We are still at Corrimal.

WTF! I was awake at 4.30am and no idea why. It has been several months since I woke this early.

Hmmm! Perhaps it is caused by all the rich high carbohydrate food I have been eating over the lead up to and during Christmas. It is time to put those sweet things and potatoes and rice and pasta behind me and get back to the low carbs diet. Yesterday, Merilyn made Cornish Pasties for lunch. Although they were small, I ate three (they were delicious) and they have probably added to the general feeling of malaise which descended upon me yesterday. See   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasty

On reflection I believe it is the sugar Christmas has re-introduced into my diet which is causing this feeling of hyper whatever. For some reason we have both been indulging in chocolates, liquorice allsorts, sweet biscuits, pastries, fruit mince pies, puddings, custards and so on.

It is time we both got back onto our simple diet of low carbs and low sugar.

I have felt generally unwell for a couple of days and a bit vertiginous especially this morning.  A quick test reveals elevated blood pressure readings. Not life threateningly high but at 146 over 90 I need to keep an eye on them and determine why they are elevated.

Nuff said!

One good benefit of being awake at this time is being able to watch the sun rise and listen to the birds waking and calling to each other. Although we are in the centre of suburbia our campsite is at the back of a small residential development, beside a creek, along a bushland corridor. It is quiet, there is no traffic and we feel as if we are in a bush setting.

The house that Errol is building.

Finally found some information regarding the Police Helicopter on NYE. See here… http://www.illawarramercury.com.au/news/local/news/general/wollongong-nye-thousands-watch-dramatic-rescue-unfold/2407464.aspx

Tuesday 3^rd January

Grrrr!

Yesterday our internet service was very slow. I ran diagnostics on the computer and reset the modem and re-booted the laptop, all to no avail. The service was slow yet other programmes such as Word and Excel ran quickly as normal.

What is going on?

This morning I woke at 5.30 and the Internet was, if anything, slower than yesterday.

WTF!

Then it dawned on me. It is our Internet package plan.

Let me explain.

As part of a mobile phone and mobile wireless internet modem package we have a monthly Internet allowance of 4Gb (that’s a total of 4Gb including up-load and down-load). While the CO-PILOT was studying, the allowance was 7Gb per month and we only used, on average, about 3Gb per month. After her study period I dropped the allowance back to 4Gb and it has been enough for our needs. The CO-PILOT uses Skype quite frequently, calling Canada and Somalia, using video connection for anything up to an hour at a time. Although we boastfully say the calls only cost .27cents a minute, the time spent on-line still has an up-load and a down-load cost, especially when using video. There was a huge spike in Internet usage on 23^rd, 24^th, 25^th, 26^th of December and again on 1^st and 2^nd of January. Once the 4Gb allowance is reached we still get a service but it is severely slowed. Our allowance has reached 106%. The good news is it is a new cycle beginning tomorrow. In the meantime we have the iPad and its Internet access as a separate account.

Still, it is a bit of a nuisance.

Early in the morning, we went to Towradgi (proper pronunciation is Toe Rod Gee) Beach and Rock Pool

Towradgi Rock Pool

. It was quite surprising to see so many people walking, cycling, Yoga-ing and TaiChi-ing as well as those doing laps in the pool, surfing and board riding. Of course having sunshine for three days in a row has been a bonus. The CO-PILOT and the rest of the family swam in the rock pool while I busied myself with photographic duties. I noticed a plaque to commemorate the shipwreck of the Barque, Queen of Nations which ran aground on the rocks at south Corrimal Beach in 1881. The ship was carrying a cargo of railway and mining equipment and despite being wrecked, only one life was lost.

Sister Bev and her husband Pete, drove down from Gymea to visit us for a couple of hours. The intention was to go to the beach for a surf but the wind had picked up dramatically and we could barely stand upright on Flagstaff Hill, site of the Wollongong Lighthouse

Lighthouse on Flagstaff Hill

above the Harbour

Lighthouse at Entrance to Belmore Basin - Wollongong Harbour.

and also overlooking Wollongong Beach.

South Wollongong Beach

After a walk around the lighthouse and scrambling around the rocks

Boys being boys by showing off to a group of girls. They would jump off the rocks into the swell and were then swept back onto the rocks to do it all over again.

we went back to the harbour for a seafood take away for lunch.

Pete Bev and Donnis on rocks at South Gong Beach.

Before buying lunch we saw a display of 6 luxury vehicles, including, probably the cheapest of the lot, a Lotus Elise.

Lotus Elise

There were BMW Cabriolet 1201, Lamborghinni,

Lamborghinni Gallardo

Maseratti,  Aston Martin, Audi R8.

Audi R8

We have no idea why these cars were on display but it was interesting to see them. Personally I would be happy driving along the coast in a Lotus Elise but the cost of Rego, Insurance and a service would be more than my annual income.

http://sportscarrentals.rtrk.com.au/?scid=35167&kw=4097992&pub_cr_id=2795248086

Sigh!

After we ate I noticed an old sandstone building across the street, about 50 metres from where we watched fireworks on NYE. Acting on a hunch I went for a closer look. Sure enough, it was the OLD COURTHOUSE mentioned in my last post on NYE.

Ye Olde Courthouse at Belmore Basin.

It was the one where the 5 year old lost boy was to find his parents. Although it was simple to find in broad daylight with no crowds, it would have been difficult for a child to find at night with 100,000 people all single minded, trying to go home and moving in all directions.

After Bev n Pete left we returned to the house where the CO-PILOT got into painting walls again and I helped Errol install ceiling material on an open air deck.

We went to the Corrimal RSL for dinner of Asian food and visit to their small but interesting war memorabilia museum.

Wednesday 4^th Januaray.

YeeHar! The internet is back in full service for another 4Gb.

More work around the house. During the day a truck arrived to offload a digger to work on the house block beside where we are camped. They advised more trucks would be arriving in the morning to start work and we would need to move.

WWWGO seen through the windows of the house which Errol built.

A southerly buster blew through about 4pm but by the time we closed windows and doors it had blown itself out and the rain stopped.

Bumma!

Thursday 5^th January.

A long day for all of us for different reasons. The CO-PILOT and I were up at 5.30 to pack and move. We managed to secure a powered site at Corrinal Campgrounds for two nights but check=in is not until after 2pm. The cost is gasp, shock, horror, $42 per night.  The camp is huge with around 300 sites and in the words of the check-in staff, “we are chockers”. (for any overseas readers, “Chockers” = “chock a block”, full, booked out) We drove to Bellambi Lagoon and parked in what at the time seemed an empty and little used car-park. After breakfast we drove back to the house and by now several trucks, van, utes etc had arrived and parking was at a premium. I dropped the CO-PILOT off to start work while I went for a dental appointment. (two days ago a hard gritty piece of something appeared in my mouth. Hmmm! Could be a broken filling.) The dentist did a full examination which included x-rays and declared no problems with the tooth. What fell out was an excess of scale (plaque?). I received a clean and scale then back to WWWGO which was now surrounded by cars. Hmmm. This is a popular spot especially among the dog owners as the beach is designated “off leash” between certain hours.

In the afternoon we took the last powered site in the campground. The CO-PILOT needed some documents scanned and sent off to her nursing agency for the job at Henty. We used Errol’s iPhone as a scanner and emailed the results all from the little phone. Not bad really considering there were 29 pages for a total of 10.4Mb file.

Back at the house the electrician was working, the plumber turned up at last, the man with the digger and bob cat also arrived 12 hours late. Errol was flitting from one to the other with instructions whilst the CO-PILOT and Merilyn continued to paint.

Wide hallway of the house which Errol built.

Before retiring for the night light rain started dripping and some mild thunder rumbled somewhere west of our site.

Friday 6^th January

We woke to…WINTER!!! Well, not quite but it was once again overcast and a chill wind was blowing off the icy waste somewhere south of us. This is not the summer I remember. It is not the summer I expected. It is not the summer I wanted. The CO-PILOT is quite happy as she prefers the cooler weather. I noticed however she did not go to the pool for a swim, a swim she was looking forward to. By mid-afternoon the sun came out, the wind dropped away and it turned into a nice afternoon. We worked all day at the house but packed up at 4.30 to shower and drive to Avondale a little south of Wollongong. We visited and old workmate, Wayne M and his wife Narelle. Although I last worked with Wayne in 1986 we caught up by email in 2008 and visited in 2009. I had a wonderful time talking about old workmates who have either stayed at the same place for more than thirty years, have moved on to other jobs or sadly, passed away. When Wayne reached a 30 year milestone he was given a celebration dinner where congratulatory speeches and emails from various people were read out. I was fortunate to be tracked down and gave my recollection of our first meeting and early years. At the time I described him as having too much hair and if he wanted to succeed he should lose some. As things turned out he did succeed, becoming the CEO of one of the largest Building Society’s in NSW and he hardly has any hair. After leaving their home in the hills of Avondale we came across a car which appears to have been rolled and burned. There was nobody about (it was after 11pm at night) and what seemed like water was still draining out of the car.

