In the meantime we met up with Nina, Callum and our 9 months old grandson Milo in Dubbo about 260km south-west of Gunnedah. Those three are on 

a road trip of their own. It felt like we hadn’t seen them for months instead of days and it was great to get our cuddle units!

Having only limited time together, we booked tickets to the Western Plains Zoo in spite of the deteriorating weather. The next morning, we braved rain and wind, which even the buggy Austin hired didn’t protect us from, and cruised around the zoo. It still was fun and Milo just adored the Meercats and rhinos. Luckily the zoo tickets are valid for two days and the three Tornings could do it all again by sunshine the next day. 

Austin and I had to make a quick dash to Sydney for a previously arranged appointment. On our way to Sydney, we dropped off the caravan in Orange and returned there the following day. Of course we had to call in to the German Conditorei Schwarz in Wentworth Falls for “Kaffee und Kuchen” (coffee and cake).

Incidentally, we are on a kind of “poets tour" as Orange is the birthtown of another great Australian poet, Banjo Paterson. He wrote the original text to the song “Waltzing Mathilda”, Australia’s unofficial natio