Prelude - Singapore Hawker Stalls

I fly from Sydney to Mumbai once a year and one of the stopover options is Singapore. It was a while before I ventured out to eat in a Singapore hawker centre and I was just starting to enjoy it. And then Covid hit and these visits stopped. Like many other pursuits, the moment Covid ended I threw myself into it with more zeal. Nothing like having it taken away for a few years just when you are getting into it. No matter the number of times you do it now, there is always the feeling that all this will go away in the snap of a finger.

Epilogue - Sydney to Perth and back

It took a long time to get this trip happening but finally, I was done. The trip from Sydney to Perth across the Nullarbor had been a distant dream and I have been preparing for it. My trip from Sydney to Alice Springs around was 6,000 kms. So I had dropped my plans for a one way trip to Perth and putting the car on a truck for the trip back. I was going to drive back and forth, twice across the Nullarbor. And so I did. What's more, I took an occasional detour to push it over 10,000 kms.

Day 14 - Dubbo to St Ives

Dubbo, NSW to St Ives, NSW - 390 kms 5:00 hours.

I am now in Dubbo, just under 400 kms from home. Limping home on a spare tyre, I take it easy for a while.

Day 13 - Wilcannia to Dubbo

Wilcannia, NSW to Dubbo, NSW - 557 kms 5:45 hours.

With the space saver tyre on, I slowly limped back home to Sydney. The 1 day trip from Wilcannia to Sydney now became a two day trip with a stopover at Dubbo. This was to allow for travelling at the space saver tyre's limit of 80 kmph plus frequent stops to avoid it from overheating.

I did lose some time last night and got up late in the morning. I would be reaching Dubbo late in the night. Besides having to drive at dusk, yet again, I would reach my hotel late.

Day 12 - Trip hits a road bump - literally!

It was late in the night and I was barrelling down the highway at 100 kmph when I heard and felt a massive bump.

I soon heard a nasty grinding noise that could mean only one thing - I had a flat tire.

Day 12 - Port Lincoln to Wilcannia

Port Lincoln, Victoria to Wilcannia, NSW - 951 kms 10:13 hours.

I set out in the morning from Pt Lincoln up the coast of the Spencer Gulf towards Pt Augusta. I went through Whylla and 4 hours later and passed through Pt Augusta for the second time.

Once past Pt Augusta, I come across Lake Bird. This is yet another "lake" that is basically a dried up version that turns wet when it rains. The main water discharge from a power plant stopped after it was shut down. What remains is this dry, smelly salt pan.

Day 11 - Border Village to Port Lincoln

Border Village, South Australia to Port Lincoln, Victoria - 882 kms 9:10 hours.

Having driven half way across the Nullarbor, it was time for the second half. As it was the start of the day's drive, I took a few detours into viewing platforms giving me a view of the Great Australian Bight.