Week 446 - Lowood, Queensland

This week's blog comes from Lowood. We are stationary on the front lawn at my sister's place, enduring 40 degree heat and strong winds. The week has been punctuated by a trip over to Casino to show the pommie aunts around and return via Byron Bay.

Byron Bay was packed to the rafters and was a bit ugly. Zero parking and food outlets were doing a roaring trade on junk food. Parking was $4 an hour, lighthouse $8 and not the best beach to show the poms.

Lily May - Lily May just four months old enjoys
 her Naming Ceremony (Horror's sister's granddaughter) 

Margaret Florence Rachael Rush - 
Mum has had an eventful life and not an easy one. 

Sisters - Left to Right - Liz, Gilly, Mum, Barbara 

Last Saturday was all about Lilly May, my sister's grand daughter. The family reunited at a family gathering with several generations attending the naming ceremony. Lilly May the youngest at 4 months and my mum, the oldest at 82. Typical family fun, a water hose on a hot day and football with Rusti the dog in the afternoon. A good day was had by all.

Southbank - Thanks Gilly for photo

A photograph by Jo - Jo had a girls day out in the City. 
Visited the big wheel and attempted this 
photograph of one of the high rises in the city. 

Brisbane has changed dramatically over the last 10 to 15 years. The house I bought back in 1990 for $100 000 is now up for sale for $1.3 to $1.7 million and is currently rented at $1500 a week. A perfect example of how the rich get richer and the poor people do have a chance to progress.

52 Stuart Street - I first bought this house in 1990 
for $101 000, it is now valued at $1.7 million and 
can be rented for $1500 a week. 
How times have changed. 

Your's for $1.7 million - Our old house in Stuart Street
 has had a lot of work done to it. The big tree at the front 
of the house, was planted on Horror's 40th birthday. 

So the pommie aunts have been in Australia for three weeks and will leave on Wednesday. How time flies.

Week 445 - Hervey Bay, Queensland

The two aunts jumped into our trusty Suzuki to drive up to Hervey Bay, taking a pommie 6 hours to do 350 kms. They settled into Bruce and Di's bed and breakfast for a four day look and see around Hervey Bay. Whale watching was booked for Monday. The weather was almost perfect with just a slight breeze for our afternoon of sight seeing on the bay.

868 metres - Urangan Pier is made of wood 
and more wood on stumps and more stumps.

Humpback - The Humpback uses his eyes to
see what is coming 

Humpback breaching 

Migrating whales - On our sightseeing trip at 
Hervey Bay, we probably saw 50 or so whales, 
but trying to capture them on camera, 
was almost impossible. 

The whales were in abundance and for a couple of hours, we had a dozen or so whale pods to keep us entertained. The photography was not easy but after a few whale breaches, fin slaps and tail wagging, I managed to work out their next move and pointed the camera in the direction of expected action. My photographic logic turned out to be partially successful and my tip to future whale watchers, is to put your camera on video for half an hour, then edit shots out of the video.

Nature at its best - A sunset over a perfect day 
whale watching. 

So as we cruised back to the mainland, the sun began its descent and set in the west with all the glory that our mother planet could offer.

Our plans changed for the week and we decided to drive our motorhome, toad and two aunts back to Lowood for a surprise visit to my mum. My mum being very ill, has improved slightly, but refuses to co-operate with doctors, nurses and specialists and is quite happy to leave the worrying to my poor sister Liz and her daughter Emily. She doesn't eat and drinks very little - a recipe for disaster.

Rusti - Rusti the dog poses for the camera, 
like a professional and nicely groomed

However, the sunshine of our lives is the beauty of Rusti the dog and she knows it.

Week 444 - Bundaberg, Queensland

We have spent three weeks at Mum's with not too much to report. So this week I will reflect on our travels so far.

I'm not bored - Rusti likes to share Nutrigrain 
with me every morning but she never shares
her dog food with me

We bought our vehicle August 2008 and eventally left Bushy's country retreat in March 2009 and headed off on our adventure around Australia. Initially we were green (not literally) and totally new to motorhoming, but we soon learnt the tricks of the trade from the many travellers that we befriended in our tracks.

Reminiscing - Our first week on the road 

We started writing our blog the day we left Brisbane and have managed to keep it up weekly ever since with just a few gaps whilst we took holidays in China and setting up the house in Casino.

We have always travelled with a loose plan, not looking too far ahead and winging it as we go. The formula we have adopted has worked out fine with no regrets. The motorhome has performed magnificently in all departments. The only things that have let us down is wear and tear of the vehicle, which is just a matter of replacing worn bits and pieces and general housekeeping.

All dressed up but nowhere to go. 
With all our years of hashing, we are 
experienced fancy dressers. 

Me - I type and prepare the blog every week 

We have managed to stick to our forecasted budgets and live frugally with enough money allocated for beer, wine and entertainment. We have basically travelled all across Australia and criss-crossed the states. Way back, somebody asked us our top 10 places but that is impossible to say as we have come across some magnificent countryside, rivers, dams and lakes. We have traversed mountain ranges, deserts and plains, which have all added to our experience so far.

