Fore!!

While journeying through the vast outback of the Northern Territory, we met a young couple from Scotland, who told us about a unique 18-hole par 72 golf course along the Nullarbor Plains of Australia.  It peeked our interest!  We enjoy golfing, plus it's located on the highway we plan on taking. They explained to us that it's considered to be the world's longest golf course spanning 1,365 kilometres.  You can begin at either end of the course depending on which way you are traveling.  Each hole is located at a participating roadhouse along the Eyre Highway from Ceduna, South Australia to Kalgoorie, Western Australia.  The Nullarbor Links marries one the world's most popular sports with one of Australia's greatest road trips!  It traverses a region of contrasting geographic features, unspoilt landscapes, azure waters, Australian wildlife, eucalypt and hardwood forests, early explorer museums, walking trails, caves, fossicking, fishing, and farm stays.  After learning all this we decided right then and there we were up for this challenge, so the young Scottish chap gave us their golf equipment and wished us fun!

  As you can see, our equipment was very basic...2 and 8 iron and a bag of balls, plus we had to make our own tees out of plastic drink bottles.

  We started in Ceduna, and this is the first hole.   A very rough fairway...tee-off box not much better, and the first two holes had oiled greens.  The rest were astro turf.

This hole had a landing strip through the center of it, and a few wombat holes.

We considered the above picture to be the snake hole because we were warned and told to be careful of snakes.  Now, normally snakes such as the ones we have back home don't bother me too much, but here in Australia one snake bite could end your golf game and your life!  We decided to only chip and putt, my drive is not that consistent!

    This hole was fairly decent.  It came with a clubhouse, bathrooms/showers.  So after we played this hole we took advantage of the showers!

 As you can see the holes we played were pretty rough, but we giggled the whole way through and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves!!  The last 2 holes were in Kalgoorie on a beautiful golf course!!  We were in heaven!

Quarantine!

There are many quarantine stations in a few of Australia's states.  New South Wales, South Australia, and Western Australia protect their farmland, orchards, and vineyards from insects by using quarantine stations.  We have been able to dodge a few stations but this one caught us.  We knew we had to pass through it so I cooked all of our vegetables, squeezed all the limes and lemons, and gave away some fruit.  But, they took our honey, onions, garlic, and potatoes!  They burn all the confiscated food!  It amazes me that they would quarantine food from grocery stores!  I

The Golden Outback

At first I was a bit confused as to where Australia's outback began and ended.  But, I guess, the only areas that aren't outback are urban and wooded, and I could be wrong, this info is a bit fuzzy.  Anyways, I am assuming that when we left Adelaide we were back in the outback.  But, this time it was different.  I dreaded the Northern Territory outback because of its lack of cell and internet coverage, lack of population, infestation of flies and mossies, the super fine red dust, and extreme heat.  Everything in our campervan was steaming hot.  If you picked up and fork or spoon it was hot, the water was hot enough to make tea, or do dishes, the mattress, blankets, and pillows retained the heat making sleeping conditions quite unbearable!!  But the people we met were amazing and from all over the world.  It was a joy to commiserate with fellow travelers!

The outback we have experienced when we left Adelaide is quite different.  The landscape is varied and beautiful, temperatures are warm in the day and cool in the evening.  There are more roadhouses and communities that dot the Nullarbor Plains.  Flies can still be a pain in places, but the mosquitoes are less atrocious!  The outback in Western Australia is called The Golden Outback.  I have researched a bit to find out why it is named this but the only conclusion I can come up with is because of the gold mines, and wheat fields, and more beareable conditions.  Many Aussie tourists come this way to fish and camp. To say the least we are enjoying the Nullarbor Plains(outback)!!

                                           Camels, wombats(which remind me of a combination of a bear and a pig, but the size of a pig), and of course kangaroos!  The poor kangaroos are splattered all over the roads!

 
                                           Campgrounds are still quite barren and dusty.  We free camp a lot.

                                          We free camped by these cliffs!  Pretty but windy!

                                          A free camp!

                                    Everyone seems to be so impressed with this stretch of highway in the Nullarbor Plains!!  Just another road to us!

                                 A lot of sandalwood trees.  They are beautiful with their red bark and lacy canopy.

Port Lincoln

We were able to free camp in the lovely community of Port Lincoln.  We setup at the boat launch.

Adelaide

We spent a couple of days relaxing and enjoying Adelaide.  We found a caravan park right beside the ocean, and decided to bunk in for a couple of days.  Dust from the outback had to be cleaned out of the van, and everything needed to be laundered.  Plus, it was nice to not have to drive somewhere!

This is called a jumping pillow, and was in the playground of the caravan park we were in.  At night it is deflated.

The ocean boardwalk on the esplanade(promenade) in an area of Adelaide called Somaphore.  Our caravan park bordered the esplanade.

Someone is free camping in a parking lot of the esplanade.  Bathrooms are close by.

                                      The beach along the esplanade.

                                          Australia has such interesting playgrounds for children.

 A very large pier that is enjoyed by many people.

                                     

                   A few boys having fun jumping off the pier into the water, climbing back up, and doing it again.

                 
 This little train runs on Sundays, chugging up and down the esplanade carrying people.

 An older gentleman had his pets out for the day enjoying the park and sunshine.  He actually let me hold one of them.

                        We went to two movies in this marvelous theater.  It's called the Odean.

                                       We had a beer in this bar and enjoyed the live entertainment.

  The best fish and chips we have ever had from a small take out shop called Sotos.