Hi Everyone,
Google has killed off the hacker that tried to disrupt my Blog. They had inserted into the photograph montage of followers a virus, so I suggest that you do not attempt to open any of the photos otherwise AOK to view.
I have now been joined by Jacqueline out of the UK, for the remainder of this trip; she has sought to rough it a bit! Well have no doubt she will be roughing it a lot! Nevertheless, to have companionship, someone to talk to, debate, argue, discuss aspects of what we see and do, will restore my sanity after this long while on my own.
Now into my 9th Month, with Christmas soon upon us, it is extremely difficult to assimilate Christmas with an outside temperature of 41° and Carol singing along with Karaoke (a sign I saw along the roadside outside a Pub).
We are now a further 2,500 klicks down the line from my last Blog sent from Cairns, which seemed to be a long-stay from the norm, plenty to do, made many friends (Dinner with Tim Thomas and his new bride Jing) and again have revised my opinion on Cairns, it has great people, great energy and a very bright future and there is no doubt that with the Great Barrier Reef on the door-step, Tourism will continue to grow, the next target market is the 1.4 Billion Chinese.
Our route as outlined in my last Blog, was Townsville & Magnetic Island, Mission Beach (Where the Landlords – Chris & Kim, of the Caravan Park invited us to a BBQ on their retirement, that was absolutely superb) then down to Bowen (5 Days) to meet-up with John & Dell Alletson, again great Company, many dinners and yarns (Australians excel at what they call the Bull-Shitting Hour) when over a few Stubbies, and possibly a few bottles of Vino, they attempt to outdo friends by topping their stories.
I must tell you about the last breakfast (not supper) at Mission Beach, it was started with a fresh Coconut off a tree, topped the head and poured the Juice into a glass (Last did this in India in 1981) the juice contains all the nutrients the body requires, Fresh ripe Mangoes picked straight off a tree, then a bunch of Bananas again fresh off a tree, that is shades of Paradise, is it not?
Then onto the Whitsunday Islands (Snorkelling, beach combing et al) then the town of Clearview where the park was right on the beach with Turtles, Crocs abounding, on to Woodgate, (where Kangaroos roamed around the Camp and were quite domesticated. (The worst rain-storm to-date overnight). We visited to Childers, an old town retaining all the character of old times and was the town that experienced the worst Back-Packers Fire, where 13 Young people from many countries, including the UK, lost their lives. Also toured Bunderberg the home of Australia’s Number 1 drink "Bundy" Rum.
Then down to Rockhampton, which is astride the Tropic of Capricorn, the bottom most line of Tropical Australia, (I passed the Tropic of Capricorn heading North to Monkey Mia in WA at the start of my trip).
Then Folks it was to stay for a week with Alec & Joyce Hall (Alec of the Prospecting Fame) at a small town/village "Coominya" (50 klicks west of Brisbane) this was one of the most pleasant experiences I have ever had, we were made very welcome, even played Bowls and won a Chook (Chicken). (I have sewn the Bowlers’ Champion Badge to my shirt).We ate well, slept well, talked long and hard, Joyce was a joy and a cook! Boy if that girl was not spoken for!!
Alec is a real raconteur, has a wealth of knowledge and experiences, and supported by Joyce, will keep you in stitches for hours.
It is true that Small Town Australia is another World, small and beautiful. We have visited towns Like Lowood, Fernvale and Ipswich, which in themselves reflected the true Australian Spirit of friendliness.
Now it is New South Wales, a stop at Byron Bay to be exact, named after the infamous Lord Byron (he of both Poetry and Incestuous behaviour) the Campsite (Beaches Bay) was one of the worst I have encountered in my entire trip to-date. Overpriced, dirty and with very poor amenities, although not having booked in advance (have not done so to-date) you take what comes, pot-luck, 6 of one and 6 of the other.
Now at Coffs Harbour (Sawtell Camp-site) what a difference! Clean, value for money, space and empty of people (I mean the Backpackers that seem to take over and unless they have a measure of discipline, run riot to everyone’s detriment.
Transport: You may remember the repairs that I wrote about, done by Toyota in Katherine (sometime back) well having to get NCS checked over for the next part of the trip, I took her to Glenn in Townsville also asked him to reconnect my Radio. Well upon examining same, he found that Toyota had not taken out the Fuse; they had just cut the connecting wires and never bothered to tape up the bare live wires. I am after them again, this time with serious intent!
Mike, Gas now at 62p per litre!
Weight: I have now reduced my portly frame to 11 stone 7 lbs having lost in total 22 Kilos. It is the weight I was when I was 20 years of age, maybe I shall start eating again!
Christmas: We will attempt to get to Tasmania for Christmas, it will be a tight squeeze and having checked the prices, very very expensive, so we shall see, just in case and you may think I have forgotten "Nadolig Lawen ar Bleddwyn Nuedd Dda" Pob Luc 2010.
(A translation from the Welsh "Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year – Good Luck for 2010") to you all, sorry if you have not had a card this year, but!
Funnies: I had written on my Christmas Cards for 40 Years exactly that above, apart that is, from the Good Luck, I did write "Pob Hwyl" but when on Holiday in North Wales and putting a Pint down my throat in a local Pub, I toasted a chap that I had been talking to with a "Pob Hwyl" he remarked "Where are you going?" and then confirmed that Pob Hwyl was in fact "Good Bye".
What a fool I felt and no one had ever corrected me, even my Children, who speak Welsh as a first language!!
Flora & Fauna: This is a problem. Have just come through 2 major Bush-Fires which were raging along the roadside and created dark thoughts of racing to reach a million miles per hour, just in case! and as you can guess, not many animals!
They do say here, that 50% of Australia is on-fire at any one time, it is true.
There is nothing new to report; apart from all the F&F I have already reported in earlier Blogs, except that Pelicans are now prevalent, the day at Steve Irwin’s Zoo ensured that we saw all of the diverse Creatures that inhabit this great continent.
I will let Jackie have a few words, which I trust will reflect her initial views on all things Australian.
Well what can I say that Nigel hasn’t already told you? I was last here 25 years ago but that was a whistle stop tour around the major cities. This time I flew into Cairns and found the heat overwhelming. I thought that I had conquered it by the end of the first week but no such luck!
Anyway, 6 weeks on it is easier to cope with but as Nigel has said, it leads to a rather fast weight loss.
Now that we have left, the tropics behind I miss them. They are so different from the UK-the trees, beautiful flowers, birds, animals, fruit and weather. You really know that you are abroad there.
As for the language, I am slowly learning ‘Strine’ but trying not to pick up some of the ‘riper’ language.
This is such a wonderful experience and I am trying to remember it all but I fear that Christmas will be very strange this year- carols and turkey on the beach???? (back to Nigel)
That is it Folks for 2009, so I will bid you farewell, I hope that Father Christmas brings you all you desire and that all is well for you in 2010.
I hope too that God is kind to you.
Merry Christmas.
Nigel J Gauder.
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