A penultimate post

I will save the reminising for what will be my last post in a day or two. In the meantime its time for a rant....

This time it is roadhouses that need to incur some roth and, quite frankly, they really can all follow the lead of the one in Larimah and burn themselves down!. Its not for the lack of beutiful suroundings, most are very well placed, it's for the universally appalling level of service at almost of them. Perhaps i should make a special t shirt that says "I always feel so welcome in your shop when you grunt and scowl at me when i walk in, it really makes me feel like spending money in your store" OR "mmmm the food tastes so much better when its sat in the warmer for a week" The list (in no particular order) goes something like this....

Wyclife Well- no mater how many aliens you paint on your buidling you really can't disguise the fact that it looks and feels like a bombshelter.

Frans' pie shop in Larimah- The only reason she is still in busniess is thanks to a kind lonely planet listing. $17 for a soggy microwaved pie and a glass of red cordial. I almost regurigitated it on the spot wqhen she gave me the bill. It's hardly so remote you cant get fresh food when a dozen refridgerated trucks go past a day.

Renner Springs- Even the staff working there thought the manager was a rude prick. Now that says something.

Ti Tree- Just for the shear number of very strange people both in front of and behind the counter quote "when i lived in timber creek we always new whgen the cops were coming to raid our dope crop coz they came to see Parks fiorst" ( worrying when that was the guy who will try to make your food)

Cober Pedy- not a roadhouse but a camera shop where the guy couldn't bear to pull himself away from the telly to even serve me.

William Creek- for such an iconic pub to be run by someone with such an unfriendly attitude is a shame. This was in fact a discussion i have had with several people since passing through.

Now at the risk of sounding like a misery guts i must give credit where it's due.

Adelaide river does have one of the most profundly beautiful and moving war memorials in Australia and is a credit to those who so lovingly maintain it

The Wauchoupe hotel. Far from the bessa block roadhouse, this place actaully has a history and more importantly service that would actaully make you want to return.

The Beltana Roadhouse. Wedged between the Prarie hotel to the south and Leigh creek to the north this place survies mainly because the people than run it are nice and, strangly enough for that reason, people keep coming back!

The list could be augementd but i shall leave it at that for the time being. My time on the Jamestown library computer will shortly expire and so it seems will my time on the road. I will head to Spalding tonight and then onto Clare tommrrow. Hopefully i will be in Adelaide on Saturday night. Who knows i might even be there in time to watch the final episode of The Bill.... or maybe not!