Turnbull's Gap Year: 8th week 13th of February to the 19th of February

13^th of February = Awoke to a flinders ranges sunrise and with the temps set to hit 35degrees. We decided as nice as the flinders and the Aroona campsite is even with its fresh spring water fed water taps everywhere and clean toilets decided the Flinders is not the best place for pregnant wife and kids. The main activity of the flinders is bush walking and are mostly of hard grade and very steep. So the only other option is driving with the best place for 4wdriving cost $75 and needing to pre-book and being a 6hr plus lap of someone’s property decided the wife wouldn’t be too good for this. We drove out a different way to what we came in so we could see more of the flinders as we were exiting we took another road that was dirt and followed a lot of dry creek beds. We made a b-line for Port Augusta and were thinking of staying there the night I rang up the local big 4 and asked for a price which there replies of $56, so I decided one lap of Port Augusta and off we were down to Whyalla for a more reasonable $25 a night.

14^th of February = Having a rest day today after 2 big days of driving. We went for a walk down the road with the girls both riding there bike to a big park we saw yesterday. While the girls were at the park I decided to walk down to the boat ramp as a local told me yesterday that the dolphins follow in the fishing boats and the girls just wanting to play as they had just got there didn’t follow. Well as soon as I got there I could see the dolphins swimming around the entrance to the marina and then a boat came in and all of a sudden I had up to 8 dolphins swimming around the jetty so I went back over to the park and got the girls to come over. The girls loved it and I could even pat the dolphins. In the afternoon we met up with another couple around our age with similar aged kids also doing a lap of Oz.

15^th of February = Caught up on clothes washing, filled gas bottles, fuelled up the truck and food shopping. The caravan park had a free sausage sizzle on Wednesday for lunch and we spent the afternoon going for a walk with our new friends to see if we can see the dolphins while not as close as yesterday we could see them swimming in the ocean.

16^th of February = We left Whyalla with our new friends following as they wanted to try free camping with their caravan we stopped and had a look at one of the campsites in the camps6 book as it had showers and toilets well it was packed full of grey nomads even though you couldn’t see any nice view from where you camped and it backed on to a sewer treatment plant we were out of there. Drove 25mins further down the road and stopped at a place called Redbanks no toilets or showers but a view to pay millions for and not one other person there. The girls and I spent the afternoon in the clear surf waters having some fun followed by some beer at happy hour.

17^th of February = We left camp as the wind was up a bit in the morning stopping of at a couple of little towns on the way until we found our next camp spot Carrow Wells we set up camp with more swimming and relaxing at the beach with the girls.

18^th of February = We drive into Port Lincoln ready for a decent hot shower followed by some relaxing. We went to maccas where we had 40cent ice creams and the girls played on the play equipment while I read my 4^th paper in 8 weeks not bad considering I haven’t watched the news for 8 weeks also.

19^th of February = Kate and I left our friends at the caravan park as we headed out to Port Lincoln National park as we had a national park past and were looking forward to a couple of more free nights. We camped at September beach which was awesome and water so clear and was so still the girls loved it we even built our first sandcastle. Kate made homemade rissoles with gravy it was delicious followed by a butterscotch pudding where all the sauce somehow makes it to the underside it was awesome.