Wanger/Jo President of the Highway 
Wanderers, but not for long 

Our loose plan for the future is to head over to Western Australia for a duration of 18 months plus and then slowly wind our way back to Casino, New South Wales and then and only then will we determine what next!!

Growing up fast with attitude plus 

And of course, I cannot finish a blog without mentioning our new family member, Rusti the dog. If any of you have seen the movie, The Mask with Jim Carrie, he had a dog called Milo and Rusti's characteristics remind me of that Mutt. God help us if Rusti finds a (green) mask! And you all know what happens when I put the green paint on - On On Horror and Wanger.

Week 443 - Bundaberg, Queensland

So we are treading water in Bundaberg. More than enough time to recharge our batteries and restock the fridge.

Surprise - Mum being virtually blind and partially 

deaf, almost missed her surprise. 

I drove down to Brisbane Airport to pick up two aunts who had flown in to give my mum a surprise visit. Aunts and luggage in the trusted suzuki, we headed off to Lowood to my unsuspecting mother's house. She had no idea we were coming, so as we rang the Avon door bell, she didn't suspect a thing. Mum being blind couldn't recognise the three figures in front of her until they spoke. It was a lovely reunion of the sisters. Low and behold, she didn't recognise me at all.

Pacific Dawn - The Pacific Dawn is still chugging to 
and from the Pacific Islands, Noumea, Vanuatu etc, 
giving ordinary city folk the chance to experience a cruise

The Woolshed - Not so much wool is stored in these sheds 
now, the building has been converted to apartments, 
just like the rest of the river side buildings.

The Goodwill Bridge - Not so much goodwill being
put into the old Forceful. If they are not careful, 
they will have to melt down this lovely tug and 
make a bridge out of it. 

The main part of my visit, was to lend Aunty Gilly and Aunty Barbara our car for their month's stay in "Lowood". On the Saturday, we took everyone, except Mum, on a cruise up the river on the City Cat on the Brisbane River, eventually disembarking at South Bank.

Mister Charming - this charming squire enjoys a pint 
or two of Nine Tails. James Squire brewery only 
sells quality beers. There is not an equivalent to 
XXXX Gold on tap, if you are going to drink
 XXXX Gold you may as well just drink tap water.

Wheel of Brisbane - This temporary structure 
seems to have become permanent.

Jo and I have been away from Brisbane approximately nine years, and how the place has changed. South Bank was a buzz with markets, pubs overflowing and the eateries packed. No sane man would walk past the Charming Squire without stopping for a pint or two or three. I take my hat off to the James Squire Brewery. They have got it exactly right. My only criticism is they may have gone overboard with the variety of excellent brews. Real Ale has become a game changer in the beer markets. Even the Plough Inn had a great selection of beers including Fat Yak, Lazy Yak and Wild Yak.

So with a gut full of hops, I was dropped off at Brisbane Airport for my flight back to Bundaberg and to confirm my deliberations about the beers, I was offered XXXX Gold or water on the plane. Guess what I drank. Both in 250 ml receptacles.

Back in Bundy, I was met by my dog wagging her tail and Rusti gave me a big kiss.

Week 442 - Bundaberg, Queensland

Our stay at Monto was the best yet again. Clear blue skies and cool nights. With dog in toe, I explored the corners of the property, down to the Bunyip Hole, through the paddocks and along the creeks. On one particular day to my surprise, I came across four Australian Bustards strolling down a lane way. Usually, you are lucky to see just one.

Reg's homestead at Abercorn

Three Australian Bastards - An unusual event at its best. 
Usually, the Australian Bustards are a rare sighting, 
so I was surprised to see four bustards in one lane way. 

Peter Pet-els was our companion at Reg and Di's and we headed off in convoy to sunny Bundaberg, the land of rum and sugar. The sugar cane trains keep us awake all night, chuffing along and blowing their whistles. Pete parked up at Bill and Narelle's and we are alongside Jo's mum's house next to the cuckoo clock.

Sugar Train - Sugar cane, rum and
blue skies are the order of the day. 

On On Home on sick bay.  After ringing around a 
couple of mechanics in Bundaberg, Bill Prime 
and myself decided to make a makeshift inspection 
ramp to inspect and finally repair a leaky injector valve. 

On our journey East, we arrived with our toad covered in diesel, so in haste we rang around a few mechanics to book the bus in for an inspection and repair. However, Bill Prime suggested we make a ramp, clean the engine down and hopefully find the problem. Which he did. A bolt on one of the injectors had loosened and was spraying diesel everywhere. A simple clean and tighten up and the engine was sound again. We had dodged a thousand dollar bullet from the truck repairers and to Bill, we are very grateful.

Bad Boy Rusti - Rusti in one of her better moments. 
Just minutes before he became the dog from hell. 
After playing with the dog in the park, she 
refused to go on her lead or come to us for over an hour. 
She is now resting in the dog house. 

 is lucky to be alive. After spending an hour in the park running with her ball, she decided not to come, refused to come anywhere near her lead and my only option was to return home with dog keeping a distant four paces behind me. The bitch would just not come. Back at base, it took Jo, myself, Alan and a passer by an hour to catch her. So now, she is in the dog house and confined to her bed. Tomorrow, I will start a severe disciplined regime. Rusti needs to know who is the boss. Balls will be banned and schmacko's put on rations.