Saturday 7^th January

The CO-PILOT visited the doctor in the morning to obtain her medical clearances which enable her to work for NSW Health. At midday I met with another work colleague from my days at Custom Credit Corporation. Bob T and his wife Sharon provided a wonderful lunch. Apart from being a work colleague, Bob was also a team member in my Squash team so we had a double opportunity to reminisce.

After lunch I re-joined the CO-PILOT and her son Erro; working at the house. While she painted, Errol and I laid fibro flooring in readiness for vinyl tiles.

During dinner I broke a filling while eating Pork Crackling.

Egads. Another ASAP visit to the dentist is in order. With luck I will get to see the dentist sometime on Monday.

Sunday 8^th January

Another full day working on the house, while Errol and I installed eaves and finished the floor panels, the CO-PILOT continued to paint. The eaves are now complete as is the floor panels in readiness to install the vinyl tiles tomorrow.

Tonight my neck, shoulder and arm muscles are aching.

Time for bed.

Boxing Day

We woke to a fine sunny morning. After taking our leave of Bev n Pete we drove back to Wollongong, this time via Helensburgh and Stanwell Tops.

The view from Stanwell Tops where the hang gliders launch themselves into space. Below can be seen Stanwell Park Beach and in the top left hand corner, the Sea Cliff Bridge. Do not forget to click on the image, twice, to bring it to full screen size.

I never tire of the view of this section of coast which now includes the Sea Cliff Bridge built away from the cliffs and over the ocean.

A portion of Sea Cliff Bridge.The entire trip along this portion of road from Stanwell Tops through to Austinmer is spectacular and is often shown in commercials adverising motor cars.

Hang Gliders take off from Bald Hill and use Stanwell Park Beach, way below as their landing strip. We followed the coast through tiny towns perched on the clifftops. We stopped a few minutes to ask about vacancies at Coledale Camping Ground, a camp spot tucked into a small space between the beach, a hill and the roadside. The camp ground is operated by the Coledale Surf Club and the man laughed when I asked about vacancies. Mate, he said, we are booked out until the end of January and every weekend until winter.

Typical campers perched on a narrow hillside between the road and the beach at Coledale.

We lunched at Shellharbour

The Shellharbour Hotel, established 1929, overlooks Shellharbour Harbour.

on the south side of Wollongong and by now the weather had turned windy, overcast and quite cool. Errol, Nicole and all the family caught up with us for coffee and a walk

The family out walking around the harbour.

around the harbour.

The harbour at Shellharbour.

Windswept Errol and Frank at Shellharbour

An interesting sight was a group of people collecting Sea Urchins and eating them…LIVE!!!

Eating fresh caught RAW sea urchins. Enlarge the photo to see the spines of the sea urchins.

Tuesday 27^th December

A quiet day with the CO-PILOT working on a study assignment while I pottered and fixed a few things on TERIOS and WWWGO. Late in the evening the kitchen sink refused to drain the washing up water.

SIGH!

Hmmm! Tomorrow I will have to take out the S bend under the sink. Not looking forward to that!!!

Wednesday 28^th December

As things turned out, there is no S bend nor U bend for that matter, under our sink. Once the pipework leaves the sink there is a 90° bend and the pipework starts a mostly straight line heading towards the rear of WWWGO. It passes through a couple of sealed off areas and then does a couple more 90° turns to enter the grey water holding tank. Most of the joins and turns are glued together rather than being screwed together. I could not find where the blockage occurred. I managed to unscrew one fitting near the holding tank and inserted a hose as far as I was able, – about one metre – and turned it on…hard.  A large amount of gunk was flushed out but when I put the same hose into the sink there was a loud GLERK, GLUUMP, WHOOSH and the sink started to slowly drain. We then placed a cup of bi-carb soda down the sink followed by a cup of vinegar. This mixture began to bubble and hiss. Then we followed up with the hose in the plug hole again followed by another bi-carb mixture followed by the hose followed by half a bottle of drain cleaner followed by a copious hose flushing. The sink drains properly now but I still think there is a blockage somewhere. We have decided that at the end of each day a bi-carb and vinegar mixture will not do any harm and hopefully keep the pipes clear while at the same time helping to keep the holding tank from a build-up of soap scale.

The day was mostly sunny but with a strong cool wind.

The CO-PILOT continued her study and completed an on-line assignment.

No beach visits for us today.

Thursday 29^th December.

2011 is quickly slipping through our fingers.

In the morning we organised for the CO-PILOT to visit a doctor, a pathology lab and the hospital to have inoculations, blood tests and confirmation her other immunisations are still within use-by date. It seems NSW Health Regulations are pretty strict with the health of health workers they employ.

I helped Errol install Cove Cornices in the bathroom before lunch.

In the afternoon we called on a workmate from many years ago (about 35 years ago) Barry H and his wife Kathleen in their wonderful house at Keiraville. We expected to have a coffee and spend a couple of hours but our hosts insisted we stay for dinner and sample some Swedish apple cider.

Donnis, Kathleen, Barry and Frank enjoy a barbecue on the patio.

Followed by some Margaret River wine. Some strawberry liqueur and a blackcurrant liqueur were also taste tested. Oh and of course a beer. Naturally I was the designated driver and had a wine and sipped the liqueur only. We had a wonderful evening, especially for me as Barry also spent two years in National Service as I did and we talked about our experiences.

Barry & Kathleen are visited by many varieties of birds encluding these King Parrots.

Friday 30^th December

While the CO-PILOT continued with study and on-line exams I assisted Errol with some work on the house. He expects to be able to move in by 10^th January. I have my doubts. There is just too much work to be done and so little time and money. The sun made a few appearances during the day but a cold wind seemed to be blowing (from Antarctica???) all day so it was quite cool in the shade.

For those not familiar with the geography of Wollongong I will give a potted view of its location. I still feel qualified to talk about the area as I lived here from 1968 until 1987. Wollongong and suburbs are less than 100 Klms from the centre of Sydney and most suburbs are beside the sea or Lake Illawarra. Part of the Great Dividing Range comes close to the sea at this part of the coastline with the northernmost suburbs such as Stanwell Park, Coaldale, Coalcliffe and several others being perched on a narrow ledge of land where the escarpment is buttressed against the sea. Further south suburbs are still on the coast with the escarpment being only 1 Klm from the ocean. Still further south, suburbs such as Dapto and Berkley are about 5 Klms from the ocean on one side and the mountain escarpment on the other with Lake Illawarra between them. The mountain range is always a backdrop to all the suburbs. Driving from Sydney at night, the highway swings close to the escarpment edge above Bulli and the sight of Wollongong and suburbs below, lit up at night is breathtaking.

Saturday 31^st December

NEW YEARS EVE

We spent most of the day sanding walls and trim in the house in preparation for painting.

After dinner we drove to Wollongong Harbour to see the fireworks.

Hmmm! Perhaps we should have arrived at lunchtime and set up camp. My thoughts of parking a couple of blocks away did not take into consideration the other half million people arriving at the same time and looking for a parking spot. We finally found a spot about 2 klms away from the harbour at Stuart Park. We walked back to the harbour along the aforementioned humanity all going in a different direction to us. Finally found the other half of our family group with about 2 minutes to spare before the fireworks began.

Not the best quality photograph of Donnis n Frank but it was taken with an iPhone and limited lighting.

Of course after the fireworks that mass of humanity had the same idea of getting back to their car and going home.

An announcement came over the PA. There is a lost boy…Isaac… 5 years old and your parents are waiting for you. Meet them at the Old Courthouse. What the F??? Gasped the seething mass of humanity. What 5 year old boy would know where to find the old courthouse? As the throng of people walked around and beside us we could hear the topic of conversation. Everybody was talking about the strange PA announcement. A Police helicopter had arrived during the height of the fireworks and was moving around with a searchlight aimed at the ground. By now we were on a hill above the harbour. The helicopter stayed hovering with the searchlight beam pinpointing the rocks at the end of the northern breakwater. Several Police cars, Ambulance and Rescue vehicles were near where we stopped with another two joining them. A group of Police could be seen walking the breakwall toward the section highlighted by the hovering helicopter. A large group of people could now be seen at the end, most with helmet lights. It seemed as though a rescue mission was underway.

After about 10 minutes we left the unfolding drama and got swept up in the throng of people in Happy New Year mode heading somewhere else. Probably home…like us.

