Bit of a lull at the moment BUT….
Ahead is our trip around Japan and a visit to Korea cruising on the Diamond Princess then taking a flight to London where we will be based for approx 10 days afore we head of for a Grand Tour (self Drive) around Ireland and hopefully a Ferry Crossing over the Irish Sea and a short stay in my home town of Blackpool (hopefully I will meet up with my GREAT granson and sample all the beers I used to drink from another lifetime .We wont be visiting many of our friends as we have a lot to fit in (plan as we go inc ye olde B&B) Should be able to take great pics and will obviuosly put them on here SO while the wait is on have these promo pics,these next few weeks are gunna drag !!
Day 7 Popular Freebies Overcrowded and a Short Trip Home on Day 8
Day 7 and we set off from Marlboro Hotel and drove around Gladstone to view the city (ho hum) from there we drove to Boyne River for lunch and were hoping to do a free overnight stay BUT the free campsite was overcrowded ! Annie dragged me off down a mountainside to view the fast flowing (but low )Boyne River, still had lunch there when a bloke asked if I had been to Birdsville Races 18 months ago (I had!) he said he recognised me by my voice (Compliment or not? ) And we had a good yarn about the good old days Having no joy at the site we drove onto the Bucca Hotel (wedding was in full flow) and have opted to stay the night in beautiful country surrounds NO houses just this pub !! We are currently about 150 kms from home and we will have a look around Bundaberg tomorrow .The night was very well lit courtesy of the full moon hhoooowwwwwlllllllll having electrical power (costing $10)
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enabling us to make quick cuppa’s and watch a couple of movies
Day 8..Quick pack up and the weather is gorgeous with morning dew making the scenery all the more breath taking Next stop Bundaberg home of the aptly named Bundaberg Rum and a quick look about and moved on towards home as we have visited Bundy a few times.On the way back we sighted lots of old hot rods that had been on show in Hervey Bay !! and its straight home for us and almost had a run in with a lorry who almost squashed as I tried to overtake!! Bus put away safely and that ends this short exciting trip having stayed at some great spots……More to come in later months as we head overseas
Queensland’s Beautiful Beaches on Day 6
Day 6 After a great previous night wining and dining we set of to Marlborough Hotel where we have stayed before ( and lost our TV aerial !) at Serena we bought extra coolant just in case!! From there we drove to Armstrong Beach and the scenery and views were terrific..passing thru Koulma,Camila where we had lunch and more fantastic scenery Not being mechanically minded when certain warning lights come on my stomach churns a wee bit and first thing when home is to get the bus serviced !Onto Clairview for sightseeing BUT seems you have to own a house so that you can see and smell the Ocean !! we didn,t find an opening that would allow us entry to the beach ! Never mind Queensland has plenty more beautiful beaches to explore on the way back.Annie has booked us into the back field at the Marlborough Pub NO power and costing $10 we are self supporting on occasions like this and of course we will visit the pub very soon….The PUB…food was plentiful(ask Annie who devoured a HUGE fish n Chip Dinner while I made do with a pre drinks Bacon Butty (drinking takes precedence over eating in my book!!) Barmaid was from England,good looking but totally lacking in social skills (unlike the lovely young lady the night before) Quick chat with other campers a quick movie then off to bed knackered by 9 pm !!!
The House on the Hill is really well placed for fantastic views ! (Long way to the Pub tho !!)
A great Pub and Fantastic ANZAC Tribute on Day 5
Day 5 and after a quick shower we are off again,bloody blocked sinus’s kept me awake some of the night tho First stop was Capella and they had a great tribute to the ANZACS and a great walk way leading up to it,a horseman (First Light Horsemen) holding his horse is fashioned of heavy steel plate and other memorials featured scenes from Gallipoli and shapes, silhouette fashion were pressed out of steel plates This place Capella should be proud of the well kept streets and houses, a great place to stop and have a bit of a look see Next stop was Clermont travelling onto Moranbah and well populated town featuring all the fast food outlets and it caters for the hundreds of Miners that work in the area (sort of an Oasis in the Outback) Coal trains shunting raw materials were well over a kilometre long and there are plenty of mines around this area. We gave Nebo a miss as there are no campsites in this area and doesn’t appear to be RV friendly and are currently staying at the back of the Retreat Hotel on the way to Serena and the coast. The pub in Epsom served great food,Happy Hour was in full swing, sadly a shortage of customers, We sat by what can only be described as an open roaring fire and was actually very soothing just watching the flames flickering away. The powered site cost a mere $10 FREE if unpowered and would definitely stay if passing this way again.Staff are very pleasant and friendly
A Radio Station and a Mighty Dam on Day 4 of our Travels
Day 4 and overnight rain tells me we were lucky NOT having done the Gorges today there is a good possibility we may have got stuck on the dirt road or worse still trapped in a swirling stream that are plentiful on the Gorge drive up !Setting off from Rolestone we headed to Springshore and we had a look at the magnificent Mt Zamia then onto Lake Maraboon and the Fairbarn Dam and took in the views offered as we drove over the dam holding back water that is supposedly 3 times larger than in Sydney Harbour !! Next up Emerald!! and after the obligatory photo shoot of the gigantic painting on an easel by Van Gogh (copy) we went for a chat with the local community radio station (4EE)owner Victor who gave me an interesting talk on how his station came about in 1981 I was offered the chance og going on Air NOW but we are on a short visit trip to all our stops, sadly this station does not stream so remains for locals only Next up a visit to a coffee shop by 2 free coffees courtesy the Info office and a great pepper pie and (much to Annie’s annoyance ) a huge cream donut!!We travelled onto Sapphire where anyone can fossick the area for precious stones, we decided not to and currently staying in Ruby (different stones, same fossicking rules) On entering this quaint area reads a sign “Willy Washing” and naturally we had to see this phenomenon for ourselves only o find soil collected by amateur fossickers can be washed by,yes, a man called Willy !! Reception in most areas has been awful and non existent in some of these remote places BUT I haven’t missed it OR the computer !
