Dean's Travels

Day 24 - 6th May

Quorn to Kanyaka Ruins

Distance Travelled - 156.3 km

Woke up early and went for a bt of a walk looking at some of the trees around the caravan park and organised things around the car before eventually heading off to the caravan park office at about 8.30 am. Talking to the owners they said there was nowhere in Quorn that would be able to do anything about teh computer cord so I would need to go to Port Augusta and I might be able to find something there.

Went for a walk into town to the Visitior Center and got the same answer there. Bought some internet time and posted my blog. Then went and found the old bookshop open so went in and had a chat but could not find any of the books that I was lookng for although the owner was sure he had seen at least one of the books I was talking about but was not sure where it was. Finally left Quorn and headed to Port Augusta.

The drive to Port Augusta started well with some very pretty scenery but gradually turned into highway driving - dull and dreary. When I got to Port Augusta the first 3 places were most unhelpful, unable to supply a cord but not rally wanting to suggest who else might, until I got to Office National. They happily provided me with a generic cord and set of tips, making sure one would fit and then plugged everything in to ensure it would work before expecting me to pay. All sorted!

Drove back to Quorn and went back to the bookshop to find that the book he had hunted for and found was not teh one I actually required ashe had mixed up the title with another by the same author. He did however ask about the computer and when told I had a cord offered to let me charge it to capacity while Iwas there. We sat an chatted for an hour or so and then I left.

Drove out towards HAwker via a back track that led to the Old Kanyaka Homestead ruins. WOW! THis is an incredible place. It is like a small village was built here. Lots of part buildings, some only missing doors, window glass and roof. Dis some late afternoon and night photography before it was ruined by the full moon appearing from behind the clouds. During this time though the next little drama unfolded.

Whilst I had the car on so I could use the light from the headlights to help focus, teh cord that runs from the cigerette lighter to teh Engel BAttPAck somehow got bent over on itself and was under teh battery and started to melt. I opened the door to turn the lights off ready to start photogaphing and the smell of melted plastic (I was reminded of the smell of a smoke machine) came to my senss and I could see a blueish smoke inside the car by torchlight. I quickly searched the car to find the problem and disconnected it all.

Took a few more photos before heading to bed about 11 pm. Would love to do more photos here so may stay here tomorrow and see if conditions improve.

Rail bridge on road to Port Augusta

Old House just outside Quorn

Kanyaka Homestead Ruins - Overseers House - late afternoon

Kanyaka Homestead Ruins - Overseers House - evening

Day 25 - 7th May

Kanyaka Ruins

Distance Travelled - 0 km

John and Julie, a couple from Qld who were also staying at the ruins overnight (against said no camping sign although I was told by the person at the visitor centre it would be alright to be there), came to my rescue this morning. John installs solar panels for a living and whilst they have been on the road in their van for 5 years, he still installs on the go. In his ute he had a whole pile of left over cords and shrink wrap and tools like soldering irons and wire cutters and he cut the bad sections out of my cord (which was quite a lot), replaced it with slightly heavier duty wire that shouldn't get as hot, and reattached the fittings giving me back a functioning, if not substantially shorter cord. with a little bit of minor tweaking this should still be able to used as before.

I was a bit disappointed with last nights attempt at photos so have decided to chill here for the day and try again tonight. I spent the day reading, walking to the waterhole and a place called Death Rock - about 2km away - and speaking to a variety of people that came to look at the ruins.

What started out as a promising night for photography quickly deteriorated with a mass of cloud cover coming over removing the stars form view and eventually obsuring moonlight when the moon rose eliminating the main reasons for my photography. Tomorrow I might travel to Hawker and visit the Yourambulla Caves, Jarvis Hill Lookout and Castle Rock and return to Kanyaka in the afternoon to try again.