#roadtrip – Page 2 – Over 50 Aussie female solo traveller USA road trip and beyond

Almost 2 years into the Covid-19 pandemic and a month ago Australia opened to the rest of the world. I was working with the Public Health Response in NSW and so excited that I planned my second retirement. Who knew a week before my retirement a new variation, Omicron, would start causing havoc and uncertainty. New testing and restrictions in place, but no lockdowns. Yet. Everyone testing crazily to ensure they are well enough to spend Christmas with family and friends. I was invited to my daughter-in-law’s for Christmas in Port Lincoln. I said a bittersweet farewell to my work colleagues at The Response, I felt guilty like I was abandoning them at a new level of uncertainty. But I might go back if the world shuts down again. I booked my flight to Adelaide, booked a car so I could do a road trip to Port Lincoln and beyond.

72 hours before leaving Sydney I had the obligatory PCR test. Even though the day before I had a negative RAT test at work. All up so far during COVID-19 I have had 14 negative PCR tests. So I arrive in Adelaide and needed to do the test required within 24 hours of arrival. The testing queue was so long at the airport, my Adelaide son, Luke, took me to a drive through for testing.

After an hour of waiting and then advised there would be a further 5 hour wait, I headed back to the airport and stood in line for a much shorter 1.5 hours.

Traffic queue for covid testing

Then back to my room to “isolate” until the negative result. South Australia has a booking system for COVID-19 testing so while “isolating” I started looking for where to have my Day 6 test in the Port Lincoln area. Nothing. Port Lincoln is over 6 hours drive from Adelaide. It meant I would need to “isolate” for 2 days until I got another negative result, once I was able to find somewhere to have a test. Not looking good for my time with my daughter-in-law’s family. I know when travelling there are always pitfalls and you cannot get too upset with things going wrong. The important thing is how we react to these things and how to fix them. That is what I have learned to be a “traveller”. You have to have a plan A, B and C and if needed D. So on Day 2 of this trip, the best news from the South Australian Premier “no more Day 1 and Day 6 tests”. Yay!! No need for plan B!!

I did not lose any time in going outside to enjoy this fabulous city. It is small compared to other Australian cities and world cities but it isn’t small in its beauty. Luke and I went off around the city on scooters.

Scootering around Adelaide was a lot of fun. I was apprehensive at first and very frightened if there were people around. So I would stop and wait until they passed. But after 30 minutes, I had a lot more confidence. It is a great way to zip around, although stopping to get my travel pics is a little annoying. Great way to zip from your hotel to a restaurant. No need to find parking. Just leave it where you stop. A little pricey at $30 for one hour, although you can pay $30 for a whole week.

Some of my favourite photos were around University of Adelaide.

Love locks on the University of Adelaide footbridge

Rundle Mall has all fancied up with Christmas.

These piggies have been in Rundle Mall every time I visit

The decision to drive to Ceduna came about as this would be the closest I will get to seeing the Nullarbor Plain. The road runs along the Great Australian Bight stretch of land on the southern part of Australia which is flat, almost treeless, arid or semi-arid country of southern Australia with the Great Victoria Desert to its north.

The drive from Port Lincoln to Ceduna is 4 hours but it took me 7.5 hours with some stops along the way.

Lake Hamilton Eating House. I cannot imagine the adventurous people who stopped by here to rest in the 1800s. I am exhausted driving from Port Lincoln to here with air conditioning.

Cummings Monument. I parked my little Yaris at the carpark 500m from the monument. Luckily I did. The holes on the way up would have ripped my chassis off. There are warnings not to get too close to the edge and I was too frightened to look over to see the wreck, if you could see it, as the wind was blowing a gale, as it has been since I got to Port Lincoln. Hoping the wind will die down.

Sheringa Roadhouse reminded me of Route 66.

Lochs Well Beach. Bumped into some lovely Colombian people.

This spot has a very safe wooden stairs down to the beach. The beach is very treacherous and not recommended to swim.

Elliston is another lovely beach stop well known for salmon.

Murphys Haystacks are a unique form of pillars and boulders dating back 100,000 years ago. How does something like this end up in such a landscape?

Eyre Waterhole is a free rest area for campers. It is the historic site where early explorer Edward Eyre camped. The Eyre’s Waterhole was an important water supply for the explorer and the local aboriginal people. It’s also known as Cooeyanna Well. The water doesn’t look too refreshing at the moment.

Streaky Bay on the western side of the Eyre Peninsula. Another lovely seaside village.

Smoky Bay population 200. Beach, bay, oysters and quiet place for relaxation.

Left Port Lincoln at 9:30am and arrived at Ceduna at 5:00pm. Resting tonight. Contemplating what my plans will be over the next few days. The South Australian government have implemented restrictions. 10 people permitted in a home, no dancing or singing in indoor venues. Waiting to hear if the masquerade ball in Glenelg will be going ahead on New Years Eve. Watch this space.