Saturday nights alright for fighting

Once we had negotiated the labyrinth of road tunnels that go under Brisbane, we were on the New England highway heading inland, well away from the coast road, surrounded by beautiful rolling hills, with views willingly offered up by the Great Dividing Range. Even the sky seemed to have grown.   It felt like we had begun a new road trip. Our first stop was Warwick – as always we were reliant on the tourist information centre to provide us with answers & we weren't disappointed. We walked around the town which, like many we have visited still retains the original hotels & shop fronts from when the town was built. It was quite busy but felt very ‘local’. This was confirmed when I overheard an elderly man saying “I don't know where all these people have come from but they aren't Warwick!”. 
We were heading to a national park but it had been a busy few days so we decided to stop off at a campsite along the way and recharge ourselves so we could do some hiking when we got there. It was the worst campsite we had been on. Not because all the backpackers who were staying there whilst fruit picking at nearby farms, but because it was dirty & neglected. They had their own water source that was the worst colour I have ever seen. Our friends B&J,  who live in deepest Yorkshire, & whose water comes from a stream, is like pure spring water compared to this. It was dark brown. I had no intention of putting any of my parts in that. Thankfully the Girraween National Park was a complete contrast in a beautiful & tranquil setting on a site that was barely half full & clean refreshing hot showers (for 4 minutes) A real bonus was the visitors centre had free wifi 24/7. I didn't want to leave! 

All across this vast area there are huge rocks, some randomly balancing on others to create ‘castles’ or ‘pyramids’.  We followed one of the small 2-3k trails when we got there & the following day we did a much longer hike up into the hills with great views. We pretty much had the place to ourselves up there which was lovely. In the evening more than a dozen kangaroos appeared to feed on the grass near to our camper van which was so nice to watch. On the second night we were invited to join some ex pat campers  & their friends for drinks. It was a pleasant relaxing  evening  sharing stories & drinking wine until the arrival of the rain sent everyone off to their beds. 

Back on the road the next day I was struggling to pick up a radio station until we hit a small town called Tenterfield,  where the local radio DJ, an elderly lady by the sound of her voice told of a very sad tragedy in the town where 3 people from the same family had died cleaning out a storage tank. She was so emotional about it - & then in the same breath announced the next song – “here's Elton John singing Saturday nights alright for fighting” !!!

We arrived in Glen Innes – a town famous for its Celtic standing stones – described to us as Australia’s equivalent of Stonehenge. No. It most definitely was not,  but it was a nice park with some nice stone sculptures. Our campsite was just a few minutes from downtown so got showered ,’dolled up’  & headed into town. First stop the RSL services club – Similar to the British Legion. We got signed in & were delighted that drinks were ‘club’ prices - $7 for a schooner of beer & mini bottle of fizz. 
It was an entertaining evening where 4 interesting things happened: 1. we ran into the governor of New South Wales, 2. we witnessed our first bar room brawl, 3.we were rescued from a huge downpour by a kind bus driver & 4. one of our camping chairs went missing. This may not sound that exciting to you but we haven't been out on a Saturday night for some time so it was quite a treat for us. I'm guessing you might want more details so in summary the governor and his wife were attending a reception at the RSL club, the main perpetrator of the fight got a three month ban from the bar, the bus driver went off his route to drop us at the campsite to save us getting wet and the camping chair turned up safe & well the following day. 

If you're fond of sand dunes & salty air....