Sunday 1^st January 2012.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

It was a fine clear sunny summers day. All of New South Wales was celebrating the new year with the first real summer day since summer began a month ago. The wind picked up around mid- morning and we spent the day a cleaning and a painting the house. I promised myself a month ago I would not paint another house. Here I am painting a house.

Sheesh!

I listened and watched the news but no reports of the lost boy Isaac or of what the rescue at Wollongong Harbour was all about.

Perhaps when the local news services get back on the job tomorrow we will hear more.

Until next week may I say, welcome to 2012 and may it live up to all your expectations.

We left Forster a little after 11am…pretty close to the time I hoped to leave. As planned we met with George C

Almost 50 years has passed since George and I last saw each other at high school. We re-connected via Skype about two years ago.

for lunch in a park at Buladelah.

George and Frank. Different hairstyles.

George is a high school friend who I have not seen for around 50 years.

George and Donnis. George had an unfortunate incident with a verandah overhang the day before we met.

After lunch we were back on the road again and the rain started falling, getting heavier as we drove south toward Newcastle. We decided to pull into 12 Mile Hill Rest Area for the night to use the last two hours of wan light to make a wall hanging form driftwood, shells and jute cord. We went to sleep lulled by the soothing sounds of zillions of trucks zooming past all night.

Tuesday 20^th December

We were on the road by 6.30 am to what looked a promising sunny day. We drove the F3 Motorway, a distance of 128 Kms.( The most impressive parts of the  engineering of this road are the approaches to the Hawksbury River section and the cutting through the Hawksbury sandstone in various places. The bridge, linking Brooklyn on the south side to Mooney Mooney on the north side runs parallel with the original Peats Ferry Crossing Bridge.

Peat's Ferry Bridge over the Hawkesbury River linking Brooklyn and Moonie Moonie. The original bridge replaced the umm err Peat's Ferry.

Historical photos are here   http://www.ozroads.com.au/NSW/Freeways/F3/historicphotos_s2.htm ) Despite warnings about school holiday traffic and Sydney peak hour traffic, we arrived at our first stop, North Rocks, just after 9am. We had planned to call into a specialist motorhome repairer to look at the cracks appearing in the fibreglass exterior wall near the refrigerator vent. The original installation made an attempt at waterproofing the vent but water still seeped behind the vent cowling and rotted the plywood behind. The fibreglass is no longer attached to the plywood. The job involves cutting the section out, as far as good solid plywood, cleaning the remaining timber, glueing a new piece in place and once the bond is cured, fresh fibreglass laminate is resined into the area, allowed to dry then sanded smooth. Then the area is colour matched with gelcoat and finally fresh decals are put in place. The job will take a week and a huge chunk of savings. They cannot fit us in until mid January and in fact cannot even give us a date as they need confirmation material will be available.  From there we travelled the M4 and M5  Freeway systems and entered the longest tunnel we have ever travelled which brought us out beside Sydney Airport and near our destination of La Perouse where we surprised our friend Geoff C with our visit.

After lunch we drove to Gymea Bay to sister Bev and husband Pete’s house where we will park WWWGO for a few days while we sort ourselves out for Christmas visiting. The GPS directions took us, in my opinion, by the longest route along parts of the Princes Highway and via Tom Ugly’s Bridge over the Georges River.

Tom Ugly's Bridge over the Georges River.

Worthwhile historical information is here. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Uglys_Bridge

Wednesday 21st December

We drove to Wollongong today where we caught up with the CO-PILOT son, Errol, his wife Nicole and their daughter Amelia.

Thursday 22^nd December

While the CO-PILOT  baked Gingerbread cookies, I drove to Wollongong and met up with a workmate and squash player mate from 25 years ago, Peter D and his wife Sharon. We caught up over coffee beside the delightful Wollongong Harbour. It was fun talking about old times, old workmates and new adventures.

In the evening we drove back to Gymea and our own bed in WWWGO.

Friday 23^rd December

It was a lay day for us. Mostly catching up with our spread-sheet of expenses and enjoying some time with Bev.

Also… Yesterday afternoon the CO-PILOT was offered a 5 week nursing posting at a 12 bed hospital at Henty NSW. Although the offer is earlier than planned we have decided it will be an adventure as well as bringing in some valuable income. For a good part of the day the CO-PILOT was busy getting applications and declarations completed. She still has some inoculations to arrange but she starts work on 16^th January.

For a look at what’s in store for us, have a look here,   http://henty.nsw.au/

Saturday 24^th December

We left Bev n Pete’s house just on midday after a slow morning cleaning, packing and washing. We set up camp at the building site in Corrimal

WWWGO at the worksite of the house that Errol built. (Still building)

and went to a church service with Errol, Nicole, her mum Merrilyn and of course baby Amelia. Then it was back to their unit where we enjoyed a late dinner around a crowded table as Nicoles brothers, Greg

Nicole with brother Greg.

and Scott had arrived along with Scott’s Peruvian wife, Monica.

Scott and Monica

While the CO-PILOT, Nicole and Merrilyn went driving to look at Christmas lights I went back to WWWGO and caught the last half hour of the RockWiz Christmas Special on SBS Television.

Twas the night before Christmas

And all through the house

Not a creature was stirring

Not even a mouse

We are a good distance off the road here and there is no traffic noise, no hoon cars, no sound of doof doof car stereos. Just a few quiet neighbours in this little cul de sac.

Sunday 25^th December Christmas Day

I trust that everybody had a happy and safe Christmas and will enjoy an equally safe and prosperous new year. I further trust all readers will practise sensible drinking over New Years Eve.

Another busy day in the life of a retired couple.

Huh! How can we be so busy?

Christmas morning we arrived at Errol’s

Nicole is 4 months pregnant. What is Errol's excuse?

unit for morning coffee and a couple of slices of cheesecake.

Merilyn with son, Greg.

After the opening of gifts, mainly for Amelia, we moved on to a turkey lunch.

Christmas lunch around a crowded table.

After lunch including with one beer, the CO-PILOT and I drove to Sydney to have dinner with Bev n Pete. They were not yet home when we arrived so we took a side trip to Cronulla beach

Cronulla Beach with a gusty uncomfortable noreasterly onshore wind blowing.

and then on to the birthplace of our nation, Kurnell on Botany Bay.

Entrance to National Park at Botany Bay. Although there are no signs indicating where this anchor came from. There is some inference that it was from the Barque Endeavour.

We visited the spot where a member of the Barque Endeavour skippered by the then Lieutenant James Cook, later Captain Cook, stepped ashore on Australian soil. That crew member was Midshipman Isaac Smith (a cousin of James Cook’s wife) who stepped ashore on 29^thApril 1770. Within minutes some 40 other crew members had joined him and they were confronted by two indigenous males who made it clear by threatening spear actions, they were not pleased with the intrusion. After some spear throwing and musket shooting, the locals ran off into the bush and the rest, as they say, is history.

Monument to Captain James Cook at Kurnell landing site.

After walking around the area absorbing the ambience we drove back to Gymea and had dinner.

Donnis with Chris, son of Pete n Bev.

We decided after dinner, dessert and a couple of wines we would be better off staying the night.

In the coming week we will explore more of the Leisure Coast from Gymea Bay to Nowra.

Lots of photos again this week.

There was some heavy rain during the night. So heavy in fact, little rivulets were running under WWWGO causing me to wonder if the road at the low end of the street would be flooded in the morning. I woke at 6am and was surprised to see half a dozen cars in the car-park, workers from the council depot. By the time we left at 8am the car-park was filling up. “Onwards” was the cry from our lips as we drove through the Monday morning work traffic of Kempsey. It was raining again and a cold wind was blowing as we travelled the 60 Klms to Port Macquarie where it was too wet to explore the beaches. Instead we went to a laundrette and did a load of washing. Just as we were finishing Tony called to say he had lunch ready. After lunch he took us for a drive to some local beaches and down the coast to Lake Kathie (pronounced Cat Eye???) and Bonnie Hills. (Hmmm! The house prices are a mix of little old shacks with fantastic view to grand palaces worth $1million plus in the same street built on two or three levels to get the same view the little shacks have) Then it was back to their house where Dawn cooked us a steak dinner and we chatted until the yawns and droopy eyes arrived.

It was a cold night and needed an extra blanket on the bed.

Tuesday 13^th December

Tony went to work in the morning and a weekly game of lawn bowls in the afternoon.

It was quite cool for this time of year so we mooched around WWWGO while I pulled out the Black Box and re-calibrated the settings. In the afternoon we did a little shopping and got an LPG gas bottle swap. When not on shore power we use LPG to run the refrigerator. Tony and Dawn are seriously researching caravans and tow vehicles so they can get on the road for a few months next year.

