Hi all.  Time for an update of our last few days as the travelling Leylands.   Being the TV addict that I am, I was devastated when the caravan park had no reception on the normal channels, only ABC and SBS.  Just awesome.  Spoke to the managers of the park and they let us into one of the unused units so that we could get our 'Revenge' fix.  Just in keeping with our trip so far I can let you know that it poured rain, as usual, on Monday night at Murray Bridge.  It was the hardest rain I think I have heard so far in the van and was constant for most of the night.

Anyway, after the torrential rain overnight, we decided that we should still go and check out the  Monarto zoo.  This is about 15k's from Murray Bridge and is supposedly the biggest Open Range zoo in Australia.  Actually, the only reason we went was to see if Noah had turned up overnight and we were going to be at the front of the line for access to the new Ark.

 

We were a bit disappointed on arrival as Noah was not in attendance.  We still went in though and the ad's for the zoo were not an exaggeration.  It was really good.  Just like at Werribee, you get driven around in a bus to check out the animals, but there are also lots of walking tracks so that you can walk around at your own pace. There is one part where you are in an enclosure with a Rhino and you are even able to pat the rhino.  Incredible. We both thought that it was really great and definitely worth the visit.  The amazing part was that there was no rain at all whilst we were there.

  

After spending about 4 hours at the zoo we spent the rest of the day sorting out a Telstra problem and then back at the van. Of course it started bloody raining again and rained for most of the night.  No kidding. 

Up early on Wednesday morning and of course it is still bloody raining.  Come time to hitch up the van, in the rain, and I was rushing things of course and when reversing the Jeep scraped the front left guard on a tree stump that was below my line of sight.  It didn't dent the guard but took off a fair slice of paint on a couple of areas.  Of course it was my own bloody stupid fault for rushing things and I have been really pissed off ever since.  Will have to get it fixed when we get back to Melbourne. 

That was just the start of a crap morning as it bloody rained most of the way to our next stop at Goolwa and half way there the caravan mirror for the drivers side stuffed up and it took a while to sort in out, in the rain, or course.  Also thought I had lost my favourite double ended screw driver.  Could the day get any worse.  Well almost.  For the last 20 klms into Goolwa I had a mongrel tourist bus sitting right up my butt as there was nowhere to pass and nowhere for me to pull over to let him pass.  I could just hear him quoting that new ad from the TV.  Bloody caravanners.

Arrived in Goolwa and set up at the Caravan Park.  It is very spacious and not very many vans in at the moment.  Needed coffee to bring my levels back up so into town and got our first shock when the cost of our 2 coffees was $10.  I suppose I had to expect it as god hates me today.  After that we checked out the information centre and headed over to check out Hindmarsh Island. 

Went out and saw the Mouth of the Murray.  A spot where the Murray River meets the ocean.  There are a few huge dredges out there that are constantly keeping the mouth open.  It is all regulated as to how much water goes out to the ocean and how much is retained in the Coorong National Park and in the local lakes.  After our nature walk it was back to the van.  Decided to have fish and chips for dinner and got my 2nd shock.  $27.  Obviously Debs burger must have had Waygu beef and the chips refined in special oil. 

Kept awake during the night by the rain, as usual.  Up bright and early Thursday and went out for our nature day.  Went out and checked out the Goolwa Barrage.  This is just another man made structure to again regulate how much water goes into the local lake system.  It is a huge set up and pretty awesome when you consider that it was erected in 1935.  Checked out our friendly pelicans that are still following us around and found them feeding just near where the water was being let out of the lake system.  Also found several New Zealand fur seals laying around at the centre platform area of the barrage.  Just ask the Leyland brothers, we know it all.

Headed off for a local spin and went to a Cheese making factory.  Of course we had to have a tasting of several types of cheese and then got totally ripped off when we stupidly decided to buy a little bit.  It had better taste good.  Then a quick trip down to Victor Harbour.  This is a really big coastal town with a population of 14,500.  There looks to be quite a lot to do here and we will be back maybe tomorrow, when the weather is forecast to be sunny.  Will be praying for that. 

Then back to the van for the night.