belated blackstump stories - or why never to travel in convoy!

This is going to be more about the journey than the arrival, ok? Cos we know know that's what really matters.. [or so some would have us think!]

We planned to set off at 10am on the Friday, meeting at Burrabadine around 9:30 to pack the cars. Actually, the first hitch of the weekend was hearing the night before that the bus we were planning on taking had a cracked head, so we couldn't take it. So a bunch of people had to bring cars instead.
It was nearly 10 before my gang even got out to Burrabadine. We had all been up early and were pretty much ready to go.. when Dad decided to change the oil and mess around with the car for a while. And then we still had to connect up the trailer.
We got to Burrabadine and joined up with the swirling masses there. Bags, swags, tents, pillows, boxes of food and goodness knows what were going everywhere! I ended up just standing back and watching. They'd get packed in one trailer just to get moved to the boot of a car.. and then out again. It was beyond me! In the end we were ready to head.
But wait! A petrol stop in Dubbo before we could actually get away. I think by then it was 11:30, try 11:45 by the time we actually left town.

First stop: Wellington, to pick up a camper. (only 40mins on, arghh!)
Then a toilet stop in Orange.
Then lunch and another camper pickup in Bathurst.
Then fears that one of the cars wouldn't make it. And another stop.

Going through the Blue Mountains, the convoy got totally separated. First there was the fog, then.. I'm not sure, couldn't see!

What I do know is that our car beat everyone else there, arriving at 6pm that night (so much for arriving and setting up tents in daylight!). And it was raining.
The other thing I know is that the last car didn't arrive until after 9... the poor things went all the way into Sydney and back!!

Blackstump was fun. Wet, muddy, pizza-filled, coffee-sozzled, but fun. There was even a few bands I liked. ooh, and a big impromptu singalong on the final night - where more & more people trickled in and joined the rowdy balladeers in the Supper Club tent into the wee small hours. Too bad we couldn't remember all the words to most of the songs!

The trip out from BS was also eventful. We rolled up our soggy tents, mats and clothes, and set off together, deciding to give this convoy-thing another go.
We'd just got on the road when something popped in one of the cars, so, determined not to be separated, all (7?) of the cars pulled over to check it out. Water topped up, we were off again.

The rest of the trip is a blur of phones ringing, stops because we thought cars were breaking down (well, one car), more phones ringing, people-swapping, dozing, m&m eating, more phones ringing "we're getting petrol" "we need a toilet break" "are we stopping for food here?"... you get the idea.

We finally got to Dubbo, and then straight out to the place where we planned to camp for the next two nights. Tired, hungry and a bit grumpy, we set up tents (in the dark again - getting to be old hands at it by now).
Finally, at 10pm, we had dinner (God bless the lovely lady who cooked it for us!) So. good.

There was a bit more camping, swimming in the river, catching mussels, spooky wide game-playing (ask me about the Terrors and Crawlers another time. Oh, and hefty guys acting the Princess!!), campfire marshies, songs and stories. It was great.

So there you go then. The epic Stump camp adventure.