Phoenix & Eric's Australian Adventure

After a 908kM drive we have finally arrived home 14th May 2026 17:50 we are all tired and i’m ready for my tea as it was still South Australia time when i had my tea which means i was ready for my tea at 16:30. Dad has done my tea and i’m now happy.

Mum and Dad have brought in the basics from Eric and will finish emptying him tomorrow. They are now having something to eat then i think we will be going to bed.

I’ve beaten mum and dad to bed 19:40 but they were only 50 minutes behind me.

Hope you have enjoyed following me on my travels and will let you know when we are off again.

I’m back in telephone reception again. We have crossed the Nullabor visiting the Whale Center at the Head of the Bite before stopping at the free campsite for the night.

I got dad up at 5:45am as i needed to go weather is dry and clear. We all had breakfast and at 6:45am dad went out to start getting ready for our departure to find that the fog had come down and visabillity was down to about 50M. We set off taking our time and after about 40kM it started to get better.

We fill up with fuel and continue our journey before we come up on two huge tipper trucks with a police escort forcing everything coming towards them onto the side of the road. When it was possible (after following them for about 25kM) they pulled to one side of the road and we were able to get past them using the hard shoulder.

We finally reach Border Town (Eucla) where we pass back into Western Australia.

We finally stopped 90kM out of Norseman at a 24hr free site for the night. Dad has told me we have a long day in the car tomorrow as we have just over 900kM left to get home and he would like to beat the heavy rain that is predicted to hit the area in the next 12 hours.

As we have gained 1 1/2 hours in time difference after crossing the border i am up at 7am (5:30am South Australia Time) so we are on the road early this morning.

It’s 8:30 and we are setting off for the 1.5kM walk from the caravan park into Hahndorf. Hahndorf is lots of small shops based on a German town along about 1kM of road ranging from cafe’s , bar’s , antique shops, Christmas shops, leather shops, knife shops where Mum has bought a bread knife for Eric and a spiker for apparently making crispy crackling on the pork.

We are having lunch at the pub before walking back to the caravan park.

It is supposed to rain overnight so Dad has packed everything away outside. i am asking dad to take me out before it rains and we get ready for bed.

We head further west tomorrow but as we are heading on to the Nullabor i may not be able to report on our progress over the next two to three days due to the lack of telephone reception in the middle of nowhere.

Practice Day at Deer Park

I have had my first proper breakfast for four days and i’m ok. Dad has already taken me for a walk and is starting to pack up Eric (caravan) ready for our departure.

We are starting our journey back home today heading towards Mt Barker (west of Adelaide) approx 600kM as our first stopping point. While travelling we passed through a village called “Byaduk” but didn’t see one duck or any ducks for sale.

We stopped for lunch where there was a dog play area so i was able to have a run around before we were off again.

Now on the A8 towards Adelaide and we are about 40kM from Hahndorf. a German based town and dad has suggested having a two night stop here, which we are going to do as it looks like the heavens are going to open.

All booked in and Eric is setup and we are sat outside having a drink but it has started to rain so we move inside.

We are going to walk into Hahndorf 1.5Km tomorrow so will let you know what we find tomorrow. I’m off to bed.

I have had Mum and Dad up every two hours through the night as i felt i needed to go but didn’t. It’s 7:30am and Dad has just taken me for a big walk around the soccer pitch and yes i’ve been.

just looking on line at the weather and it say’s it’s going to be dry until around lunch time, so on with our walking gear and wet weather gear for a walk down to the Port. Has been spitting on and off while we have been walking but we have seen ducks, ducklings, greebe’s etc along with three big cannons at the ports entrance.

Back at the caravan when the heavens open and mum sets off to do the laundry.

Laundry done and the weather has brightened up but still very cloudy.

Mum and Dad have been talking to Barry and Christine, and their new house has been delayed a further three weeks so they have decided to go North to warmer weather and their grand daughters wedding in June. So we will be heading home on our own from here in the morning.

Mum and Christine have gone out in the car to go to the UGG Boot shop and then to Warnambool for the theraputic shopping day.

This has left Dad and Barry in charge of me, Lucy and Bill. The decision has been made and Barry is going to drive us into town to the Pub as it is raining. At the pub we get told we can sit in the gazzebo outside and the barman came and lit the gas heater, nice and warm. Dad and Barry had lunch and a couple of beers before we set off back to the caravan site. As we walked past the pub window mum spotted us as they had just got back and gone in to get lunch. Back at the caravan and it has decided to rain for the rest of the day.

Popped round to Bill and Lucy’s for drinks before coming back for tea, I had my chicken and rice as i’m still not 100%.

Off to bed see you tomorrow.

Well it’s 7am i have only got Dad up twice in the night but we are now starting to pack up ready to travel to Port Fairy approx 300kM. We leave site at 10:00am arriving at Port Fairy about 2:30pm just as the rain decides to start so a quick rush around to connect the electric and water and in to the caravan. Lucy and Bill arrived about an hour later and are on the site next to us. We are waving our paws at the windows to say hello as it is too wet to go outside at the moment.

6pm we are going over to Bill and Lucy’s caravan and Barry is fetching fish and chips for tea.

I’m still on my chicken and rice.

As i have had mum and dad up all night i did not need to get dad up for bowls this morning. 7AM dad and Barry head off for their final game, and mum has decided to take me to the vets to get me checked out.

Vet says it could be down to the change of food i had at the kennels not agreeing with me. He has told mum to feed me rice and chicken only over the next few days to see if it will sort me out.

Dad’s back and they have won their last game by 9 points but not enough to get them into the finals. As this is the case we will be packing up tomorrow morning a day early and setting off for Port Fairy.

I have done better over night having 3 to 4 hours between needing to go and we slept in until 7:15 for the first time in 9 days.

I’ve got dad up as i need to go still ‘Dark O’Clock ‘ 5:30am. After breakfast 7am Dad and Barry set off for the club to play their next two games, first game they lost by 3 points and the second game they won by 6 points.

While they where away Mum and Christine took us out in the car to Melton a local town to where we are staying. We had only one car so i had to sit in the back seat of Christine’s car with Lucy and Bill, we got on very well.

Now back at the caravan and i’m not felling too well, i have the runs so having to let mum know i need to go quickly.

Dad’s back and overnight i have mum and dad up every half hour because i need to go.