G’day from Mildura,

It’s been a long day. I didn’t leave Wudinna ’til about 8:30 CST and didn’t get here ’til 4:45 CST (5:15 EST), covering just over 800km. I only stopped for petrol (twice), and for lunch in Burra (once), forgoing morning and afternoon coffee so as to not waste time. What does one have for lunch in and old copper mining town established in 1845, that attracted many Cornish miners? A Cornish Pastie, of course!

Some 60km before Burra, I did a “drive-through” of the historic village of Terowie (Pop. 150), just off the main road, as my Road Atlas said something about it that intrigued me. It doesn’t appear to have changed much since the nineteenth century, with its small verandahed shops lining the main street. I think there was only one car in the main street, and as it was parked outside the cafe/coffee shop, I expect it was a tourist. I find it hard to believe it’s the place where General Douglas MacArthur made his famous “I shall return” speech, on the platform of the railway station. I didn’t even know he was in Australia when he said that (about the Philippines), let alone in a “one horse” (car?) town like that!

I was looking forward to having high-speed wireless internet access at the motel (which is one of the reasons I selected it). However, the innkeeper couldn’t get his thingy that charges and authorises patrons for a block of 1/2, 1 or 2 hours working! When I rang to order a room service dinner at around 7:30, he told me that he didn’t think they could do that, as the restaurant was full tonight, but that he’d check. Lucky for him, his response was positive, otherwise he would have got an earful from me, along with a demand for a reduction in tariff due to his inability to supply the advertised services! A flash room means nothing if the service is crap.

I still haven’t decided where I’m heading tomorrow.

Cheers,
Julian