Wednesday 14^th December

Christmas is beginning to rush up at us. Although we have only 400Klms to travel and could easily do that distance in a day we still have family and friends to visit. We have made a tentative appointment with an RV repairer in the Sydney suburb of North Rocks. They will assess the cracks in the fibreglass and make an appointment to carry out the repair work as well as fit the inverter and repair the no longer functioning electronic igniter on our stove.

Today was overcast with a cool wind blowing. The sun made a few teasingly brief appearances, forecasting what days could and should be like at this time of year.

Tony n Dawn had prior commitments so we said our farewells, promising to catch up, somehow, somewhere,  somewhen in 2012 when they will hire a motorhome to test out the lifestyle for themselves.

Before leaving Port Macquarie we visited historic ROTO House  http://www.midcoast.com.au/~rotohous/

ROTO House. Home of the Flynn Family.

and the Koala Hospital. The hospital looks after up to 20 sick or injured Koalas at any one time. The photographic and informative display panels tugs at the heart strings and underscores the marvellous work the hospital staff does in returning sick or injured Koala’s to the wild or giving them a safe home to spend the  remainder of their years.

http://www.koalahospital.org.au/

This is a beautiful Koala christened Kaylee by the Koala Hospital staff. Koala's need strong arms to move around and although Kaylee only has one leg she should soon be well enough to be re-habilitated to the wild.

We drove less than 40 Klms along Ocean Drive to Camden Heads to visit friends of the CO-PILOT, Lionel & Maryanne P. They sailed across the Pacific Ocean in 1985 in company with the CO-PILOT and her family in their respective sailboats. On arrival we were whisked next door for Happy Hour with the neighbours and a Swiss couple who are staying with them.

Maryanne, Lionel and Donnis

We had a happy two hours with them before returning for a chicken curry, a shower and off to bed. We can hear the surf not far away and are looking forward to a walk to the beach in the morning.

Thursday 15^th December

It was a BIG day for us.

Before breakfast Lionel n Maryanne took us on a bracing 5 Klm bush walk to Perpendicular Point

Perpendicular Point

then through the bush to Pilot Beach

Pilot Beach at Camden Heads

where the bravest amongst us went for a swim.

Although not included in the photograph with Maryanne & Lionel, Donnis was brave enough to go for a swim.

After a huge breakfast Lionel drove us on a 400 Klm round trip taking us to North Brother Mountain about 400 metres above sea level and overlooking Camden Heads, Camden Haven, Laurieton, Bonnie Hills and North Haven and along the coast to Port Macquarie.

View from North Brother Mountain, overlooking the "Haven" area including Laurieton and Camden Heads.

Lionel, Maryanne and Frank at North Brother overlooking "The Haven" area.

Maryanne & Donnis at North Brother

Then we travelled to a bush camp and picnic spot called Swans Crossing in the heart of tall timber country. We had sandwiches and a beer for lunch. Then we travelled on narrow timber truck tracks to the highest point in the State Forest where a Trig Point and Fire Lookout Station are located.

Highest point within Kerewong State Forest.

The position was about 1,000 metres above sea level and set atop a large group of rocks with a sheer drop all around.

View from the fire observation point in Kerewong State Forest.

I am normally nervous of heights and I felt exposed and apprehensive moving around. The compensation was the incredible 360 degree views. The tiny perch atop the rocks included a Trig Point

A Trig Point in Kerewong State Forest.

A cave-like gap between two rocks. The narrow gap led to a sheer drop.

and a Compass Rose to pinpoint a bush fire.

Then we drove on through spectacular hills and valley’s finally emerging into rolling green hills of the dairy country around Comboyne where we had a surprisingly good coffee in a coffee shop which was once a wood fired bake house.

Old bakery with old Honda and even older "old fart" outside.

Outside we met a man dressed in black who drives around on an ancient Honda motorcycle with sidecar.

Old Honda with sidecar. Only a kickstart model. No electric start on this vintage.

Both black of course. He told us he has 300 motorcycles on his property along with 48 twin tub washing machines, twenty cars and oh my goodness the list goes on. He loves a good chat while enjoying his mud cake and a strong cup of coffee after which he rolls himself a cigarette and sits back to talk. His jacket proudly carries badges declaring he is a member of the Old and Rooted Motorcycle Club.

Finally back at Camden Heads we had a late dinner and talked on until late….beyond the yawns and droopy eyes stage. We finally dropped into bed at midnight.

Friday 16^th December

Another walk this morning. This time it was down to the river and along the Riverwalk Pavement. Then a walk along the beach and back to the house for breakfast. After saying our goodbyes to Maryanne and Lionel we were on the road by 11.30am and arrived at Allan & Rae’s Forster, NSW home a little after 1pm. We went for a walk along  the southern Forster breakwall and saw several dolphins frolicking. With my sharp eye I saw a fishing boat coming across the bar at the entrance to the river and noticed some strange black shapes at the prow. It was several dolphins riding the bow wave.

Dolphins riding the bow wave of a fishing boat.

More and more dolphins joined the group and we realised the reason for so many coming from all parts of the harbour. The fishing boat was heading to the Fish Co-Op wharf to unload. The dolphins obviously were expecting a handout of fish parts. Seeing dolphins in the wild is not an everyday occurrence but to see them riding the waves was something special to watch.

Saturday 17^th December

Al & Rae drove us around to look at the beachside towns north of Forster. Towns such as Harrington,

Harrinton Trig Point.

Redhead, Blackhead, Halliday Point

Halliday Point Surf Beach Pool

and Crowdey Head. We were taken by the history of Harrington but more so by the old lighthouse at Crowdey Head. The lighthouse is still in place but only the foundations of the keepers cottage remain.

Crowdey Head Lighthouse

We also saw a Trig Point at Harrington and Crowdey Head.

Crowdey Head Trig Point

For some reason these trig points are interesting to me. Perhaps we have not noticed them in our travels before but after seeing three of them in as many days, I have begun to look for them. http://www.waymarking.com/cat/details.aspx?f=1&guid=18b359b3-84e5-42f9-bbcf-c40ae533c962&wo=True&wst=1&sg=03fa963d-acc5-47f7-9ae8-7f94ddcf18f9&st=2

Tonight we had a barbecue with Al & Rae’s son Brian, his wife Grid and their children Josh and Mindy.  Well, no longer children. Josh has finished high school and is already enrolled in University at Armidale while Mindy is 16 and still has another year of schooling. It was our first chance to catch up with all this side of the family after many years when they were overseas working in the UK.

Sunday 18^th December

Still at Forster.

The sun came out late in the morning but the breeze was cool increasing to strong cold gusts in the evening.

In the morning we walked along the headland at Bennetts Head to the main beach at Forster. After lunch we walked over the Forster – Tuncurry bridge and along the northern breakwall and back. About 2 hours in all. The water was clear and with the different bottoms, sand, weed, rock and different depths, the colours were incredible. While crossing the bridge we saw several 2m Hammerhead sharks patrolling beneath us. We also saw a number of dolphins. Further around the breakwall a small boat with mum, dad and four children was motoring. We could hear squeals of delight and noticed dolphins were coming from every direction. The more the boat people cheered and squealed the more dolphins arrived. It was just as exciting for us, standing on the wall. Watching the dolphins interact with the family in the boat.

Tomorrow we resume our journey south.

Happy Christmas to everybody.

Noosaville.

One thing I forgot to mention is that a couple of months ago I bought a DOD 600 which is an in vehicle HD video recorder, GPS logger and vehicle Black Box. I have not had time to install it until this week. I could get the recording light to um err light but could not view the results. After a bit of research I believed that my laptop does not have the latest Codecs programme. I searched the Web, found a Codec download and suddenly I can see the results of the HD video. The video not only records what we see through the windscreen but also stamps the date and time, stamps the GPS co-ordinates, stamps the vehicle speed and vehicle direction every second. When the results are viewed on a laptop, not only do we see the video but we see a Google map tracking and all the stamped features as well. In the event of an accident the camera locks the recording as a black box feature.

Today was cold and windy with patches of rain drops.

The CAT scan revealed nothing of any real consequence. It is probably a residual of the torn cartilage injury from almost 12 months ago.

We have the all clear to go “on the Wallaby” tomorrow.

The CO-PILOT was busy all day making lasagne and a baked mango cheesecake (with additional taste explosion of slices of brandied cumquats) It is Chris’s mother, Regelyn, birthday and the CO-PILOT wanted to bring a gift.

Tuesday 6^th December

Today is the tomorrow I referred to yesterday.

We left Noosaville around 11.30am a good two hours later than I had hoped. It rained, on and off all day. We travelled down the Bruce Highway, linking up with Pacific Motorway and the Gateway Motorway and Tollway until we reached Yatala. We found the Showmans Guild of Australia Club set on a couple of acres of ground in an industrial area. The Guild allows all financial members of CMCA with a self- contained vehicle to camp beside their cricket pitch and football field for $10 per van per night. All club facilities are available including bar and dining room, toilets and showers although the ablutions are closed when the club closes, usually around 9pm. There is no garbage, no dump point, no water, no grey water discharge and no power. It is a little isolated but only 20 minutes from Woodridge where we went to visit grandson Chris.

