Day 63: the END!!!

Sorry for neglecting my duties and not letting you all know sooner that the Great Murray River Paddle is OVER! The day after the last post, we finished! Day 62 ended at the spot below... as had been the norm in the last few stints, we had trouble finding dry land which was far enough away from a road or house to camp. This spot below has the Murray River on the right, and a flooded field on the left. The remaining strip of land was narrow, but a nice enough spot as it was not easily accessible from the land on the other side of the field. Additionally, we were able to watch swans gliding across the flooded field. 

 On Day 63, we got up early and headed towards Murray Bridge (the bridge below). It was a little anti-climactic to be honest... and a little worrisome as we had no onward plans. But as things turned out, it was easier that might have been expected. After locating a Telstra and recharging the cell phone (and checking email), it turned out that there had already been responses to the ads for the kayaks on GumTree... and we were able to secure a sale that very day!

 After a dinner out in a hotel in town, we headed back to the caravan park to wash the kayaks, but before we were able to finish, the new owners arrived. Below are 3 of the children of the new owners! They arrived by Toyota Landcruisers, strapped on the kayaks and left, leaving us feeling just a little be devoid of purpose. I mean after 2 months of constant paddling, what would there be to do on Day 64?

Now it is almost a week after the last day of paddling.

The day following the sale of the kayaks, we headed by bus to Adelaide (where we stayed 2 full days NOT in a tent!!!!), picked up a rental car and drove two days to Canberra, backtracking through many of the towns we had approached by river over the last couple of months with an overnight in Euston. Bye Bye Blanchetown, Midura, Euston, Robinvale and all the other notable river towns. It was fun, but I am happy to be in Canberra. Can't speak for Dirk, however. You will have to ask him what his new purpose in life will be (as it won't be paddling the Murray).