A number of people had told us we must visit Fraser Island so when we arrived in Hervey Bay, we booked a trip not actually knowing what was there or why we must see it. We drove to the meeting point early  & were picked up in a 17-seater 4X4 bus by our driver & guide Hans – German born obviously- he had been an Aussie for 25yrs which had created the oddest hybrid accent. There were only 8 of us on the day trip, 2 young Germans & 4 Swiss. We drove to the ferry port & after a 55min crossing we were on the Island. The first thing we discovered about the Island is that it's a huge sand dune. In fact it's the largest sand island in the world. The initial 250 meters of road were tarmac & after that it was a well used & well worn track of deep compacted soft sand, wide enough for one vehicle, which weaved up and down  the island through the woodland & rain forest,  so the 4X4 was essential. The ride was something people would pay good money to experience at a theme park. Getting traction even for a 4WD was a challenge. Despite having our seat belts on we were rocked and swung from side to side & at times thrown so high we were out of our seats & our feet thrown up off the ground. The Swiss contingent of Harley Davidson bikers, according to their tee shirts, tattoos & piercings, loved it & their hysterical laughter was contagious as they bounced up & down even higher on the back seat. 

Our first stop was Lake McKenzie, where the sand was pure white & the fresh water was vivid blue. Beautiful & definitely made the shaky journey worthwhile. What made it for Mr L was that it was warm – as warm as his bath was his description which made him v happy. We swam out to a small island & back to the beach before getting back on the bus & heading to a shaded area for lunch & a short walk along a trail. In the afternoon we drove to 75 mile beach.  I have no idea if it is that long but we drove along it for about 10km, with Hans making sure to avoid the small plane that took off from the beach. We made a few stops to examine an old shipwreck & the coloured sands – which Mr L observed were no where near as impressive as the Isle of Wight! We even had our first dingo sighting as it strolled casually along the beach.  We were relieved  that at last the sun had shone on one of our  island trips; in fact it was the hottest weekend so far with temperatures in excess of 40 degrees on the beach. We were really pleased that we had taken people's  advice & gone on the trip – a place definitely worth seeing & experiencing. 

Back on the mainland we recovered the Hippee Camper from the car park (surprisingly noone had stolen it) & got back on the road. We had got back later than anticipated & the sun was going down. we had been advised not to drive at dusk because of the risk of Kangaroos on the road but we needed to get on. Thankfully it was fine & We had no kangaroo encounters.  An hour & a half later we were at our spot for the night - a free camping site located in a car park at the back of a Puma petrol station, just off the highway. Living the high life! 

After a surprisingly good nights sleep & clean toilets we were back on the road – destination Brisbane. Our first big city since we landed in Australia. Our friend B, had kindly offered for us to stay with his parents, who we had never met at their house in the suburbs of Brisbane. Thankfully they were v welcoming & we spent a lovely few days with them, sleeping in a proper bed & with a bathroom to ourselves. We had a great guided tour of the city & the local area, taking in a few bars & had 2 lovely evenings chatting over tasty food & great wine. It was so nice of J and P to extend such a warm welcome. We also got some great tips on the next leg of our journey. We had loved the coast road but it was time for a change. We decided to leave the Bruce highway behind  and move inland to the New England highway and The Great Dividing Range. 

We'll take the coast road back through our lives

After spending the night at a campsite where the bathrooms had more insects & creatures than London Zoo, we decided we needed to put some miles behind us otherwise we were never going to get to Brisbane, which we had planned as our half way stop off point.

Along thIs stretch of the Bruce Highway much of it is coast road,  with some wonderful views of the sea. It was so relaxing just cruising along in the van with very little traffic & nothing to do but drive. Thankfully we both drive so we change over regularly & the van is surprisingly easy & comfortable to drive – although with a tiny tank it needs regular fuel top ups. 
The signage along the road continually warns you to look out for things – kangaroos, koalas, cattle – but a lot of the signs warn you of fatigue & encourage regular stops. They also ask the passenger to regularly check the driver is alert – which amuses us no end as we test each other to demonstrate alertness.  My favourite road signs tell you that playing trivia games keeps you alert, followed by further signs that pose questions- none of which we knew the answer to – about Queensland. We have of course developed our own trivia games & talked endlessly about various topics, which is what you  do when you are with someone 24/7 for 19 weeks!  The radio reception isn't always great so, having purchased a Kings of Leon CD from a charity shop & played it to death we were keen to get something else. Driving along the Highway one morning we spotted a village fete,  at a place called Appletree Creek that cried out for a visit, so we turned around to have a look. They had some old cars on display & Mr L spotted the model he learned to drive in (now an ancient relic of course!) & we found some CDs. I purchased the best one that had some cheesy songs we could a sing along - Culture Club’s greatest moments (note not greatest hits) for $1 which I later found was a copy when I got back to the van, and only part 2 of a double album -  Rip off Creek more like! We also stopped off in a little town called Marlborough to stretch our legs. These little places are always worth a visit & the locals are usually  v friendly although I never realised how obsessed the Australian’s were about the weather- the first question they always ask is was there was any rain in the previous town, then go into a long history of the rain or lack thereof in their region. 

