales and into Victoria. Just after the border I stopped at an unmarked and unnamed viewpoint that provided great views over the farmland with the mountains beyond. It also provided the first opportunity to photograph some native Aussie fauna; I don't know what kind of spider it was, but I wasn't getting too close!
It was turning into a warm 28 degree day, and I was glad of the air conditioning in the car as I continued along the road, discovering the scenic farmland as I went. I stopped at a number of viewpoints where the scenery just seemed to be getting better and better.
Just after turning onto the Murray River Road, there was a lake which had the skeletons of trees sticking out of the water. I'd just began to think that there would be nowhere to capture the view a layby conveniently arrived, so I pulled over and snapped away:-
I'd been enjoying empty roads all day, but shortly after the skeleton trees I was aware that a big truck was approaching at a rate of knots from behind; I was going at the speed limit, so have no idea how fast they were going. Time for discretion rather than valour, I pulled off to the side to let him go .... and he was soon well out of sight.
The final stop for a scenic view just a quarter of an hour before my accommodation, I arrived at the golf club I'm staying at tonight just after 15:00.
All unloaded into the room, this is where all the fun started; I turned on the computer to transfer the days footage across and update the blog, and on entering my PIN I had a message that I was locked out, and to try again in 2 hours but to leave the infernal machine switched on.
My computer knowledge runs out pretty quickly, so I contacted my brother for help ... we had a long chat while he tried to figure it out and attempted a couple of things before settling on waiting the two hours to see what happened. Finally 22:00 came round, and the PIN was accepted successfully, so footage was transferred from the camera memory cards, and a belated blog update was penned (well, typed but you knew what I meant!)
So, today has been a bit of a sandwich .... stress to start with the fuel roulette, followed by great views and a fine drive, finished off with the frustrations of the computer not working. It was enough to put me off my dinner, where I found half way through that I wasn't very hungry after all .... I didn't even fancy a beer!
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