MORE car troubles!!

We left the Snowy River and travelled to Cann River. The campground there had been highly recommended in the Camps Australia book (our travelling bible) but we were a bit disappointed when we got there. It didn’t help that it was cold and raining but it was basically just a big gravel carpark surrounded by bushland.  We had planned on staying there for the weekend but decided to only stay for the night.

We moved on to Genoa on Saturday, which meant that we had a full day to drive around on Sunday before work and school the following day. Genoa is a beautiful spot. It is known as the last town in Victoria (on the Princes Hwy) and is a historic dairy farming town. The campground is an old caravan park which closed down a while ago but the facilities are still there and are free to use. The campground is right next to the Genoa River (which has also recently flooded and left a trail of destruction along the river banks) and there is an old bridge (no longer in use) which leads into the main town. The signs are still up for the caravan park and there are signs to the Hotel and General Store, but they have all closed down. It looks a bit like a ghost town but there are small indications that the shire are starting to repair the bridge and trying to resurrect the town.

We drove to Mallacoota on Sunday so we could have fish and chips on the beach. Unfortunately the weather was against us and it was so cold and wet that we sat in the car to eat. We found a dirt track to a small bay called Shipwreck Creek. In 1837 a ship wrecked there and the 13 survivors had to walk to Eden.  We couldn’t find any signs of the shipwreck (much to the disappointment of the boys) but we did have a lovely time playing in the creek that runs to the ocean. We were hidden from the wind and it had stopped raining so we stayed there for a while.

Our ‘trusty’ old Nissan Patrol had been getting more and more difficult to start so we decided to bite the bullet and replace the glow plugs. We were booked in at the Mallacoota mechanics so after dropping her off, we headed to the beach for the morning. Dan had to make a couple of work calls, so the boys and I went ahead.

Travelling with three boys, I have had to make some serious rules to keep them safe (and me sane). The number one rule is “ALWAYS stay in sight”. As soon as we were on the beach Sam and Will took off over the sand dunes at the same time as Zac decided to throw one of his biggest tantrums yet. I was left in a horrible position... do I chase after the big boys – knowing they were headed straight for a dangerous surf beach and not being able to see them, or leave them and hope they don’t go near the water and stay and deal with my screaming two year old? I decided to pick up Zac (anyone who has tried this, knows that picking up a toddler throwing a tantrum, is a bit like trying to hold on to a jelly fish having a fit) and go after Sam and Will. As you can imagine, I was absolutely exhausted by the time I caught up to them and my frustration boiled over! Needless to say our morning spent playing at the beach abruptly came to an end.

We have all been getting on each others’ nerves a bit over the past week. I think I am suffering from homesickness, and I think we there has been a slight flaw in our travelling plans. We decided that we should stay at each place for one week. That way we get into a good routine for school and work, then pack up and travel on the weekend. Unfortunately we have been quite isolated in our last two campsites. The weather hasn’t been good, so we are starting to feel like we are living on top of each other. We have been living in the caravan for 6 months now, and this is the first time we have felt this way. I'm sure it will pass.... hopefully!

I am hoping that our next destination, Eden on the Sapphire Coast, will bring better weather and more excitement. I think we could all use a bit of sunshine!