Day 3 Destination Carnarvon Gorges and a Dodgy Road
Day 3 and after an early start and leaving the very pleasant Injune we set off to the Carnarvon Gorges set in the Great Dividing Range. The trip was uneventful however upon reaching the road into the Gorges the tarmac road turned into a very dusty gravel road and I,m uncomfortable driving on them because the rigid shaking the bus takes over this very rough terrain can only be described as unhealthy (for the bus!) and we had to endure this road for a 30 km round trip that took us over river creeks beds and created a lot of dust the scenery however did make up for some of my grizzling and we were fortunate enough to bump into an Aboriginal Ranger who was also very interestingly knowledgeable on the surrounding area ( Baloon Cave) We viewed ancient (genuine) painted hands on the rocky underside of the Cave and I learnt for a FULL hand to be displayed meant Man,Wife and 3 children!!The Kilometre walk was enough for me and Annie herself opted to do the 16 km long Gorge trek ! As we were settling into the bus a snake slithered out of the bush BUT sadly Annie was reluctant to pick it up in order to have her photo taken!! Cows crossing the road were dangerous on the way back and one had recently been road killed ( Road kill this trip has been..Wild Pig,Cow,Kangaroo,s (although not as many as the last trip around Roma) Snake,Dingo,Rabbits,feral Cats and a Chicken so sad ) Continuing the 80 km trip we are now settled in Roleston for the night and a well earned rest ,Interestingly there is no TV reception unless the aerial is on a 100 foot pole Currently there is a 3 legged Blue Heeler sniffing around waiting for food scraps and he is completely out of luck !
Day 2 and all is well
Day 2 Preparing to leave Chinchilla and a light flashes on the bus dashboard panel (something that looks like a battery, quick check in our Bus handbook tells us we low Radiator Coolant !! SO the nice young lady in the Petrol Station tells us to go and visit a 4 x 4 mechanics shop ( I am USELESS at car maintenance!) and the lovely man there checked it, put a pint of green coolant in, and he would nt charge us ! would not take a few dollars for a beer and all sorted and we are on our way again (Thanks to Chinchilla 4 x 4,you may not realise it but you really saved my frustrations!) On our way we stopped at MILES and visited the Days of yesteryear and it turned out to be great viewing and very interesting informing me of how Australians lived ( and survived a lot of years ago) Next onto ROMA a fav place of mine when cattle markets are on.Lunch,fill up and we are on our way again to Injune and an overnight site with Power this time ! (although we can get FOUR stations only and they are ABC 1,2,3 and 4!! ) For some reason parallel parking is the go around these areas and is a pain with having a 25 foot long bus !!
The classroom is very similar to my old Claremont Skule including dip in ink pens Just loved the Iron Bench and will attempt to make one
Bus Journey Day 1
Day One and we are off ,early start if you can call 8.30 am that ! Quick check to ensure the house is secure neighbours notified and mail & rubbish collection are organized and its of we go..Few stops for a quick brew on our way to our eventual arrival in a few day at Carnarvon Gorges deep inland Queensland. Travelling on we eventually spend our first night in the showgrounds based at Chinchilla having short stops at Kilkivan, Goomeri (famous for Pumpkin Festivals) Murgon, Wondai and settled in the unpowered site for the night AND? I have never experienced COLD like it since leaving England !! We have obviously gone soft and spoilt living in the sub tropics of Hervey Bay !!! Most importantly I forgot an extra set of headphones that allows me and Annie to share sound from my laptop (otherwise sound is very low too low for my delicate hearing but OK for Annie SO I virtually lip read all the way, very unsuccessfully I might add! All thru the film) I actually got a bite of a so called friendly dog,fortunately the skin wasn,t broke BUT I do fear for kids who go near these dogs (with its owners but roaming free) Photo,s were in short demand on our first day More tomorrow with a good selection of photo’s
Watch me play Didgeridoo
Geoffs Life After Work ! 