Day 40 10/10 (Sun) – Across the Nullarbor

Big push today to get a bit of distance up, so set off early (10.10 am) for Nundroo and beyond. Had to stop at Head of Bight to see if there were any whales who hadn’t migrated south already. No luck seeing any whales so far on this trip. Paid our $12 each admission fee, even though only 4 had been spotted that morning. Actually saw 6! Not doing anything dramatic. Like all our wildlife so far, lazing around (this time on the surface of the bay, with the odd flipper up in the air) seemed to be the order of the day. Perhaps too windy for them? 2 1/2 hrs later and a large salad for lunch (to get rid of as much leftover fruit/veg as possible before the WA border quarantine point) set off once again (3 pm now). Head of Bight is just beyond the start of the Nullarbor plain and it’s certainly pretty treeless. Despite this, the scenery does vary a bit and there are hillier bits with more trees scattered around. Great big sky down here and quite windy (fortunately a tail wind, which helped us along quite considerably). The ocean is an amazing teal green around the Bight and the cliffs head vertically towards the heavens from the sea. Kept heading west with a couple of stop offs to view the Bight once the road veered back to run alongside the cliffs and eventually reached the border (diesel 165.9/L!!! – no way) only to discover a half eaten lemon and two apples we had missed. Very conscientious about quarantine here – everything inspected, unlike other border crossings where you get a couple of bins if you’re lucky.
Arrived Eucla, just over the border, around 6 pm but given it was now only 3.30 pm, thought we could get a bit more mileage up, so kept on to Mundrabilla Road House. Bit bleak and windy but “cheap fuel” (159.8/L – same as Eucla!) and bit tired now so stopped. Caravan Park just out the back of the roadhouse and bit bare (no mirrors or soap dispensers in the loos) but can’t complain, as clean and only $15 for an unpowered site. Bonus bar in the roadhouse and pool table so had a few beers (temps had reached mid-30s on the road so very welcome), a bar meal and several games of pool (I won best of 7 by pure luck). Early to bed at ~8 pm (actually 10.30 SA time) ready for an earlyish start in the morning.
Good trip. Really liked the slogan we saw on one van the other day – “Adventure before dementia”. Very appropriate!