Monday, January 20, 2014

Bush fires and Yabbies

The greatest thing about travelling the way I do is my ability to change my mind and let the wind take me where it may. 

This is exactly what happened on my way back towards Melbourne. I left my good friends Jeffrey and Helens place again near Adelaide with all intentions of following the coast. But as I was driving it was bothering me that I would be retracing my route. 
And I really hate repeating my routes. 

Plus, if you were unaware Southern Australia and Victoria have been in a heat wave with 40 plus  weather for 5 days. Resulting in numerous bush fires which happen to be directly in the new path I want to follow back. 
But as always I figured nothing ventured nothing gain. 

So off I headed towards the fires to take me towards Melbourne. About halfway though the smoke started to thicken and I was directed to a detour taking me further north around the fires. 

Hugo, Mia, Natasha and Peter
Now as with everything things have a funny way of always working out in my travels. As I reviewing the map I realized I was now in a direct line with a town called Yea. This was exciting because I met a great family while camping back in December. And they told me that if I was ever passing through Yea their door was always open.  

So I decided to take a chance and call them up and see if they were home. My intention was to meet Peter in town for a beer after I set camp at the local Caravan park. But he would not hear any of that nonsense and insisted I come stay with them. And just like Jeffery and Helen in Adelaide their hospitality new no bounds.


I had such a good time over the following few days and was even introduced to the local art of Yabbing!

Baiting the traps with raw meat.
Little did I know that they basically have a version of what we in Canada call Crayfish and in Louisiana what they call Crawdads

Throwing out a trap with my helper Hugo
So off we went with the family to catch some Yabbeys. 

Peter display our first catch
There seems to be two ways to catch the critters. One is to set traps with meat to attract the critters.


And the other more fun and challenging way is to take a piece of string with meat on the end. Then throw the line in and wait until a Yabbey grabs the meat. Then you slowly haul the line in and try and scoop up the Yabbey with a net before he lets go and takes off back into the dam.


Our abbey catch. They are definitely bigger than our crayfish back home.


A nice pre dinner snack.


I also got a chance to head out with Peter and his brother-in-law to check the fence line on a ranch.


Herds of Roo's on the farm (I think that is what you call them).


Great view over looking the ranch land.

So, if you ever have a chance to travel as I do and are willing to step out of your comfort zone and except the offers of others. You will have an amazing time meeting people like I have in the past month.

I hope one day I will be able to return the favour to fellow travellers.

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