FAMILY FAREWELLS AND FINAL PREPARATION

15^th July to the 2^nd of August.

It was no secret that the original catalyst  for our decision to leave Victor Harbor was to find somewhere warmer to live.

We achieved that in our first night away from Victor Harbor. We headed SOUTH to Naracoorte to spend some time with both my parents and my brother as we knew we would not be seeing them for some time.

The first night in our caravan the temperature for Naracoorte fell to -1 degrees. We felt better the next day when we discovered that the overnight temperature in Victor Harbor was -3 degrees.

 I revisited a few of my childhood memories and showed Paul the family farm out at Quindamere and the old Binnum Hall where we had many family occasions. It was also the original school building attended by my mother.

I was amazed at how tiny the HALL was!! It seemed so much bigger when I was a small girl!

Having finished our first round of family farewells we headed off to CANBERRA  via Bendigo and Lake Hume. We were also aware that it was not going to get any warmer!!! We were correct! The second night in Canberra saw the mercury fall to minus 4 degrees. (It’s illegal to drive with any ice on your windscreen, so Paul ventured out into the frost to remove the ice). NOT GETTING ANY WARMER!!

Our final farewells took place at COOMA where we spent time with Emma and Nigel and Nigel’s parents. Emma and Nigel are off to England for 12 months so these were the hardest goodbyes we had to make since leaving Victor Harbor. While we were there we ventured down to Jindabyne for a final look at the snow country and to reminisce about the old skiing days! Not missing them at all.

 A small church at Old Adaminiby on the shores of Lake Eucumbene.  Most of the town has been submerged by the rising waters of the dam.

"Have we taken the wrong turn??? That's SNOW on the top of the mountains!

Time to head North to the warmer weather, so with the temperature climbing to 13 degrees in Cooma, we packed the van up and headed to Bathurst, that’s north. Surely its going to be warmer than Cooma?