We stopped in three different towns in three nights all on the coast overlooking endless stretches of mostly empty beaches. It's still an absolute treat for us when we have parked in our camping spot to walk those long expanses of sand, often with our feet in the sea, especially after a long days drive & pinch ourselves that we are doing something we have long talked about, then back to the site for a cool in a pool or a refreshing shower.

Interestingly we have not met anyone our age doing this type of trip (some of you won't be surprised you that)  however we have met lots of wonderful youngsters being  far more ambitious and adventurous than we would ever have been.  For example S&P – 18/19yr olds, who we met in Hervey Bay, who had decided not to go to university for now but worked two jobs to save & are now travelling up the East coast & then flying to Melbourne to work for a year; a German couple – similar age who had worked on a tomato farm for a month to earn money to buy a car, which they had converted the back into a bed so they could travel across Australia; and a whole group of young people from across the world working at a fruit farm for 88 days, which would allow them to extend their visa for another year to Travel. Considering the heat, humidity & flies in some areas we are relieved that we don't need to work on the farms (just yet) but are happy to keep travelling on the open road for now. 

Next stop Fraser Island.

so throw those curtains wide....

We left Home Hill Town early  and got straight back on the A1 Bruce Highway (can't wait until we reach the Shiela Highway). our next stop was a town called Bowen – the location of the Baz Lurmann film Australia – which I have not seen & is also known for the best mango sorbet – which I am not keen on. So not a great start. However the ladies at the tourist information were really helpful & after a long chat we did a whistle stop tour of Bowen  & back on the highway to Airlie Beach. The ladies had recommended a detour en route to a hidden beach that not many knew about, which I thought strange as it was v well signposted. We stopped for a drink overlooking the beautiful white Sandy beach and clear blue waters of the sea. Mr L was unimpressed & didn't think the 50k detour, a large part of which was on unmade roads, was worth it. He may have had a point but  just as we were leaving a kangaroo jumped out & crossed the road in front of us, & that for me made it all worth while. Our campsite, just outside town was our best yet & we stayed 3 days – mainly because the trip we had booked to the Whitsunday Islands got cancelled & we had to rearrange it for another day, but also because we wanted to relax – this is after all meant to be a holiday! When we arrived at the site we were told Saturday was music night. Fabulous. So after we had eaten we joined others around the campfire – which was completely unnecessary given the  temperature but added to the authenticity -  to listen to one man and his guitar. Not particularly tuneful but our $10 for 4L box of wine helped to numb the ear drums .
Our trip to the Whitsunday Islands coincided, again, with one of those overcast & wet days so the dazzling crystal clear blue waters & bright white sands of Whitehaven Beach – reputedly one of the best beaches in the world - was not quite as we would have liked but it was still pretty breathtaking. We walked along the wide expanse of beach to the sea & had a swim but the current was quite strong. The weather still hadn't improved when later we went to another small island to snorkel but once under the water, you are completely unaware of it. We snorkelled off  the beach & the coral was  just a few feet out & a few feet below so you were close, too close at times to it but it was fascinating to see and there were plenty of beautiful fish just below us.
As we left the campsite the following day we clocked up our first 1000km in the Hippee Camper.  Our next destination was Cape Hillsborough a very quiet site, tucked away by a long deserted stretch of Beach. We walked along the beach & were completely alone save for  2 men walking their dog who were, like us looking at all the tiny crabs, marching like soldiers in huge battalions along the beach. As we walked around the mud flats on the edge of the beach, I turned around to see Mr L attempting to rescue his foot & flipflop that had got stuck in the mud. In doing so he managed to get his hand/arm in it & drop his phone too as he struggled to get up. He regained his balance and his property but there were some choice words! As we left the beach & climbed Andrews point to look out over the bay we could hear the 2 men we had seen laughing & when the trees cleared on the path we could see one had fallen into the mud flats & the other, trying to help him had also slipped & fallen in.  They were in hysterics & started throwing it at each other, then  gave in and just rolled in the mud. It was v funny to watch. We walked for nearly 2 hrs then back at the campsite as we sat reading, a kangaroo appeared on a patch grass near us. It attracted a lot of attention from other campers but it seemed unfazed by it.  The following morning we got up at sunrise and walked onto the beach to see what we had come to see – a family of kangaroos gathered on the beach, foraging for food. It was so beautiful to watch them with the sun coming up over the sea and felt really special. We hoped our luck would last on animal sightings as we headed off to Finch Hatton Gorge, part of a National Park, where the leaflets promised we would see Platypus. I don't think I've ever seen one – in the zoo or otherwise & given that I seem to be acquiring new animal/insect phobias on a daily basis I'm, not sure why we were looking for them. The walk to the gorge was a couple of km, in hot sunshine along a very scenic trail. Mr L usually walks ahead just in case there are any close encounters but for some reason I was ahead & so was first to see the HUGE lizard that was basking in the sun on the path, blocking our way & in no hurry to move. We edged past & Mr L led the way for the rest of the walk. At the Gorge, whilst the waterfalls & huge boulders were impressive, there was no sign of the platypus.  Perhaps it was for the best.

