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You Can't Camp Here. Or Here. Or There.
Canberra -> Sydney (Almost), 21st January 2002
 We
were planning to do most of the journey today, stopping about 70km
outside of Sydney and camping then doing the rest of the journey
tomorrow morning to save money on accommodation.
The journey was quite uneventful. We passed the Giant Merino Sheep
model at Goulburn, and caught a fleeting glimpse of it. (We didn't
think it was worth stopping for). We also made a stop at McDonald's
for dinner, and got some 40c cones, that's about 13p for an
ice-cream! Then continued our journey.
The hills & mountains around us fell away to huge flat plains and
rain began to fall. Gently at first, then it practically became a
full tropical storm!
I decided that we'd stop in the fairly large town of Camden for the
night, where we would be guaranteed a campsite. We drove through
Camden, straight through! It was in fact a tiny little town and we
had blinked and missed it! Some signs said there was a campsite
around but we couldn't find it! We ended up driving around in the
middle of nowhere, then eventually got back into Camden and found
the campsite.
We drove into the campsite and I jumped out to go to the office and
ask if they had any vacancies. However, the office was closed and
there was no one around to ask. The sign said the office wouldn't be
open again until tomorrow. Great. Great. Stuck for what to do, I
decided we needed a phone box, so we drove round to the nearest one.
I tried, unsuccessfully, to find the phone number for the campsite
in case there were people still in the locked up office. We decided
there was no other option but to head up nearer to Sydney. I looked
in the Rough Guide and found a phone number for a camp site,
SHERALEE TOURIST PARK, in Rockdale, 13km South of Sydney. So, in
hope, I phoned them. The guy really was quite useless. The
conversation went roughly as follows:
ME: Hi, how much is a campsite for the night?
GUY: (Gruffly) $25.
ME: Is that the same if 4 people are in the one tent?
GUY: (Gruffly) No, that's for 2 people, for 4 it would be $45.
ME: Ok...have you got any vacancies for tonight?
GUY: Only if you get here by 7:30. (I look at my watch and it
says 7:29) (Pause) Oh, it's 7:30 already, you have to be here by
8:00 at the latest. Where are you now?
ME: In Camden.
GUY: Oh, you'll never make it.
ME: Thanks for that. Can't we book over the phone and turn up
when we get there?
GUY: No. The office is manned all night but we don't check people
in after 8:00pm.
ME: Do you happen to know the phone number for the campsite in
Camden?
GUY: Camden? Oh, there aren't any campsites in Camden.
ME: I'm standing right next to one and I'm trying to get their
phone number.
GUY: Oh, no I don't have it. They wouldn't let you in at this
time anyway.
ME: Right.
GUY: Goodbye.
Great help. Well looks like we have no choice but to head right into
Sydney city centre. There are loads of hostels and most have 24 hour
reception, so finding one won't be difficult. Luckily I'd already
built up a list of options because I'd spent part of yesterday
phoning dozens of hostels to find out the best prices & places which
have parking facilities.
Today's entry to be continued...
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To know the road ahead, ask those coming back
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