An abrupt end - Port Augusta 20th - 21st September

It was a long, uneventful drive from Coober Pedy to Port Augusta. After lunch was more interesting with numerous huge salt lakes, and many smaller ones, bordering the road. We arrived in Port Augusta just before 4pm. After checking out possible places to stay we decided to drive the extra 45mins to Mt Remarkable National Park. It would mean we would have to have a quick tent set up before dark.

A devastating phone call from home.

We were less than five minutes out of town when Boyd’s mobile phone rang. It was Lisa’s Mum with some devastating news.

Lisa’s dad had just been in a horrific car accident. He had been airlifted to Westmead Hospital from the accident scene. Granny was in the waiting room making the phone call as the doctor’s worked on Papa.

We turned around and headed back into Port Augusta to find some accommodation to try to digest what was happening.

The quick drive home. 

After the devastating phone call we quickly decided that we were going to drive home without delay. From Port Augusta we knew we could make it home with three days driving. If the kids coped and all was going OK we could even do it in two.

We managed to get to Hay in one day. Lisa’s mobile phone worked overtime whenever we got reception. Friends and family were in regular contact. Voice calls and texts were received in a constant stream.  It was a long day - 830km. We arrived in Hay at dusk and found a motel room for the night. The next day we drove 700km and again the mobile phone was a much needed contact with all the goings on at Westmead Hospital.

Mixed emotions flooded us as we drove towards home. Some reminiscing about the last three months, lots of looking forward to home comforts. All dominated by the desire to be close to Papa and family.

 We reached home at about 4.30pm, 19556km had been driven.