Greetings from Bourke,

I left home in the Zuke at 8:45 Sunday morning, after deciding on Saturday night that since I’d been through Dubbo twice in the last couple of months, I’d give it a miss this time. I’m going further west, before heading north. I stopped in Yass for petrol, then left the Hume Highway, heading for West Wyalong, via Harden-Murrumburrah and Temora. I stopped in Temora for a late lunch, at around 1:30pm.

I arrived in West Wyalong around 2:45pm, after travelling 436km. Although it was still early, I didn’t want to press on, as there’s bugger all towns of any decent size within a couple of hours on my chosen route. The motel I’d selected from my trusty NRMA Accommodation Guide had no vacancies, and I had to try another 5 motels before I found one with a vacancy. It’s a bit of a dive, but I guess it’s OK for only $50! I went for a 50 minute walk around town for exercise, and since my motel has no restaurant or room service facilities, I took the opportunity to “sus” out where to have dinner. I ended up going for Chinese; Szechuan Chicken.

I tried vainly to email a report on Sunday evening, but the ‘phone system at the dive (which still uses pulse rather than tone dialling!) wouldn’t allow me to dial the Bigpond national dialup number (a 019 … …number), nor could I get GPRS to work.

This morning I got away about 6:30am. That’s because the dive didn’t do breakfast until 7:30am, and checkouts until 8:00am. So I paid the bill the night before, woke early, had some yoghurt I’d bought from home in the Esky for breakfast, then departed. I headed further west through Rankin Springs to Goolgowi, from where I headed north along the Kidman Way. I filled up the car in Hillston, around 9am, and had morning coffee there. I reached Cobar about midday, where I had lunch.

I had made a reservation at a motel in Bourke on Sunday evening, so I wasn’t disappointed when I arrived just after 2pm. I’ve gone from one extreme to the other; check it out at their web site. I’ve got the Nancy Bird-Walton suite.  I’m composing this note in the shade of a gazebo in the gardens, whilst imbibing a Jimmy Boags Premium Lager. I went for a short (20 minute) walk around town; it was a bit hot to go any longer. There’s no restaurant facilities here, so I’ll be having dinner at the RSL Club just down the road.

I covered 615km today. I’m heading further north tomorrow; I’m not sure where I’ll be stopping for the night.

Cheers,
Julian