Hi Everybody,
Here at Mission Beach, which is 230 Klicks (150 Miles) North of Townsville and halfway to Cairns.
Although Mission Beach experienced a major Typhoon (5 years ago) that destroyed many of its Beach side Palm Tree’s, they have recovered sufficiently for me to be able to cast my mind back to what it was, A Tropical Paradise.
Mission Beach is famous for its “Beach”, which is a 12 mile expanse of white sand, fringed with Coconut Palms, the beach strewn with Freshly dropped Coconuts, just across the Bay are a group of Islands (Easily accessible) called “Dunk Islands”.
Yes! Mission Beach has changed in 20+ years, expanding from a collection of houses (A Village) to become a Township, and an expensive one to live in at that.
Took a walk today (Sunday 30th) along the entire Beach, and came across exactly the same place that we had walked one stormy overcast afternoon, those many years ago.
Into the 6th Month of my Oz Adventure, I will be spending two weeks at Mission Beach, with both the Rotary & Lions Clubs organised on behalf of Sightsavers International, and unbelievably, I have found a Lioness’s Club, so I am a Nigel about to enter the Lioness’s Den!
Will also have the chance to show & test NCS’s new awning, plus her new ground sheets, so we both have progressed since leaving Bunbury all those many Klicks ago in kitting her out properly, and I adjusting to my new life style.
You may think that I am totally enamoured with all things Australian no, I am not! I think I am an extremely pragmatic person; it is just that in reflecting the events as they have unfolded, I given it you as it is! In addition, I did state at the beginning it would be with “Warts and All”, fortunately, the warts have been very small.
Just back a step; Townsville was a delight, things to do, places to go and a host of people to meet, just before I left “Tim Thomas” (the carpenter) returned from Hughenden, and we had the opportunity to toast both our friendship and au revoirs, so that was good.
My Campsite neighbours Brett & Carlie have been great sports and company . Extra lessons in Fishing were handy, B.B.Q’s on the Beach and plenty of Tinnies available whenever one felt a little thirst coming on!
Lo and Behold, my good friend Alec Hall (The Fisherman and Prospector) has made contact again, it has lifted my spirits no end, he wishes me to knock on his door as I go south, and I will do just that.
Funnies: I have taken quite a few photo’s of the type of work “Ladies” are involved in here, there are no boundaries or restrictions, Woman do the jobs that we would normally associate Men with, e.g. Dustbin Collection, Major Road Traffic Management (Not School crossing monitors) but controlling major Road Works etc.etc. In fact doing “a’ what comes naturally”, it is shocking!
Got thrown out of the Major Art Gallery in Townsville, some of the Art was superb, so I snapped happily away, until told to hand over my camera and chip, as I was infringing “Copyright”, I refused and therefore was asked to depart “Pronto”, the photo’s were great Folks, one day you will see them!
Have to explain the Thong-Bit, there are two types of Thongs, those that you put on your feet (Flip-Flops), they are the National Foot-ware of choice by at least 90% of Australians. Then there are the Thong-Thongs, you know what Women wear to catch our eyes Lads, they are worn by at least 75% of Women no matter what size of Bottom they have, and aren’t they a turn-on! I have seen more Rumble-Bums than in any other Country that I have visited, ever!
Wildlife: This is Cassowary country a Bird that is a small Emu type with a very large hard Crown, plus with a very bad temper and will attack if they consider they are threatened. Yes! Possums and Kookaburra’s, I also hear that Platypus’s are rife. There are many signs to make you aware that the Croc’ danger persists. I also photographed a Weaver Bird Colony in action, weaving a huge nest just a few tree’s away. Yet again, there are the warning signs about the deadly Stingers in the Sea, it seems that their breeding grounds are but just a few klicks along the Coast and all it needs is for the Sea to warm-up for them to spread themselves out.
Transport & Petrol: Again I should have mentioned in my last Blog the Bus situation in Townsville, for just $A2.50 (£1.25) you can Hop on and Hop off a bus anytime within 2 hours of your ticket purchase, 2 hours will take you to the end of the World! Petrol is now at $A1.20 (£0.60p) per Litre Mike.
What has disappeared very quickly I noticed en-route here, was that people no longer wave, even the Caravaner’s, so Folks I have returned to Civilisation and anti-social behaviour has reared its ugly head, comradeship has gone out of the Window!!
Haircut: Well another haircut time, now up to three, this time is was again a Woman, who ordered me into the chair, then in answer to “What do you want?” I said “Short Please”. She then got out the Clippers/Shears; you know the ones, them that give you a Universal Butch Cut of about ¼ inch!!
When I told her “no way Jose” (her name was actually Elaine) she launched into a tirade of abuse, stating that she had been cutting hair since 7.30am (It was now 9.30am) had not had her cup of tea! Had not read the newspaper! Now I had the audacity to ask her to use a scissors! Boy! Did I get nervous, should I run for it I thought? Before She starts, but it all ended well, but I had a close shave Folks!
Weather: It is now as I enter the Tropical Rain Forest Country, getting very hot (Today 33°) and Humid, so I shall have to ensure that I heed the good advice, given by everyone that one should not stay in the Sun too long. Although I remarked in my last Blog I am now a slight colour of Black, I shall heed the advice.
Keep Well Folks
Nigel J Gauder
Sunday 30th August 2009.
Monday 31 August 2009
Sunday 16 August 2009
Monday 17th August 2009 - Townsville
Hi Folks,
I had thought I would not do a Blog for at least 2 weeks, but as things would have it, here I am again. I am now firmly ensconced in Townsville, as I have been told that it is raining further North on a regular basis (Cairns) and until that settles and the Sun comes out I intend to stay here, I am now enter my 4th Week.
