Last day in Cooma

Fri 27 Feb( for Ruth) Early start today as the van has to in for it's service at 8 am. 2 Hours and $330 later we are serviced!Head mechanic Phil, who is very knowledgeable about Australia as he was a truck driver for 20 years,was chatting to us about different routes, and he felt we could go through the Snowys, the Alpine Way with no problems so that is the way we will go tomorrow. Today we plan to go a little way along the Alpine Way with a diversion to the Alpine ski resorts so it's up the mountains and across the plains once more.The range resembles the moon' surface with great big boulders but with brown grass.We drop down into Jindabyne, over the Snowy River and around Jindabyne Lake where we have lunch. we sat watching 2 lots of children having a race in long boats, the child in the bow beating time with a drum while the rest paddle like mad. One boat stopped paddling to wave at Peter taking their photo. Into Kosciuszko (easy for you to say!)National Park where we are relieved of $26 for the priveledge then up into the Ozzie Alps where every so often there are pullins for drivers to attatch snow chains. They obviously get serious weather up here. A fantastic drive throurg places with wonderful names, we go thro Sawpit Creek followed by Smiggin Holes then thro Perisher Valley with Mount Bluecow to one side and Bullock Flat on the other.Finally we reach Charlotte Pass which is the end of the line. We are around 2000M up looking at mountains higher than us.There is a short boardwalk to a viewing platform to get the panorama. Photos to follow! It's B.....y chilly up here and you have to keep on the move. Everywhere you look there are ski lifts which seem bizarre without the snow.We turn round and head for Cooma having enjoyed a couple of days looking round the mountains. Tomorrow we start our journey along the Murray River, heading west.