Wednesday 21 February

We're up and packed and away from Lake St Clair (via Ezy-Dump) in good time, and take the highway through the interminable eucalyptus wilderness of this west coast. We pass through a few deserted towns and eventually find a fuel station. I'm determined to arrive back at the Maui drop off with the tank as empty as possible, so only put in 15$ worth of fuel. This strategy does succeed but means driving with the fuel warning light on for the last few miles and wondering if we would have to push the van for the last run into the airport. 

Quite suddenly the scenery changes to open pasture and it's noticeabley arid and flatter. Vineyards soon appear. We stop at Coals Bay vineyard for lunch, and the waitress remembers us from last week, even that we sat at the same table and at the same chairs. Final glass of Tasmanian white wine and then we coast into the Maui depot, practically out of fuel and simply hand in the keys and dash to the airport. The anxiousness of the fuel situation  is now matched by the anxiousness of checking in and whether we are over the limit with the amount of wine we are trying to take home. We just make it. We soon say tearful farewells to Ellie who is flying to Melbourne and board our plane to Sydney. We fly over Maria Island and the East coast of the island and also see the Freycinet peninsula. Good view of Sydney as we fly in and then we make our way to our hotel in the Rocks district, the "old" part of Sydney. We wander round the harbour, get a bit lost and end up at a Pizza restaurant near the hotel for a late supper.