The GPS got a good workout for the first time in 6 months and I must say has been very helpful especially getting into and out of Woodridge at night.

The cheesecake was so good we ate most of it this afternoon.

Gluttons!

Hmmm! Maybe she should have made a few cheesecakes and put the brandied cumquats to good use.

Sadly there is no room in the fridge or freezer for such luxuries.

Wednesday 7^th December

It rained all day and was the coldest December day in Brisbane since 1960.

The CO-PILOT daughter, Alecia, called via Skype phone from Somalia where she is working as a nurse for the International Refugee programme with Medicins Sans Frontiers (Doctors Without Borders). The CO-PILOT was overjoyed  that she can now call Alecia via Skype on the iPad but only in the afternoons when it is 6am in Somalia and Alecia has a few minutes before catching the bus to the refugee camp.

The CO-PILOT went ten pin bowling with Chris and Regelyn while I travelled to Fairfield to discuss a possible house sit for three months commencing end of March next year. After dinner we drove around the burbs looking for houses with outrageously large Christmas light displays. It was a probably a little early in the month for many houses to be lit up. At one house I fully expected to see Chevy Chase standing on the front lawn. By 9.30 pm we said our goodbyes and Happy Christmas to Chris n Regelyn

Regely, Chris and Donnis as we prepare to say our goodbye's.

and drove back to Yatala in heavy rain. Once again the GPS kept us on track and we were soon tucked up in our cosy cocoon and drifting off to sleep to the sound of rain.

Thursday 8^th December

YeeHar and Whacko the Didlio.

We have made progress today.

But first…

The day started out grey, wet and cool. A gauze like haze hung in the distance whichever way we looked.

We hooked up TERIOS in the rain and were on the road by 9.30am. Once we crossed the NSW border our mobile phone clocks jumped ahead an hour and the Bruce Highway became the Pacific Highway and the north coast of NSW beaches beckoned.

This area has had a lot of rain over the last couple of weeks. The creeks are all flowing swiftly and the fields of sugar cane and other crops are all standing in water. Water is puddled everywhere we look.

We stopped near Wardell at a roadside Rest Area to make lunch. The area had about a dozen chooks and roosters , living, we understand from talking with other travellers, on the scraps and handouts given by travellers.

The traffic noise was tolerable only as far as eating lunch was concerned. No way could we stay here overnight.  I had planned to stop at freedom campsites or Rest Area’s listed in our Camps 3 and Wanderers Mate books.

Sheesh.

The CO-PILOT called Alecia via Skype and got through after several attempts. Communications in that part of the world is a bit iffy.

We checked out several Rest Area’s including those at Woodburn and New Italy. All were beside the highway and therefore traffic noise would be a problem and there were no dump points to empty our cassette toilet. We were approaching Maclean and I was prepared to stop at a caravan park for the night when we saw a sign to Iluka and as neither of us has been there before turned off the highway and followed the signs. On the way we saw another sign to the NSW National Park at Woody Head and decided that was for us. We were surprised the fee was a $7 admission for the vehicle and $14 each to stay the night which would work out dearer than a caravan park but with no power, water or garbage service. However the location was just special and as we had driven this far and I wanted stop, we um err stopped. The lady at the NP office waived the $7 fee as I am a pensioner. She also suggested we apply for a parks pass which is free to pensioners and will give us free admission to all NSW parks except Kosciosko.

Our site, within sight of the water at the National Parks camp at Woody Head, northern NSW.

Once the decision was made to stay we set up in our campsite, the sun came out, most of the clouds rolled away and the remainder of the afternoon was spent at the beach.

We watched this rock fisherman pushing his luck to the limits with big waves breaking on the rocks in front, beside and behind him.

Waves were beginning to look a little serious to us and no doubt to the rock fishermen.

You can see the tip of the fisherman's rod protruding above the waves. After we took this photo he decided discretion was the better part of valour and beat a hasty retreat to higher rocks and safety. We noticed a few people walk over and talk with him about his close call.

Donnis playing in the foam created by the pounding waves over the rocks.

We would both like to spend a few days here but at $28 a day is too expensive. It does highlight that we may have problems finding accommodation as we travel south. Caravan parks are likely to be booked out due to the school holidays.

Yamba as seen from the rocks at Woody Head.

Friday 9^th December.

Queensland schools close today and according to the NP lady the campground is booked out for the rest of summer. In fact even after school holidays the park is booked out every weekend all year round.

Re-joining the Pacific Highway we drove into Grafton where we crossed the dog legged bridge over the Clarence River.

The old, tired and dog legged bridge over the Clarence River at Grafton. Barely wide enough for two lanes of traffic it certainly felt a bit hair raising manouvering 13 metres of vehicle around those bends.

With both black and grey water tanks emptied and full fresh water tanks and few groceries on-board we continued south towards  Woolgoolga but took a left hand turn before reaching the town, “just to see where the road would lead”. We ended up at a place called Mullaway Beach where we decided to stay for the night on the dunes overlooking the wave and wind swept beach.

We camped across the street from this photo on level ground and closer to the beach, the wind and the constant roaring surf.

The view of Mullaway Beach from our kitchen window.

Across from WWWGO was a man sleeping beside his car on the grass. Near him was a white Angora rabbit with about 7 kittens. They all waited patiently under the shade of the car for the man to wake and resume their journey.

Mans best friends...Rabbits!

About two hours later they were gone.

We met this thorny fellow at the beginning of the cliff top walk.

Coffs Harbour council have built a wonderful cliff edge walk which meanders into a boardwalk through sub-tropical jungle to South Mullaway Beach.

Woolgoolga as seen from South Mullaway Beach.

We enjoyed the walk and the vista along the coastline. Woolgoolga can be seen in the distance.

Ti Tree Forest walk at Mullaway Beach.

Another visitor at Mullaway Beach.

Remains of very large Puffer Fish at Mullaway Beach.

We dined on stir fried veggies and chilli Tofu while serenaded by the sound of the constantly crashing waves. In fact we fell asleep to the oceans eternal music.

This piece of driftwood looks like a poodle. What type of dog does it look like to you?

Tonight, when about to boil the kettle, we ran out of gas (LPG). The last time we filled an LPG cylinder was 23^rd August. That’s pretty good economy for a 9Kg cylinder. We use it for cooking at least twice a day and while on the road it also runs the refrigerator when are parked without shore power (240 volts).

Saturday 10^th December

Today was a good day.

Today was a not so good day.

After leaving Mullaway Beach and driving into increasingly heavy rain we drove into Sawtell for a look see and were impressed by the community.

Main street Sawtell.

We could stay here a few days or even weeks but we can only camp at a caravan park and they are waaaaay too expensive, especially at this time of year.

Next we travelled to Nambucca Heads where we lunched at a place called Swimming Beach Creek and afterwards took a walk along the beach. I was intrigued by the geology of the cliffs and the layers of different material which seems to have been laid down over a long period of time and then at some stage pushed up and tilted on its side.

Enlarge and look closely for the striations of different material laid down over millenia.

Some Google research is in order.

I am fascinated by Pandanus wherever they might be.

That’s the good part. Finding a camp spot for the night was the not so good stuff.

We decided to drive to Macksville then turned off the highway and travel a pretty (with steep hills and lots bends) valley to a place called Taylors Arm where reportedly it was THE PUB which was the one which inspired Gordon Parsons to pen the song A Pub With No Beer which most famous recording was made by Slim Dusty in 1959.   www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/slim_dusty/a_pub_with_no_beer.html

This is THE Pub With No Beer.

Incidentally Slim Dusty lived in the Kempsey area, not far from Taylors Arms. Have a look at    www.pubwithnobeer.com.au/barry.html

Pub With No Beer words by Gordon Parsons and made famous by Slim Dusty. Both now deceased.

We had planned to camp here as it was advertised in our book as motorhome friendly with showers and toilets for a gold coin donation.

Hmmm! The campsite was across the street at the cricket oval and a game was in progress. The grounds were all soggy from the rain and the only dry part where we could drive through had trees with low hanging branches. In drier conditions it would have been nice to stay and soak up some of the local historical ambience. We had a beer at the pub, looked at all the historical photos and newspaper cuttings then elected to drive back to Macksville and look for a place to spend the night.

A church was relocated from away in the valley to the pub. The walls of the church are lined with beer cans.

