Day 1 to Wagga Wagga. In a hurry to get started we pull the kids from school early and hit the road, we will later find this to be another lucky break to help us beat the pandemic lockdown.

Seeking cosy comfort food we come upon a cracking whole-foods cafe. The young, hip, proprietors spoon our warm spicy dahl and delicious chai . Pearl and miles scamper off to a nearby park clutching hands into coat pockets away from the chilly breeze and laugh and scream around the equipment.

Leaving the great park behind we, we quietly chug down the country-side, finally coming upon our Hipcamp property to be greeted by a care package of fresh eggs, curious sheep and a friendly horse. As we setup on the soggy paddock the heavens open, flooding upon the green pastures. Underneath the awning nice and dry loo setup is impressive in its expansive views if equally meagre in its privacy. The sheep don’t seem to mind and have clearly used the area for this same purpose.

We dry off after a tricky setup on a sloping soggy paddock and comfort each other under our doonas, thankful for the dry warmth and good cheese, “no room, Mrs Sheep, sorry.”, Soon our contentment is interrupted, phones buzzing with notifications from ABC News and well meaning friends and family. Our route has been cut-off with a hard border closure on the first day of the trip, after swearing and cursing we are thankful to have left before the deadline.

I was feeling sunken after so many months of planning, but Sarah restated our adventurous mantra that we cannot control our circumstance, only our reaction and our attitude. I put aside my resentment for the communications that brought this news and set about mapping a new route north with the help of my best friend and soon to be travel companion, Brett, over late night texts.