Roll the dice, take a chance

Back on the open  road in the Hippee Camper we headed to the imaginatively named Townsville. There were a couple of  campsites near the centre but we opted for one on the edge of town so we could put our feet up. When we arrived we discovered it was a seventh day Adventist  conference park. The office was not open yet so we pitched up (camping term) & settled ourselves in for the afternoon with lunch, a book and a glass of wine. When the office opened, we went to check in, only to discover it was a no alcohol site. Oops! In the late afternoon we went for a lovely walk along the river at the back of the park, with stunning scenery all around  and there was plenty of activity; people power walking, running, cycling or just out for a stroll in the sunshine & we could see why people are attracted to Australia. Walking back we spotted turtles in the river all coming to the waters edge to say hello.

The next day we left the camper at the quayside & caught a ferry to Magnetic Island, known as ‘Maggie’ Island. It was ridiculously hot by 9.30am,  so we caught the local bus to Horseshoe Bay & cooled down in the sea – inside the boom because of stingers, then went for a walk up to the fort which was used as a lookout point during WW2 . It afforded great views around the island & the bays and even better,  we saw Osprey and two koalas -  so cute.
In the afternoon we headed back to Townsville & looked around before having  another cool down in the lagoon. Then we were back on the road. Mr L had found a free campsite in a small town called Home Hill. The site was located at the back of  Main Street on a service road. Local shops had clubbed together to put facilities like hot showers and a cooking area there to encourage people to stop in the ten and it worked. It felt a little odd but it was clean & free. More importantly though it meant we were in downtown so  could visit a proper locals bar. It was, after all Friday night.
As we went in,  it was as you imagine,  full of men sitting around the bar. The only other woman was serving.. I had been intrigued by the sign outside advertising seahorse racing. What was this place about? We discovered Friday night was games night – spin the wheel to win prizes, shake the dice to move the plastic seahorses up a track set up in a giant fish tank in the middle of the bar. The owner Eddie told us of days gone by when the bar was packed 5 deep. Now jut a dozen or so people in there. He also explained that the reels of plastic tubing around the ceiling was to be a racetrack for toy car hotrod racing but it hadn't quite worked.    W bought raffle tickets &  got chatting to the locals – including Fred a retired mine boss and Ven. Well where do I begin to describe him. A quiet man built like an ox, bare feet & apparently had never worn shoes, who  used to work in the bush tracking lost  cattle, capturing crocodiles anything really. He wore a cowboy hat, oh & his whole face was tattooed. It was pretty intimidating – a bit like Marlon Brando in Apocalypse Now, but you know me I will talk to anyone. As the wheel spinning began Fred won,  Mr L & I won then  Ven won the big pot & bought us a drink. No luck at the seahorse race for us but it was good fun. We had a great evening & met genuinely nice people. As we left,  Ven invited us to join him for a drink at another bar.  It was so tempting but we were driving the next morning so said our goodbyes. Plus there was always that risk that he might kill us. 

