#solotraveller – Page 5 – Over 50 Aussie female solo traveller USA road trip and beyond

Adelaide to Whyalla

On my way to Port Lincoln for Christmas and I have broken up the trip a little. First stop was Lochiel to see the Pink Lake (Lake Bumbunga). Lochiel has their own legend or a sense of humour with their own Lochness monster known as the Loch-Eel.

Next stop was Port Germein to walk what was once the longest wooden jetty. I had a blustery 3 km walk on a very hot day. I should have stayed overnight in this quaint fishing village. Perhaps on the way back to Adelaide.

View from the Sea end looking back to shore 1.6km away

On to the Arid Botanical Gardens. I had a very quick stop here as I didn’t have much time but the gardens had a very particular scent I would liken to herbs and pine trees.

On the way the Port Wakefield tank art required a short stop.

Overnight stop at Whyalla. Very, very windy but the cabin I am in is very warm. I am too tired to check the new jetty in town but I did capture this pretty sunset.

South Australia

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

Port Lincoln to Ceduna

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.

Murray River Wodonga

31December 2018 and 1 January 2019

Over the past 2 weeks I have pushed myself too much. In the last 4 days alone I have driven 2000 km and need a rest.

I stopped at Wodonga as it is a town on the Murray River which borders my state of New South Wales and Victoria. I watched my beautiful Sydney NYE fireworks on TV and for the first time ever spent NYE alone but not lonely.

In the morning I got these lovely photos of the Murray River.

This evening I went out to Hume Weir to capture the sunset.

Happy New Year to everyone.

Penola and Mount Gambier South Australia

29 December 2018

An alternate route from Robe to Mount Gambier takes you through historical Penola in the Coonawarra wine district.

I enjoyed the varied santa displays.

The old lolly shop

Mount Gambier is a lovely town with beautiful old homes.

Umpherston sinkhole magnificent garden dating back to the 1800s.

The Blue Lake is another sinkhole

End USA Road trip 2018

13 August 2018

I have come full circle. I started my trip in California on 1 March 2018. I have driven 29,850 kilometres/18548 miles, a cruise from Vancouver to Alaska and completed my goal of visiting all 50 USA states. With a slight detour of a Transatlantic cruise to Barcelona from Florida and a drive through two provinces of Canada to meet up with Canadian cousins.

I have very mixed feelings about my Odyssey ending. The beautiful places I have discovered, the interesting, kind and loving people I have met, the memories I have made, the adrenaline, anxiety, excitement, happiness, wonder, awe, sadness leaving people, I feel privileged to have experienced all this and so much more than words can describe.

To everyone who has been part of my journey with me or through my blog, the people who would talk to me on the phone while I was driving to keep me awake, the people who opened their homes family and hearts to me, the people who encouraged me and made me feel I was doing something special, the people who made me feel special, and the people who supported my sons while I was on my journey, I thank you.

Hope to see you all again soon somewhere in the world. My door in Sydney is always open. Just check I am home first 🙂

To the most important people in my life, my gorgeous sons, Dion, thank you for holding the fort at home and Carlos for encouraging me to write this blog. I love you both, as Carlos would say “a thousand times more than the biggest number”.

Let’s see what adventure home has in store for me.

“Happiness is a journey, not a destination. For a long time it seemed to me that life was about to begin—real life. But there was always some obstacle in the way, something to be gotten through first, some unfinished business, time still to be served, a debt to be paid. At last it dawned on me that these obstacles were my life. This perspective has helped me to see there is no way to happiness. Happiness is the way. So treasure every moment you have and remember that time waits for no one”.

ALFRED D. SOUZA writer, philosopher

“Your vibe attracts your tribe”.

“Those who wander are not always lost”. JRR Tolkien

Kings Canyon and Sequoia Forest

9 August 2018

Park rangers recommended these two treasures as Yosemite has wildfires. There is only one road open into Yosemite and visibility is poor due to the smoke. The smoke also affected some of the Sequoia National Forest and Kings Canyon National Park as you will see in some of the photos.

