Load the van and head south' was the generalist directive for our two week break after easter. So after a couple of late-nighters in the shed under the bonnet we were ready to roll. Fresh under new registration too. HD and I met up with HD's family members for a quiet few days of contemplation by the creek down near Nathalia, Victoria (check out the museum if you are heading that way).
We swung down into Shepperton for a Captn Cook and a Lemon Fizz up through Numurkah, Tallygaroopna, Zeerust and Kaarimba. The person who named these places certainly wasnt related to the road designer. All the roads are straight and most corners are right-angled bends.
After a few days on the river we left the tribe and tallied on over to a old friend in Kerang where we caught up on some back-yard renovations and quiet R&R. We (I) stopped in again at the Holden museum at Echuca and (again) smelt the interior of the near new VH (1984) Commodore, contemplated their HX Sandman, sussed their 25th Aniversary HQ, and took some more photos of that impressive line-up of Toranas.
The wind was blowing the tops out of the trees down on the river near Echuca, so we gave up on a bit of suicidal camping in Barmah and headed east to my brothers place, driving through mud-rain and dust-wind on the way.
We took a couple of days around the granite lined streets of Beechworth, took notes on Ned Kelly, Sgt Burke and the stuffed thylacine and then returned home to be greeted by a spoilt dog and a 4 day dose of the flu. 
The panno took most of it in its stride. We developed a bit of a vibration from the driveshaft which kept me on edge for the return run, but was comforted that there is a good strong base of lost underground panelvan lovers out there still wandering the streets.