come on let's crawl, to the ugly bug ball...

After we had taken possession of the “Hippee Camper” we went straight to K Mart & Woolworths  to stock up on provisions (which definitely did not include kaftans or flowers for our hair) then headed north. Why north you might ask given that our destination is in fact Sydney. Well so many people had recommended Port Douglas & Mossman Gorge that we had to take that short detour to see what it was all about. En route we stopped at Hartley’s crocodile Park where we saw lots of koalas & kangaroos & plenty of crocs. We went on a boat trip around the park & watched  some being fed. The speed at which they move left us in no doubt as to how dangerous they are. Returning to the van we discovered our windscreen had been infested by huge green ants that seemed to be indestructible (we were still finding them days later),  before heading to our first campsite. There are essentially 3 types of campsites; 1. Caravan parks – these have plenty of amenities &  are also expensive; 2. low cost sites – these have a few facilities like washing machines/cooking  area; 3. free camping areas - these have toilets, cold showers & that’s pretty much it. Our first site was low a cost site & apart from it being v hot in the van,  our first night went ok. The following morning, Mr L's birthday, we were up and on the road early to the gorge. We followed a 3k trail walk in the rain forest which was v peaceful with some amazing trees but the swimming not recommended due to high water levels. Then we drove to Port Douglas, which is a v sleepy seaside town out of season but v pretty. It had the loveliest church with a window behind the alter that gave  a great view out across the sea. 
On the road we headed South,  back past Cairns to a small town called Babinda. We stopped at the tourist information office where we interrupted a group of locals practising  the ukulele. What is is with us and Ukuleles! We headed about 7k out of town to a  free campsite on the edge of a nature reserve where we had a refreshing  swim in the river. Don't worry it was crocodile free! Back at the van we had just finished eating when it started to rain some serious rain. It was so heavy that we were trapped under our makeshift canopy at the back of the van for over an hour before it eased off enough for us to move the few feet to the side door so we could get in. It didn't stop all night.  After a v disturbed sleep,  I woke at 5.45am & the rain had eased enough for me to venture to the loo.
My friend A says I'm made of tough stuff but I'm not. I'm pretty much terrified of most bugs & ‘things’! As I stepped from the van a dog (which had obviously wandered off from its owner) came over to me & I jumped out of my skin. I was not expecting that. On my walk to the bathroom I had to take a detour around a huge toad & inside I gave a wide berth to a huge green cricket type bug & a moth the size of my foot – I kid you not – I have photographic evidence – as well as any  number of flying insects & of course the demon geckos. I was pretty freaked out by it all but I managed a shower. A v quick one!  On the way back as well as the encounters on the outward journey I had to avoid an odd chicken type bird with a red head &  3 large squawky birds who I definitely didn't like the look of. Then the rain came back with a vengeance. We didn't bother with breakfast- we got out of there!
Our aim was to head to Mission Bay, spend time there then camp in Cardwell but when we got to each of them the rain was still so heavy with no sign of a let up, we could only give them a cursory glance through the window. We made the decision to keep driving until we  arrived somewhere dry. In this case Crystal Creek (fabulous name)! We parked, put our clothes in the washing machine,  went for a swim, a shower then cooked. It was lovely. But nothing is perfect &, as we were the only transient campers on site, the mosquitoes were v happy to see us & whilst it was nice to be out of the rain, the heat  meant it was a very hot and humid night not ideal conditions for sleeping in a camper van. 