This is my favourite photo for today, Lemon Cove, even though it is quite hazy. This spot is just breathtaking.

General Grant Tree is the 2nd largest tree in the world and also known as “the Nation’s Christmas Tree”.

When I got out of the car to look at this tree I was overwhelmed by the scent of the forest. It smelt like Christmas!! With wildfires raging nearby, temperatures of 40C/104F the pine smell was incredible. The largest tree in the world is also in this forest but I will have to come back as I unfortunately ran out of time.

Once again the change of landscape driving out of the forest was phenomenal.

This is the tunnel tree.

Area 51/Death Valley

8 August 2018

Before venturing to Death Valley I did some extensive research as I had heard it gets very hot at this time of year. I am not used to the extreme temperatures this part of the world experiences.

Satisfied that I would be ok and that my Corolla should function fine, I left Las Vegas at 10:00am with extra water and my snacks of popcorn, cheese, pumpkin seeds and a banana.

I took the longer route from Las Vegas as I was advised it was more scenic and I was so excited when I came across the Area 51 Alien stop. I have seen documentaries and movies which depict the conspiracy theories including UFOs around this Top Secret highly classified Government site just off Route 95 Nevada

Next door is the biggest firecracker.

I drove through the Beatty entrance of Death Valley.

The Sahara Desert has temperatures which reach 47C/117F and today I drove through Death Valley my car temperature reached 49C/120F. This thermometer outside the Ranger’s Station at Stovepipe Wells at 2:00pm in the shade is proof of how hot it gets.

One thing I did not get to do in Death Valley was drive through naked. I thought this part of the world would get few people so I could check this item off my bucket list. I don’t think there is anywhere in the USA which has no-one driving through to enable me to fulfill this goal. This small section of the Mesquite Dunes are an example of how many people are around the Valley.

Stovepipe Wells is the first resort in Death Valley.

Mosaic Canyon

The changing landscape.

Leaving Death Valley through Lone Pine to Bakersfield, the landscape changes again.

Video of Cow Flat Creek in the Sequioa National Park outside Bakersfield.

Las Vegas Day 2

6 August 2018

It is difficult to move in 44C/111F heat and that was at 6.30pm but I managed to get to the site of one of my favourite fun movies “Transformers” although the Hoover Dam has a much more important purpose and fascinating history.

Highly recommend a tour of this mammoth structure built before computers and modern technology were even thought about.

I went to the David Copperfield show on at the MGM Hotel. How does he do it!! His illusions and magic right next to you!!

Tickets were $US95 and I was upgraded to the $US125 seats. My first ever upgrade anything!

Check the photobomber!

This is the most expensive milkshake ever at $AUD10.20.

Route 66 to Las Vegas

5 August 2018

Goodbye to Annalise, the Norwegian owner of the Stagecoach 66 Motel Seligman. I love the interesting people I have met on my travels. Annalise is 74 and rides her Indian Motorcycle around the USA solo. It was such a pleasure meeting her and hope I see her again on our travels.

Some fun stops on Route 66 which inspired the animation “Cars”

Radiator Springs

Hackberry

Mike’s Outpost Saloon

One stop was at the Route 66 General Store. A cowboy with the sexiest voice gave me a compliment which made me all flustered. As I walked into the store his remark “The scenery is pretty good in here” was the nicest pick up line I have heard. Where was he last night!! Shame I was leaving.

Throughout my trip people would say things like “you are so brave travelling alone”, “aren’t you scared driving alone” and my answers are “would you drive to the next town or state alone? That’s all I am doing. But driving to the next state”. However today I had a moment or two of concern. Driving to Las Vegas the temperature got to 46C/115F and I was praying that the car would not break down. There was no reason for it to break down but that temperature in the desert made me worry.

At my hotel, the Royal Resort, $US133 for 3 nights free parking and best of all no resort fee, I cooled off in the pool but as it was 40C/106F at 6.30pm I decided a cool shower and the cool hotel room was required.

2 people I met on the northbound Alaska cruise, Valentine and Abe joined me in Vegas.

Bellagio water show

And across the road