Days 1-8, 0-205km, April 18-25

Wowee. First week down. Leaving the coast on Day 1 and putting those first few hoofs to the ground was daunting to say the least.... But really, if you break it down, any expedition is only a series of overnight trips back to back... Right?!

The first two days along forestry roads were long ones, but a total highlight was cresting the ridge into Buchan at the end of Day 2, feeling mildly concerned about where we were going to camp, and seeing the recreation ground a sea of horse floats, caravans and horses... Turns out the Easter weekend is the Buchan Rodeo, biggest event on a small town's calender! Poor Richard felt a bit scruffy and uncared for next to all those fancy competion horses.

Another big day started wonderfully with a brief but great visit from an old family friend Cherie, and then we were off through endless forest to the sanctuary of the Timbarra River, then more forestry roads climbing steadily upwards, always on the quest for grass and water and then... Day 5 and we finally arrived at Nunnet High Plain, endless glades of native grasses, mist, spectacular forests, cattle and every mountain cattleman in a thousand mile radius driving back down towing horses and caravans - the mass exodus of the end of a long weekend.

Day 6 was an idyll through Nunniong High Plains. Strangely it reminded me of Kyrgyzstan - overgrazed alpine pastures, cattle, nomads/horsemen with their cars and tents and dogs galloping around and looking at us with mild curiosity, a few wild horses.... And then the next day was the long decent down into Tambo Valley - very thankful to the golf course for putting us up for the night!

And then - Day 8 - Omeo! Bit of a mission along the highway, but who should I happen to meet along the way?! One of my absolute favourite humans in the world, my aunt Cindy, who drove all the way up from Melbourne just to feed Mr Richard some carrots 😊 What a legend! And now just chilling in the Omeo caravan park, having a bit of R&R. From here? Somehow or other we'll be making our way up to the Murray River. But for now Mr Richard has a lot of grass to get through...