Hmmm. Every Rest Area we visited along the highway, from Macksville to Kempsey had No Camping signs or too close to the highway . We tried to stay at the Kempsey Showgrounds but they are closed. After looking at and rejecting a nearby van park and finding Crescent Head van park was $36 a night we parked in a car park at the back of the Showgrounds beside the football fields. The spot is a bit isolated and apart from a group of teenagers who walked past on their way to wherever, we were not disturbed and had a peaceful sleep.

Sunday 11^th December

The day dawned bright and sunny. On the suggestion of brother Allan and friend Tony J we backtracked 26 Klms to Hat Head for a day visit.

Pig Face on the beach at Hat Head.

Lovely spot and the day area is within a caravan park. The town is worthy of a longer visit but at $42 per night for the caravan park would have to wait for the low season before we could stay there. Even in the low season the fee is $26 per night. We had lunch and a look around then down to the beach for a bit of a surf.

Dog seen on the beach at Hat Head.

Ummm. In reality only the CO-PILOT went in the water and it was more of a dump than a surf.

A photographer was trying to photograph this pregnant woman draped in cloth which blowing the wind. at Hat Head beach.

Footbridge at Hat Head.

We kept a close eye on a big black storm which was building up somewhere to the northwest.

Storm brewing beyond Hat Head beach.

We decide to bake a chicken and a pudding and when they were near done, turned off the gas, packed up WWWGO and drove back to our spot behind the showgrounds and beside the football fields to spend another night. The storm finally broke on us as we were eating dinner and the rain bucketed down and was so loud the TV volume could not keep up.

Another quiet night on the carpark.

Escape Day!

Simple huh! Just load the vehicles and go. No problems. No worries. No impediments.

NO.

Let’s start at the beginning.

Woke at 6am and some quick mental arithmetic told me we would not be on the road by 7am. As it was we got out the front gates at 9.02 am. Yay.

Except.

The CO-PILOT had an appointment with her nursing agency and sort of forgot to tell me.

So.

We arranged to drive separately and meet at Bakers Creek south of Mackay where would hook up TERIOS and get on the road. The target was a long day of 466 Klms to reach Calliope River for an overnight stop. I had a few back up plans to stop at St.Lawrence or Waverley Creek or Woolwash Lagoon near Rockhampton.

Finally met at Bakers Creek and after a coffee hitched up TERIOS and away we go.

Hmmm! WWWGO seems to be a bit underpowered. About 1 Klm down the road I noticed the frightening injector light was glowing. Uh.Oh! Not good. I called Iveco at Mackay and they agreed if I could drive there they would run a computer scan. Halfway back to Mackay, the penny dropped. The TERIOS handbrake was still ON. That explains the lack of power but not the injector light. When I got to TERIOS the smell of burned brakes was a bit strong.

Pulled into the Iveco workshop, unhitched TERIOS and true to their word they ran a computer scan. Hmmm! The handbrake did show as a fault but all clear now.

We drove separately to Sandy Creek and re-hitched and away we go again. Uh. Oh! The dreaded light is on again and when I pulled up the brake light on WWWGO was on.

Grrr!

I decided to ignore the lights and pressed on. After another 40 Klms the injector light went out. On arrival at our lunch stop at Clairview

What a great spot for lunch beside the first view of the sea along this stretch of coastline...CLAIRVIEW.

I noticed WWWGO brake light was also off.

After a delightful lunch beside the sea, in the shade with a cool breeze we were on the road again with the intention of making Woolwash Lagoon by 5pm. At 5.15 and in peak hour traffic  I missed the turnoff in Rockhampton and after a bit of hesitation decided to drive to Calliope River. First we stopped for fuel at a Truck Stop called Marmor where we also had a shower (imagine a couple of old farts like us having a shower at a truck stop! It is all part of the adventure) and a hamburger for dinner.

We arrived at Calliope River just on 8pm very tired and ready for bed.

We found this spot overlooking the Calliope River in the dark.

This is a wonderful freedom campsite maintained by the local council.

I sure hope tomorrow is a bit easier.

Tuesday 29^thNovember.

Looking upriver at Calliope River.

WWWGO campsite reflected in the Calliope River. Photo taken from the old bridge which formed part of the original Bruce Highway. The bridge is now closed to all but foot traffic.

We both slept straight through the night, sleeping the sleep of the innocents. I was awake by 5.30am but we took a leisurely attitude to getting on the road and we left by 8.30am.  There were no extra or warning lights shining when we pulled away. I should mention that even with towing TERIOS  and with having the air con on at all times, WWWGO is still averaging around 16 litres per 100 klms. Today was a different story. With all the road works, hills and stopping and starting the fuel consumption at fill up was 18.2 litres per 100 Klm. The fuel price here was $1.57.9 cents per litre, the dearest we have encountered since last year.

Nearing the town of Tiaro, I decided to stop for lunch. The other reason for stopping were the signs as we neared the town. Trays of mangoes for $10 and a kilo of cherries for $5. There were extensive roadworks on the approach to town and there, beside the road next to the cemetery, was a truck selling the cheap fruit. There was no way to get out of the long line of traffic created by the roadworks. After lunch we pushed on to our overnight stop at Kandanga, in the beautiful Mary Valley, near Gympie. We last stayed here at the end of March when we first left Traveston. After a swim in the pool across the street and a hot shower we were once again ready for bed after an early dinner.

Wednesday 30^th November

We were away from Traveston by 9am and drove the Bruce Highway to Forrest Glenn to have WWWGO assessed for some work.

Hmmm! Yes they can do the work and solve the cracked fibreglass issue but cannot fit us in until 14^th December. We cannot wait that long so thanked them for their time.

Around the corner from the repair works we found a Natural Food Company

Photo taken with my mobile phone.

and spent a half hour wandering around the huge barn like building looking at the products they had on sale, including fresh organic fruit and vegetables.

Next stop was Hi-Way 1, truck repairs. They are Iveco specialists and I wanted them to repair the horn which does not work, the cigarette lighter which does not work and the two way radio which is not connected to the ignition switch.

Those items are now sorted and we drove to Noosaville for a couple of nights visit with sister Enid and her husband Ken.

During the night I developed another nose bleed and the flashing lights in my eye, which developed on Monday has not gone away.

Hmmm! A visit to the doctor is in order tomorrow.

Thursday 1^st December

Went to the doc in the morning with a long list of medical problems. Well, not a long list. Actually, just three items.

The nose bleeds. Despite previous advice from other doctors, the close to the surface capillaries can be cauterised with silver nitrate to stop further nose bleeds. OK. That was done in the surgery quickly and with as much discomfort as I was warned there would be. The discomfort continued off and on all day.

The light flashes in my right eye. I have not mentioned them before. Long story short I was sent on to an optometrist and after lots of examination pronounced OK for my age and the suspected retinal delamination was not evident. However age activated flaking of the retina was occurring and is worthy of regular check-ups. As well, my spectacles are several years old and a couple of new pairs are now on order. The optometrists at OPSM have arranged for the specs to be picked up when we arrive in Sydney at their Miranda Fair store.

I have not mentioned the lump and occasional pain in my left chest either. An x-ray was carried out and further tests are planned tomorrow.

Sigh.

I suppose it is a good thing to be on the Sunshine Coast where medical services are delivered quickly and cheaply.

A southerly change came through this afternoon bringing strong wind gusts and light rain accompanied by a temperature drop.

Friday 2^nd December

It was an overcast, windy and cool day. Not something we are used to.

Woke with a great deal of pain in my chest. Any movement just sends waves of pain through the chest. However in my mind I believe it is more a muscle problem associated with a pinched nerve, perhaps in my neck.

The x-ray people did discover some sort of darkness (mild prominence of the hilar bilaterally) which they feel warrants further checking with a CT scan. The doc and I agree we should get the scan done. In the meantime she feels the pain is associated with a pinched nerve and muscle inflammation. The CT scan cannot be done until Monday so she has prescribed some anti-inflammatory medication as an aid in providing relief. The tablet took several hours to kick in but taken regularly each day should see me pain free.

The wind increased during the day while the temperature fell. I did not try to get on the roof of WWWGO to replace the broken hatch over the bathroom. We will have to wait for a less windy and less painful day to tackle this task.

Saturday 3^rd December

Today I took the CO-PILOT to the Eumundi Markets

A small part of the Eumundi Markets.

because she has not been there before and this could be our last opportunity for a long time. Although I normally do not like markets but have visited these markets before, I do not have a problem visiting them again. The CO-PILOT really enjoyed her visit

The co-pilt enjoyed her visit to the Eumundi Markets.

and like many other conversations we overheard, she said similar things. “These markets go on and on and on”, “there are so many stalls”, “there is such a variety of food”, “there are people everywhere”.

It was all true.

There was Indian, Mexican,

Mexican food stall.

