Tuesday 30 April 2013

Our blog post today comes to you from beautiful Lake Maraboon, near Emerald in Queensland.  We have been here for 3 days, leaving tomorrow for Longreach and then onward across NT to El Questro in about 10 days time.  Internet access will be limited from here on, so make the most of this opportunity!

Some statistics to start (Katie if you are reading this, this is just for you)

Kilometres travelled so far - 2,511.705
Redclaw caught today - 35  (picture below)
Cans drunk so far - too many to count
Chairs broken by Alan so far - 2
Longest coal train seen - 103 carriages with 3 locomotives
Distance walked yesterday - approximately 200 metres
Number of lorikeets in the park - thousands
Number of clamshells sewn (for the quilting readers) - 17

So more of the journey so far - from Injune, site of the last post, we came here to Lake Maraboon.  This Lake is reknown for the redclaw, a sort of large yabby.  People come here year after year an go home with freezers full.  There is a little community that spend a lot of time here and all know each other.  There is one couple, Max and Mary who are in their 80's, been married for 63 years and go out in their boat every day.  A lady who goes out with them sometimes told me today that if a net gets caught, Max goes over the side and retrieves it.  There's something for us all to aspire to!  Alan says he needed more than a couple of days to work it all out, everyone is very secretive about where are the best spots to get them.


This was afternoon tea today.

The park here is very enjoyable, run by Andy and Geoff who are very close friends.  Last night was sausage sizzle (donations to Angel Flight for the sausages) and then entertainment by Geoff, which included some very bad jokes and community singing.  There was even dancing by some (definitely not us), but we were singing along lustily!

Today was a craft session, presided over by Andy and his crochet work.  He was very happy to share his patterns with everyone.  For my quilting readers it was a "Stitch and Bitch" session.



Not only are the human residents in the park very friendly, but the wildlife is too.


That's your lot for today, readers, the pina colada is calling!  Love youse all  (that's for you, Aiden Andrew Peers).

Friday 26 April 2013

Hello boys and girls, I know you've all been waiting anxiously for the first post, so here it is.
Apologies for the delay but we have been out in the wilds, beyond mobile phone coverage.
Everything is going splendidly so far, lots of driving but also lots of relaxing.  For those of you not familiar with the "beast", this is how we travel.



THE JOURNEY SO FAR

Day one involved a long day of driving with a planned overnight stop somewhere along the roadside.  We made it into NSW and pulled in to a little stopover as selected from the trusty free camps book.  Much to Jude's delight there was a food caravan there with real coffee.  They also served "Wally Burgers"!  I have to say, the place was called Wallendbeen so that probably explained the Wally Burgers.


Next stop was to be Mudgee for a couple of days, but unfortunately our visit coincided with the National Historic Machinery Rally (no I'm not kidding, it really exists) and there was no room at the inn (or any of the 3 caravan parks).  We remembered staying at Lake Windamere just south of Mudgee a couple of years ago so we decided to go there instead, and a bonus, there was fishing to be experienced there.  This excited Jude and I no end! Our two day stay there also involved lots of goodies for eating purchased at the wonderful Farmers' Market in Mudgee and tasting several lovely wines at the wineries.  Lunch at Oatleys Wines (Wild Oats Cafe, owned by the man who owns the super maxi of Sydney-Hobart fame, Wild Oats) where I had the best pizza I have ever had.


Goats cheese, roast kumera, roast capsicum and sweet chilli sauce!  Delicious.  (I know I said there wouldn't be any food photos, but maybe just a couple).

Next stop was at Copeton Waters State Park (near Inverell in NSW for those following us on the map) for a few days.  We had also stayed here before and it was a great place to camp. About 180 acres of parkland, but campsites with power and amenities (that means toilets for the uninitiated) and fires allowed as well!  What more could we want? Oh and there was fishing for Alan and Pete!



Beautiful sunny blue skies in the daytime and beautiful clear starry nights, although a little cold at night.  This did however give Jude a chance to wear her gorgeous pink ugg boots purchased at Big W in Mudgee for $7!  Yes, I did get some too, but mine are dull brown.


From here we parted company for a few days, Peter and Judy went to Noosa to visit friends and Alan and I headed for Emerald, more fishing at Fairbairn Dam!  After a very long days driving we are overnighting at Injune (in Queensland, north of Roma).  We'll all meet up again at Emerald on Sunday.

Having a great time so far, missing everyone at home.  Millie is behaving for the house/dog sitters, Sandra and Malcolm.  Alan wants me to include the fishing statistics so far
Lake Windamere - no fish due to blue-green algae (that's his story)
Copeton Dam - 4 yellowbelly, 3 redfin.

If you do leave a comment (and please do, we would love to hear from any of you), please leave your name so we know who you are.

Wednesday 10 April 2013

I'm still practising before the serious stuff starts when we leave on our big expedition next week.  That's a good excuse to upload a photo of my gorgeous grand nephew, Paddy.


He is a very special little boy with wonderful parents.