The RV journey - setting off to Coober Pedy (Tanunda stop over)

One evening late at night a travel plan had been hatched, lets visit Coober Pedy, Dal opened one eye and raised an eyebrow from his long day reclining position on the couch and said "where?"

"You know, Coober Pedy, opal mining town, slightly outback, just a dot past Adelaide!"

"Uhh, no, not really, but OK, sounds fun, sure"

Plans were set in motion, I web surfed and googled and checked out places to stay. I found one hotel with underground rooms which promised to be the most luxurious available, sounded good!

I called ahead, spoke to the staff and said we needed a family room, sure they said,"we have the perfect one for your family. You enter via a large door into the corridor and then there are 2 private bedrooms both with en suites and close-able doors, yet they are interconnected, safe and private"

Well that sounded great, the discount clinched the deal and we locked it in.

The next day I got to thinking I'd better reconfirm, called back and spoke to another staff member who looked it up and said "hmm strange, nothing in the system for you, but I'll book it in now, credit card pease".

Feeling a little unsettled and heading for a 1750km one way journey, I called again the day before departure, "yes, everything AOK this time" good! Off we went in our trusty RV for a long and winding road. 

Well the long and winding part was just getting out of Warrandyte, where the hills are so steep that just to get up the other side, we would have to hit the bottom of them pushing the engine to 5500revs, the gears churning, the walls creaking, the griller bouncing up and down under the bench top stove like a 3 year old on a trampoline, the speedometer stretching to its limit, whizzing past, trees were gusting in our wake, koalas falling out of their trees as we rushed past - our trusty RV was worth her weight in gold doing nearly 30km an hour.

Finally after stopping for a diesel stop, collecting the kids that escaped in search of an ice cream or other frozen treat filled with more sugar than central Australia produces in a season, making a cuppa and setting off again, we had done well, nearly 12 kms under our belt. 

1738kms to go, not a problem, we were in the zone.

We briefly stopped at around 8pm overnight in Tununda, (We think they should change their slogan to -where the well heeled get plastered, capital of South Australia).

Loved it! Gorgeous place! Great food, great wine and apart from the full body shudder Dal had as we drove past Chateau Tanunda (youthful sad experience with Chateau Tanunda Brandy) we thoroughly enjoyed it.

Lunch at Maggie Beers the next day, non alcoholic bubbly for the kids - everyone felt like a rock star.

Heading back to the Tundunda camp grounds, Emma begged us to visit one more winery - the one that looked like a castle!

OK, if we must.

Quite an interesting place and they advised us they were the only place in Australia that still makes mead.

Mead, for the uninitiated is an alcoholic beverage made from honey that's pretty much as sweet as if you laid on your back under the bees nest and drilled a hole in the bottom of the hive and allowed it to run into your mouth.

For the sweet tooths amongst us, this could be heaven, syrup and its alcoholic!

Dal got that sort of soft grinning smile on his face that comes from the alcoholic warmth that spreads throughout your body.

"Oooohhhh, I like this" he proclaims, suitably plied with several different taste sensations and a much lighter wallet he wobbled back to the camp grounds where he slept off the afternoon and evening. Ah well, well rested for the rest of the journey tomorrow.