Dutch, German,

Malaysian, Chinese, Japanese,

Tibetan and other food I cannot even recall. Of course things such as baked spuds,bagels,

ice cream, yoghurt, chips, snow cones, curly potato on a stick, pancakes, profiteroles, potato pancakes, coffee vendors, perogees, home style ginger beer and oh my mind is spinning.

Hmmm! Now that is strange. We did not see a Fairy Floss vendor anywhere.

Apart from the food I enjoyed looking at the photographic and realistic art on show and sale.

In the afternoon the CO-PILOT and Enid went to a Tea House and had a high tea of unusual  flavoured teas. I just like a tea that tastes like tea thank you very much.

All four of us went to Chutney Mary’s Indian Restaurant for dinner. However the restaurant has built up a strong clientele has a good reputation and now calls themselves the Raj Indian Restaurant. (http://www.rajindianrestaurant.com.au/ ) They have a traditional charcoal tandoor oven and make the best Tandoori Chicken. It’s finger lickin’ good.

Sunday 4^th December

Although we left early for Noosa Beach,

Our delightful shaded spot at Noosa Beach at a place called The Woods, well away from the overcrowded main Noosa Beach.

9.30 is not really early and parking was difficult to find. We managed to get to the beach in brilliant hot sunshine and had a good hour

The co-pilot was first into the water.

surfing and being bashed around by the waves.

Enid choosing the best surf spot.

Ken is focused on his launch site.

We just loved it then returned home for an early barbecue lunch

Ken cooking up a huge lunch for 4 people. Would you believe only one sausage and one potato were left? Hmmm! Surfing sure works up an appetite.

before Ken left for Bundaberg to visit his son.

Enid n Ken

After such a wonderful time at the beach it is going to be difficult leaving here in a day or two.

This afternoon we decanted the remaining Cumquat Brandy which has been fermenting for 6 months. We filled two 750 Ml bottles. On this decant we also squeezed the cumquat fruit to gather the remaining fruity liquor pulp. Although some pulp is in the brandy it has added to the flavour and smoothness of the liquor.

In the late afternoon Enid, Donnis n I took a walk to Weyba Creek Footbridge.

On the way to Weyba Creek we encountered a colony of Flying Foxes / Bats who were just waking up in readiness to fly away for their evening hunt for food.

Enid n Donnis on the Weyba Creek footbridge.

On our way home a couple of noisy Noisy Miners chicks caught our attention. (Click to enlarge)

“Monday, Monday, So good to me”. So go the words of the famous Mamas and Poppas song written by Wilson Phillips.

Except, it was another hot working day not so good to me. The only good part is, it is one day closer to leaving.

Another day of painting and other associated house renovation jobs. The project is looking good even if I do say so myself. I think we are just about finished but the reality is we keep finding things not yet completed, not yet started or not yet thought about.

Have I mentioned in the last two weeks I have had enough?

Tuesday 22nd November

I suppose the heat and humidity and the seemingly never ending work is beginning to test our patience with each other. We seem to disagree over small items. I can imagine how the contestants in the TV series “THE BLOCK” felt after a few weeks of working all day and into the night with little time for a break. Add to the mix my insistence that we are leaving on 28^th November and we have a deadline to contend with.

We took time off to have lunch with Kelly and Jason with newborn son Cooper. We dined at the Northern Beaches Bowls Club at Eimeo and were once again surprised by the quality of the food, even the food in the hot boxes.

It rained just on dark while the CO-PILOT was painting eaves and gutters. She was sheltered from the rain so kept on painting. The rain did not last long and was more of a distraction and a nuisance than helpful rain. The rain lasted about 20 minutes.

Wednesday 23^rd November

Last night’s rain contributed to the high humidity levels we faced today. By 6 am the level was 85% and midday saw the rate increase to 95% but no rain.

Thursday 24th November

I took some time off while the CO-PILOT continued to paint and clean. The time off was really things that needed to be done anyway. I drove to Slade Point to collect a cigarette lighter fitting from Len F. The cigarette lighter in WWWGO has never worked and the replacement I bought will not fit the opening. Len took parts from the old and new fitting and made a new workable item. As I will be running a GPS and a Black Box Video camera at the same time it is imperative the fitting works correctly. After my visit with Len it was off to do battle with CentreLink to apply to have my pension re-instated. Geez they have frustration inducing methods which really work well. I left frustrated with business still incomplete, requiring a return visit in the afternoon.

SIGH!

I went to a tent maker to collect the side awnings they made for me then into Caneland Central  to have a prescription filled and while waiting I had a coffee and a scone and sat at a table overlooking the Pioneer River.  It was good to have a few hours away from the project and to have some alone time.

Friday 25th November

Not Happy today.

Went to install a cigarette lighter in the dash of WWWGO as the old one was too short to hold either the GPS or the Black Box plugs.

Hmmm.

Once fitted it holds the devices OK but there was no power coming into the fitting. Len F came over to help but first we needed a testing device but it had a faulty positive wire so he rewired and soldered the wire and probe. Testing continued apace but the cigarette lighter never got installed.

Our gas stove has an electric ignition switch. The switch failed today.

Grrrr!

I gave up and went back to painting. Will find an auto electrician somewhere along the highway.

Only another three sleeps until we start travelling south along the Bruce Highway as we sail off into the sunrise on the next chapter of our adventures.

Saturday 26^th November

Woke early and drove the CO-PILOT to work at Mirani

After I dropped Donnis at the nursing home this Falcon swooped and caught a mouse from the grassy roadside verge and flew to the top of the power pole to eat it. It was a bit hard to photograph and it became agisited and flew off before I could get some decent close ups.

while I continued on to the horse stud at Finch Hatton and a visit with daughter, Melissa.

In the evening we walked to the local bowls club for dinner. On the walk home and just as we approached the bridge over the Gooseponds, I developed a nose bleed. Just like that. Out of the blue (or in this case the black of night) We stood on the bridge waiting for the bleed to stop but each time I released the pressure on the bridge of my nose, blood would start spurting again.

Uh. Oh!

I have never had a nose bleed where blood pumps out. It usually just drips. We walked back to the house and I sat in a chair while the CO-PILOT administered a cold pack on the back of my neck and washed blood off my hands and face. The nose still spurted. Long story short, it took an hour to stop the bleed by which time I also had a headache and felt drowsy tired.

Sunday 27^th November

Woke at 5am when the CO-PILOT alarm went off. Her last day of work (for the time being at least) WTF! I slept all night propped up by pillows. At least there was no more nose bleed during the night.

It was a very hot day with little or no breeze but high humidity levels.

I worked on finishing touches and cleaning inside the house. All the empty paint tins and accumulated bits n pieces were either binned or put in a box for Francie to use.

Also some cleaning and packing work on WWWGO. When the CO-PILOT arrived home we both started packing and more finishing touches were carried out on the house. We discussed leaving in the morning.

We will not set the alarm but if we wake early, as we mostly do, we will finish packing and try to get on the road by 7am before the mad rush hours and have breakfast along the highway. If not we will breakfast one last time here, wash up and wait until 9am to leave.

We shall see which option pans out.

This time next post should see us on the Sunshine Coast.

See you then.

Painting gives me a sense of “get me outta here”.

It is boring.

The only enjoyment is when it is all over and you can look back and say “I did that”.

Today the biggest event of the day was the walk around the GP observing my fellow walkers/runners. Some are regulars and I see them every morning. Some smile and say “gidday” or “good morning” and I feel they mean it. They look happy and comfortable within themselves. Then there are the runners, intent upon their running and oblivious to everybody around them. They wear their iPod ear pieces and as they bounce along their eyes suddenly look down or sideways, anywhere but at you. They do this so they do not have to acknowledge you are there. Yeah. I know. It’s a pain saying “good morning” to everybody, sometimes twice but I only encounter about 25 people at the max, so saying “good morning” is no hardship. There is one tall thin woman who turns her whole head to avoid acknowledging other people. She is tall and stooped at the shoulders and she has a beaked nose. I imagined her as a South American bird of prey, the Condor.

See? I toldja painting was boring. I get my enjoyment out of watching other people.

Sigh!

We will not be here much longer. Another two weeks at most – unless someone puts a “Spaniard in the Works”. If you do not know what that means, have a look at, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Spaniard_in_the_Works

Tuesday 15^th November.

Another day, much like any other. these last couple of weeks. I walked the GP and painted.

Wednesday 16^th

I was up and walking the GP a half hour earlier than normal.