Seasick Steve

The flight from Darwin was delayed by about 30mins – surprisingly the first flight delay we have experienced so far & we were greeted by the sunshine on arrival. Our accommodation in Cairns was a cabin on a caravan park on the edge of town - cheap and clean. we arrived & caught the local bus into town to explore. Similar in size to Darwin there are still some lovely original buildings here & along the sea front  it's immaculate, with tree lined footpaths & a fantastic (free) lagoon for swimming & areas for you to have a barbecue.  This is Australia after all. We found the local supermarket (Woolworths) and,  back at the cabin,  we cooked up our own BBQ of sausages & steak.
The following day was super hot so we spent much of it swimming/cooling in the lagoon &  laying in the shade of the  trees. However no visit to Cairns would be complete without a visit to the Great Barrier Reef. So the following day we boarded a huge catamaran ‘ocean spirit’ (a name that inspires confidence) & set sail for Michaelmas Cay on the reef. It got off to a good start – cranberry muffins & a cup of tea accompanied by bright sunshine. 
Then the weather turned, the sun disappeared & conditions got v choppy. I have never been good on boats. Ever since my first trip abroad- a day trip to Calais with the school where we subjected innocent locals to pointless questions such as ‘where is the train station?’ ‘ where is the town hall?’ (why did we need the Town Hall?)– I have always been sick on boats. However on this trip something odd happened- I was fine & Mr L, who hasn't been ill on a boat for 20+yrs,  was seasick. Was I sympathetic & supportive? Of course, but I still insisted we went on the semi submerged trip once we arrived at our destination. I don't know why because as soon as we boarded the vessel, Mr L got worse & I had flash backs of my disastrous diving trip in the Maldives. Plus because of the rain we couldn't see much anyway.  When we got off Mr L ran to the bathroom whilst I held his place in the lunch queue. My mum’s cure for everything was to eat – ‘it will make you feel better’. So we did. And he did. Sort of. 
The weather was still awful but we had come to snorkel & that’s what we were going to do!  We donned our Lycra body suits to protect us from the non existent sun & from stingers (jelly fish not stinging nettles) & got on the shuttle boat out to the island  (basically a giant sandbank). Snorkels & flippers on,  we ‘bum crawled’ our way into the sea, swam out about 100 yds & then we caught our first glimpse of the coral & the fish swimming just below us & it was all worth while. We stayed out there for ages & saw huge clams, a stingray, a turtle & so many different fish & coral - it was wonderful & we were both so pleased we had done it. 

Back on the catamaran, heading back to Cairns, we both shut our eyes & zoned out, until suddenly I heard a pop then another & another.  I sat bolt upright. Someone was opening fizz!!  It was true – they were serving champagne!! I nudged Mr L & he knew what he had to do. He ran to the serving area, nudging people politely out of the way,  to secure 2 glasses (later followed by another) to keep his beloved happy.  It was delicious & it helped with Mr L's seasickness too. Oh how I have missed my fizz!!. A perfect end to the day. 

The following day we picked up our camper van – our home for the next 4 weeks. It was the cheapest we could find & we could see why. It was tiny/compact/bijou. The whole of the inside behind the front seats, folded down to a double bed, which when you laid in it put your head about 3ft from the roof, with a small ‘kitchen’ at the back accessed through the backdoor – with a sink, a plug in cool box (described as a fridge) & a portable camping stove.  The outside was white with purple floral & butterfly motifs painted all around it & the words “Hippee Camper” emblazoned on every side. Great.