I set off early planning to reach Yarrawonga.
I parked in Cobram outside the Central Hotel intending it to be very a brief stop to buy a paper. When I was walking back to the Motley my hand searched for my keys - Oh, NO! - I'd locked them in.
An hour later I had joined the RACV and a young man had taken less than a minute to break in . I registered the Little Motley as the nominated vehicle because they wouldn't provide towing for the truck and anyway, the motorhome insurance provide a full recovery service and this way the Little Motley is also covered for any problems we might have on the road.
So now the Motley is registered in NSW, the trailer in Qld, the Terios in WA and the motoring organisation is RACV. How's that for a genuine Australian grey nomad.
I visited the Tourist Info Centre in Yarrawonga and got a little book with maps showing all the camping areas along the south bank of the Murray and all the access tracks.
I had had a call from Warren Wade who was trying to ring Keryn Wood. I had been thinking of calling him for advice about where to camp as he has been here in previous years. I got the good oil from him and chose Forges Beach No 2 on his advice. There is plenty of room at the moment though I gather it will get busier after Xmas.
There are no other motorhomes here and the caravanners and campers are a bit piqued at the incursion of motorhomers in "their" campground because they have been coming for 25 years and don't see why they should have to put up with us johnny-come-latelys. Oh well, it takes all sorts. I think I made peace with them at happy hour.
I spent most of the day in the Motley working on databases. I must have been forgiven by the caravanners because they came at happy hour to check that I was not ill.
I went into town to shop and tried to buy an indulgence breakfast. I selected what looked like the best cafe and waited 20 minutes. When no-one came to serve me so I left and found another place with staff more inclined to attend to the customers.
I can't stay long at the riverside camp as I have been bush camping since before I left Adelaide and I need to dump the grey and black water and do the laundry so I'll have to go into a caravan park. They aren't busy until Boxing Day so I guess I'll go in tomorrow for a couple of nights. Unless some other motorhomes turn up, I plan to head off into NSW trying to find a route which avoids the high season holiday crowds.