A huge sigh of relief.  On top of the world and on the road to somewhere.  It doesn’t take too many km’s to pass before that feeling starts to slowly creep back in….f r e e d o m!  

A brief stopover back in Robinvale IGA for some essentials and make a quick roll. It wasn’t long before Robinvale was upon us, the vivid enormity of our home amazes onlookers once again.  Chatted to a school teacher....lovely lady who confirmed any doubts about Lola growing up on the bus - her husband just laid off and told he is "too creative to be a Maths teacher" - just follow the curriculum, how dare you try and engage, excite, interest and educate all of your students.

Back on the road again, finding our way to Balranad, one of those inviting little towns that just begs you to take a break and stretch your legs.   We parked just alongside an impressive mesh bridge joining the near and far banks of the Murrumbidgee to one.

Brad was tinkering around the motor (oil I think), Daisy decided there was no way she was getting on that bridge, so Lola and I ventured bravely across, both agreeing we didn’t like the feeling, but seeing it through none the less.

It was one of my proudest moments as her mother to hear her say “it’s ok to feel a little fear sometimes, just push through it”.

My turn to drive us out of town and onward toward Hay.  I love to drive the bus, it's quite a beast, 2.5m wide, 11m  (38ft) of bus followed by another 6m (16ft) of trailer carrying our little Suzuki Vitara and heap of Brad's junk, I was tentative about driving with the trailer at first.  But now, it's just an extension of the bus.  The steering wheel is huge between your hands, requiring constant correction to balance the beast and keep on the straight especially when those massive road trains come flying past with an explosion of air between us.  

And so it isn’t long before we arrive in Hay.  The vibe of even a small roadhouse is such a vast comparison to that of arriving in a caravan park ready to set up for the night.  Some fuel, a 6 pack of coke (seems we’ve renewed our once banned taste of the good old coke) and a packet of mentos for Lola, we’re off in search of lodgings for the night.

Just immediately over the bridge, a recreation area by the river (Murrumbidgee) calls, me at the wheel, I take on the challenge of the winding dirt track and manoeuvre into a picnic spot off the road enough just to let passers through.   Ah perfect,  not a “no camping” sign to be seen, I’m taking that as free to camp and so we did.   Dinner cooked (well toasted sandwiches), a last lap up of the solace of our lodging and Brad, Daisy and I join Lolly on our bed to watch Babe 2.

It was only minutes before I could hear my own snoring, poor Lola loving our company to enjoy a movie until she found herself surrounded by snores (including Daisy)….she lasted the movie and woke us up as she hopped off to her own bed, she’s awesome.

No more caravan parks - the beautiful Hay on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River.  An early morning start (we’ll get this travelling thing yet) and straight into town only to find the absolute icing on this lovely town of Hay’s cake – freshly cleaned toilets ready for our relief.

Have I said it yet, perfect!

After my little taste of the driver seat yesterday, I declare my morning of driving and off we head along the B64 and then the A39 toward Dubbo, Parkes and on to Queensland.