Time for an update......

So......we spent another day (Wednesday 4th July) in Broken Hill more as a necessity rather than wanting to hang around because the Patrol had a turbo issue and my camper trailer needed a new cover which had to be ordered. Some spent the day at a park playing touch footy, eating bakery food and filling in time while Pete and Stevo worked on the Patrol. Once we were back inaction we headed for Menindee Lakes that afternoon where we camped beside the lake area for the next 2 nights in Kinchega National Park. As it was State of Origin night we headed for one of the 2 pubs in town to watch as poor old Samo became heart broken at NSW's 7th straight series loss......there were tears & cursing aplenty!!!
The next day (Thursday 5th July) the team spent the day exploring the National Park, making spears while I (Pete) made a dash for Broken Hill to pick up the trailer cover and do some other mundane bits and pieces. When I returned we set off to take a look at the historic Kinchega Woolshed for which the National Park was named (after the the original sheep station). This shed at it's peak would shear 72,000 sheep a year with only 62 stands (sharers stations). The sheds themselves are in great condition and were perfect for getting some fantastic photos. We then headed out to do a loop of the park with the thought to stop off and watch the sunset over the lakes. As it turned out there were only a few takers to watch the sunset but for those of us that made the effort what we witnessed was just incredible, the colours, sounds, wildlife etc was simply breathtaking. We returned to camp where a roast lamb dinner was waiting for all the carnivores and some vego sausages for the hippy!! We eat like royalty out here....certainly no bully beef and spam for the "glampers"!!!!!
Friday 6th July; Izzy and Em (2 of the girls from the sheep station 'Glenora') had joined us for a couple of nights and they had to head back today so after a very vocal goodbye we packed up and headed out from Kinchega NP (with a sexy new camper trailer cover) and made our way southwest toward the small village of Pooncarie. Today would have been (was/is) our beautiful Ang's 42nd birthday so we had a little celebration planned for her. We found a cracking spot beside the Darling River and set up for a cake, party hats etc. We also had a helium ballon kit which we used to inflate a heap of balloons which everyone wrote messages on to her. We let them go, sang happy birthday, talked about some of the things that we cherished most about her....there were some tears, some laughs and a lot of good memories......Ang was such an incredible person, we love her so much and we miss her every day, she would be so proud of our wonderful kids and I hope she's smiling downing us from somewhere up high, I feel her doing this every single day!!
We arrived into Pooncarie just a after lunch and had a look around this tiny but cute & very tidy little town. As we were ready to leave another traveller had broken down and our resident mechanic was volunteered (by who I wonder????) to give them a hand to get going, so the next couple of hours were spent working on a new V8 turbo diesel Troopy that had decided not to start, old magic fingers got it sorted out, received a couple of bottles of red as payment and we set off for a camp spot somewhere between Pooncarie and Wentworth on the western side of the river. Let it be known that we found yet another cracking spot, right on the river......and as I write this we've just finished another gourmet meal, there's a huge fire roaring, the water birds are settling around us, fish are jumping in the river and the sky has lit up an almost unbelievable show of stars for as far as the eye can see.....this country that we call ours is truly truly amazing and is something we should all be proud to be a part of! Once again there's still some people missing....wish you guys were here!!!