Daily distance: 20km
Total distance: 181.22km
The cooked breakfast was awesome and with heavy packs we headed out for Rocky Creek Hut Campsite. We crossed the road from the B&B and headed into the plantation right next to the Forestry HQ. For once the trail was flat to start with so the going was great. Not far into the mornings walk I started getting numb legs from my backside down the back of my legs. I decided it was because the packs were heavy for the next 6 days so just pushed on....... Mistake, the pain just got worse so we stopped at a bench..... very convenient placed.... and shortened the back on the pack. What do you know pain gone... nothing slow about me, 12 days into the trail and I only sort my pack out now.... mmm I should be a guide!
The trail took us through the 'forest' along nice well marked flat paths through a small campsite across the main road and then straight back towards the B&B. Route detour! If I wrote down the language I used this probably would not be published!!!!!!!! So back we came and just before getting back to where we had started we turned north into the forest again. Then we started going round in square circles. ?.. Dee kept on saying to me it feels like we are going back the way we came, and, I am sure we are close to where Belinda lives. Me, didn't have a clue so just kept walking.
Popped out onto a dirt track and kinda went into Mr Plod mode.... missed our turn and continued straight on untill we hit a junction, saw no trail markers, checked the GPS and were told to go back 500m and turn north. Mmmmm teach us for not paying attention. So back we went and when we got to a spot we could see a trail marker realised we were on the wrong side of the fence. Dee went over and just as I got to the critical leg on either side of the wire, I got a "G'day" from behind me. TRICKY....
There was a young couple with huge backpacks, gaiters up to their knees and two walking poles each. It was very apparent they were doing the whole trail as well and once we started chatting it turned out they are the couple we had been hearing about. They had come out before starting and dropped food drums along the way so they could stock up as they went and not have to leave the trail. Well we walked together for a distance, fast, and it became clear the 2 walking poles were the answer. They used them with everystep and this gave them alot more power and distance with each step. Note to myself....... get two walking poles each!
We left them after about 4km together as we wanted to stop and have some tea. They said they would keep us a spot at the camping grounds and we said cheers. After tea and some bananas we continued our square 'circles in a forest' ...... Eventually we popped out onto Dashwood Gully, (I'm sure this was supposed to mean something to me??) which had Dee more than a little pissed off. When she explained to me we had been on this road a couple of days ago and crossed it alot, and that we were only about 10km from where Belinda lived in Adelaide I started getting the picture.
Ok so this is where things started changing very quickly...... We had planned to get picked up on Saturday to head back into Adelaide to go try sort an extension on my visa on Monday. Well, realizing we were this close to Adelaide and Belinda, we decided to go in right away and sort it out today rather than get further away and people having to drive further to come fetch us.
Jeff to the rescue....... We rang him sorted out a pick up and then turned and started walking towards Adelaide. 6Km later we got to Kangarilla (this is a town people) and stopped there and waited for Jeff. Two cups later and Jeff arrived and the next thing we were in a suburb of Adelaide called Marion pitching our tent in a very urban caravan park. Next thing I was drinking Ausie and Taiwanese beer and eating Chinese. Man how life can change so quick!
We are now with Jeff's aunt sleeping on a stretcher in their garden. We went to the visa place and to cut a long story short, wont be changing the visa but instead walking faster. We also now have 2 walking poles each so should be ready for it.
Tomorrow back to where we left the trail with our walking boots on rearing to go.
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