Townsville is a beautiful City, surrounded by clear Blue seas on three sides with great beaches and great walks, even the trek up to Castle Hill (6 Miles), at 45 min’s up and 20 min’s down, has the best scenic views that I have seen for quite a while.
The City also has the largest Aquarium in the World it was opened when I was last here 23 years ago and has expanded in such a way as to be quite an experience.
The weather is at 27° during the day, so I am taking an hour a day on the 10 mile beach to soak up the Sun and get that tan up to scratch, it is working, soon I will have a problem in determining my own Tribal background with that well worn joke - “Allo der Folks, I is yur nu neighbour!!
I have scored a 1st, I caught a Fish!! With my new neighbours, Brett & Kylie, and using a casting line I caught what is called a “Brim” so small we had to reluctantly throw him/her back in the briny, sobeit, but it was a catch and I am now a qualified with a union ticket, bona fide Fisherman, so there!
NCS: This seems to be quite a caper now and is a bit wearing, my patience with garages has been sorely tested as you know, but this week takes the biscuit.
All things being equal and ensuring that I double check everything, I had noticed a little water leaking from the Radiator, so as a precaution, I phoned the local reputable Radiator Guy (They are all Franchised Operators) and he suggested that he take a look, well as expected he did and quoted A$590 (£300) plus fitting of about A$200 (£100).
I did not tell him to get stuffed!, but went to see the Guy who for just A$20 bucks, altered my timing and set that right for me, he (Glenn) got out his little pressure gauge and tested the Radiator for leaks and found None! Yes None! Zilch! Nader! He told me there was nothing wrong with the Radiator and charged me just A$20. A saving of £390 over the first Guy. (But he did suggest that perhaps I buy a bottle of Radwell and bung that in, just in case, done!)
I am pleased to inform you that NCS will shortly have an Awning, hand-made and as befitting of a Queen. It cost all of $A260 (£130) but it will be worth it.
She now has it Folks! And boy! Does it look a treat, colour co-ordinated (Magnolia) and I have made a storage department, using 4” Plastic Piping fixed to the Rail that I put up in Hughenden, the Awning (Canopy) is 3 metres square, so quite large, will allow for both the Rain (Tropical) and as we move into the summer heat (40°) a large measure of shade as well.
Photographs: I dare not mention them, but I have a wealth of photographs of this part of Australia and will in due course find a way to translate them onto a CD and send them to those who would like 600+ photo’s of this trek to-date, (For those of you that have had CD’s I hope you enjoyed them, they are all captioned, and relate even though they are in Alphabetical order, directly to events in the Blogs).
Funnies: Having a morning shower the other day in the Ablution Block (as they are called here) there was suddenly a female voice that shouted “Which one are you in Harry?” – Harry shouts “In the end one Mavis” – a patter of tiny female tootsies and a deathly hush descended, whilst Mavis scurried to join Harry, the other 3 shower users (including me!) turned off their showers and listened with abated breath, to hear Harry and Mavis enjoying their early morning shower together!!
It is a pity she was not called “Sally!”
When attending the Townsville Rotary Club Bash, I noticed that there was a chap with the most garish and brash Hawaiian shirt, knowing that Rotarians are fussy about the compulsory wearing of Club Attire at Functions, I tasked him about his shirt! His reply was quite abrupt and he questioned me as to whether I was a Psychologist?? I discovered later that every Friday, instead of a dress-down day, they have a Hawaiian Shirt Day!! Oophs, sorry Fella!
Then during the bash, they have a session of Fining people for various misdemeanours, I was fined A$1 for the worst impersonation of (Yes!) David Attenborough, my excuse was that I had not brought the Gorilla’s with me this time!
Wildlife: Now seeing Possums for the 1st time, they are considered a pest, but they are beautiful to watch, Foxes are about, Jay Birds, Snakes, and in every creek there are signs warning about Crocodiles (Salties the nasty one’s), White Ibis’s are a normal domesticated bird and along with all the other species, are not in the least bit perturbed about us, the human species, that is! And we now see Swifts & Swallows starting to arrive for their nesting season.
Dish of the Day: I had for Dinner on Friday the usual “Fish & Chips” or so I thought, I went and ordered “Fish & Chips please” She asked if I wanted a full scoop of chips or a ½ scoop, being me I had the full scoop, when I collected (They only cook to order) my very well wrapped large parcel for £4.00, I adjourned to a beach-side table and unwrapped my parcel, having drooled all the there, Lo and behold, I had an enormous piece of Fish (Barramundi), and absolutely lashings of Chips with 4 slices of lemon (Enough for at least 3 people). I am truly amazed! Did I eat it all? No I couldn’t but the local Seagulls did!
This is short Blog Folks, otherwise I have to find things to write about, be creative, and not reflect the events of the day as they occur.
As you by now know Welshman/Women are verbose, they also use Six words when One will do, they use flowery language that permeates throughout their prose, and I shall do none of that.
There is an adage that I have used quite often in my travels, and that is “One Welshman is a problem, Two are Bloody trouble, and Three is a Choral Society” that goes down well in explaining to these kind folks the identity and culture of the Welsh people.
Thanks for all your emails and comments, they are appreciated, especially when one has moments (Although I have denied them to-date) of being in need of Friends, Romans and Countrymen/Women, it is otherwise known as loneliness and the need for Company.
On Saturday 22nd August I up-sticks and start to head North, heading for
Keep Smiling Winter has gone and Spring is around the corner.
Nigel J Gauder
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