Earlier this year, around March, I mentioned I was going on a diet. It is a low carb diet. Not a no carbs diet, just low carbs. There are days when I slip into old ways and have some potato. For the most part the diet was reduce intake of potato, rice, pasta, bread, biscuits, pastries, pies, crackers, potato chips, corn chips and so on. Things like corn, pumpkin, carrots, are also carbs. Sugar, is converted to carbs. What the body cannot use it stores – as fat. My weight has been reducing slowly, as planned and as the CO-PILOT has recently finished her diet, she has also slipped backwards, so both our weights remain pretty constant. I have used some features of her diet such as small serving of protein and one vegetable, preferably leafy green. I also increased my salad intake and often had a fruit salad for lunch. Although high in sugar it is also high in fibre. Anyway to cut to the chase…today…Ta Da…I broke the 70Kg barrier. My weight which has hovered around 71, 72 Kgs for weeks has reduced steadily each day until this morning it was 69.8Kg. My trade mark “belly” is reducing in size and already my trousers and shorts no longer fit. According to sources my weight should be between 58 to 72 Kg.

Hmmm. Perhaps I can afford to lose just a little more weight?

Tonight we dined with my sister Sandra and her man, Dave at their favourite Indian restaurant in Mackay. The food was good but I suspect I will pay for eating it. Pay for it in the sense that my stomach will grumble and growl in protest at the richness and all those carbs. We also said our goodbyes for the second time in a year.

Thursday 17^th November.

Woke at 4am with my stomach growling, and music going around in my head. ( I have had the iPod playing on loop while we work during the day and when I walk around the GP. One of the songs I really enjoy, but not on continuous loop in my mind at 4am, is Neil Murray’s “There’s Good Light in Broome … http://www.neilmurray.com.au/pages/lyrics_the_wondering_kind.html OR  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLQB0EzE50w ) I was also dreaming of painting.

Soooo. I sat in the house carport, in the dark, checking emails, reading blogs and listened to the drizzle of a light shower and waited until the dawn arrived.

As the first smudge of colour arrived in the eastern sky the birds woke up, calling to each other as they greet the new day.

Another tiring day, cleaning, painting, repairing, wiring, plumbing and everything else involved in doing a renovation on an old house I have had it up to the eyeballs. Please do not let me ever try to buy an old house and “do it up”.

Apart from the work the noise in the suburb is quite aggravating. The noisiest cars and motorcycles treat this street as a dragway and or speedway. As well we are on the flight path to the Mackay airport. Less than two weeks before we leave.

I received a 240 volt electric shock tonight. The CO-PILOT was replacing a blown lightbulb in the house and came to me to show me how the globe had become detached from the base. After checking the power was off I grabbed a pair of long nose pliers with the intention of slowly twisting out the brass lightbulb base. With one hand clutching the pliers ready to grab the base, I reached out to hold the lightfitting cowling to steady it. Once I touched the cowling I received a heavy dose of electrical shock. It scared me and left my left arm and hand numb for some time afterwards.

Hmmm! I am guessing the fitting is incorrectly wired as although the power is off, it seems the metal of the cowling is still “live”.  It probably explains why the bulb broke away from the base as the glue has become “cooked” as has the screw in fitting itself. The entire fitting will need to be replaced and professionally fitted.

Friday 18^th November

Just a tidy up day today. Painting has been put on hold. The Real estate lady came around to take photos in preparation for listing the house for rental. At 3pm …I know I know, that is when school lets out and traffic would be horrendous, it was … we left the house for a weekend away in WWWGO. We were off to join our friends from the Campervan and Motorhome Club of Australia, Mackay Sugarloafers Chapter annual Christmas Dinner at the Retreat Hotel near Nebo,

At the free campground at the Retreat Hotel.

about 90 Klms from Mackay. We arrived late in the afternoon and set up camp and socialised with friends.

In September 2010 when we last travelled this road, I commented on the number of signs marking where accidents occurred beside the road.  It seems there are more signs this year in line with huge volumes of traffic caused by the opening of many new coal mines in the Bowen Basin. Much of the workforce is now classed as FIFO – Fly In Fly Out. The workforce is usually bussed to Mackay at the end of their rostered days on. Many of course live in Mackay and choose to drive themselves and this is where the troubles begin. After completing a 12 hour shift after up to seven days straight, many workers jump in their cars and drive to Mackay, in some cases two and a half hours away. Instead of showering and getting some sleep they drive tired. Add to the mix where many stop for a “couple of beers”, add darkness and a heavy foot as well as using a mobile phone. Add also the unpredictability of cattle and kangaroos suddenly jumping onto the road and it soon becomes apparent why there are so many accidents on this one stretch of road with the highest number of accidents.

Saturday 19^th November

A great day of talking, socialising, helping other members with their computer problems and being helped with my electrical problems. . The co-pilot and I walked barefoot along the sandy Denison Creek and relaxed in the coolness away from the heat just above the high creek banks. Christmas dinner at the Retreat Hotel near Nebo was the worst we have ever encountered. Not worth the $25 a head the hotel was charging. I think the chapter will be looking at a new venue next year. For some reason I was struggling to stay awake despite the efforts of tuneless, talentless revellers a few metres from my bed. I fell asleep within minutes of my head hitting the pillow.

Sunday 20^th November

After the monthly meeting and a long morning tea and socialising and saying our goodbyes again we left the Retreat to head back to North Mackay. Along the way we stopped at Palmyra Go Kart Track to see the last race of the State Titles and to catch up with sister Sandra and Dave. Then a trip to visit daughter, Averyl to end a relaxing but tiring weekend.

A break away from working on the house was most welcome.

We also blew our diets this weekend where we ate not only too much but ate all the things we do not normally eat. It was all for a good cause – catching up with old friends.

Tomorrow I start painting again.

Tomorrow we start our diets again.

No photos’ this week because we have been painting and no time off for good behaviour.

Up at 5.45am and a brisk walk around the GP. The walk is again becoming a regular feature of my day and the Bursitis is reasonably under control. At this time of day, on a Monday, the beginning of the working week I could see, hear and smell the city coming to life.

The duck lady at the GP was walking along the edge of the water carrying her load of feed for the geese, ducks, grebes and whatever else decides to feed on the goodies she supplies. There was a procession of water birds strung out behind her, waddling, swimming or flying to her chosen feeding spot.

Another interesting sight is the lady who takes her dog for a walk in a pram! So the dog is perambulating rather than walking.

I collected Errol from the airport at 10.30 and although he has been awake since 4am he was quickly involved in painting ceilings in the house. If we can keep up this rate of progress we should have all the painting completed by the weekend.

Tuesday 8^th November

Another long day of preparation and painting. Good progress was made. We drove to the airport and collected the CO-PILOT then we went to Souths Leagues Club for dinner. I know, I know, I said we would never eat there again. Once again they stuffed us up. The Two for One Tuesday deals now only applies to club members. By then we had queued to get into the dining room then queued to order our meal. We could have joined the club for $2.50 each but it would mean relinquishing our position at the order counter, go to the front desk, complete membership applications then line up again. Member meals are cheaper by $2 and all drinks are discounted to members.

Wednesday 9^th November

More painting and all rooms and ceilings have at least one coat, some two and some even have three coats. All the doorways need the gloss trim to be painted as well as the kick boards at floor level. Masking tape is in place ready for tomorrow.

Tonight we dined at North Mackay Bowls Club. The CO-PILOT and I paid $2.20 each to become members until the end of December.

I have previously mentioned any plans we make are set in jelly. We plan to leave by the end of the month and things are shaping up that we will. I will not disclose an exact date until we are sure we are leaving.

Thursday 10^th November

How much more boring can I be??? We are still painting. Painting white over dark colours such as red and purple needs 763 (do I exaggerate?) coats to hide the colour underneath.

SIGH!

Do I have anything else to report? Apart from the fact the CO-PILOT was offered an agency nursing job for 5 weeks at a 10 bed hospital at Dirranbandi in western Queensland. The job starts 19^th December. Of course we said yes.

Somebody via another agency said yes faster than we did and the job is gone.

SIGH!

Remember, our plans are set in jelly so another opportunity will come along.

Sometime.

Friday 11^th November.

Armistice Day and at 11am we were painting and forgot to observe a minute silence.

Saturday 12^th November.

We dropped Errol off at Mackay Airport, drove to daughter Averyl’s house, collected VIRAGO and rode it to niece Kelly’s where it will stay until it can be sold. Then it was back to the house where we spent the day painting the ceiling and walls.

Sigh! Will this job ever end?

Sunday 13^th November

I apologise dear reader. The boring painting in North Mackay is coming to an end. Today I commenced painting gloss coats on the window frames and installed four sets of venetian blinds. They look pretty good, even if I do say so myself.

Also coming to an end is our sojourn in this area. The next two weeks will be a busy time for us with a round of lunches and dinners and coffee meetings before we leave.

I am feeling the anticipation building within me and just like when we left Airlie Beach last year, the leaving will end up being an anti-climax.

In the meantime there is still some painting to be completed