Travel within travel, part 2

Hi all, well a couple of days became a month, but whose Counting!
So I continue,  we spent 2 nights at Birds ville,  then 2 nights at Innaminka,  2 nights at Tibooburra, and 1 night at Hungerford. We crisscrossed in and out of Queensland and South Australia, all on dirt roads, visiting important historical sites from explorers Burke and Wills, travels, including their burial sites, or rather the sites where they died. It's a tragic story, as they missed their support team, by hours and so perished in the outback. Most older Australians would have been schooled in the history of our early explorers, but perhaps less so with our modern curriculum.
Because of the rains, we had fabulous vistas of yellow, white and pinky mauve wildflowers as far as the eye could see, and all so Green!  Most unusual. Graham the trip leader, who I traveled with,kept saying he'd never seen it like this.

We saw lots of mobs of kangaroos, not so many emus, but quite a lot, and came across a few wedge tailed eagles. They are magnificent, but hard to catch a photo of, when one is traveling. We had a few campfires for happy hour, traveling out of town to sit around a huge fire, swapping limericks about our trip, mine were pretty Bad! As the cold desert air got to us, we learnt a trick to keep Warm!  Take a good shovel full of coals and place under your camp chair,  wonderful heat under your bottom and warms your Back!  After Graham and I split from the group at the end of the trip, we lit campfires for our morning smoko,  and lunch time  breaks. Within 5 minutes we had a warm fire to sit or stand around,  while we drank our coffees, plunger Too!  Delicious, with an Anzac biscuit. It was a very well organized trip.

After our arrival back at Charleville,  I caught up with my laundry, picked up my repaired wheel nuts and restored my hubcaps to their original Beauty!  And set off, heading east for a day, back to Mitchell,  and then north,to injune,  Rolleston and Ruby vale,  via Emerald.  All of these spots were filled with Grey nomads who were into gemstone fossicking.  It was like the opal towns, a dozen or so jewelry shops, selling locally found Australian sapphires, mostly. I managed to restrain Myself!  Some of the colours were really pretty.  Next on to Clermont, where I met some lovely patchworkers,   in the caravan park, who spent 3 months there as their husbands were gold prospectors, so the ladies have been meeting each other up there every year, and have joined the local group, so I did too.  They had a great setup, the shire gave them a building . They left their sewing machines set up and came and went as they pleased. One of the visiting ladies I had met at Dorrigo,  some years back, it's a small world when you are a Patchworkers! After a couple of days there I went on to Charters Towers, as I had my last hexagon flower to deliver from my swap group. The lady wasn't home, but her partner sent me off to her workplace, so we met and chatted for a few minutes. Then I pushed on ever northwards, heading for cairns. I had a deadline, as I was booked to fly home for my sister 70 th birthday. I drove via Greenvale and Innot Hot Springs. Another artesian pools caravan park, lovely, in the mornings the steam was rising from the creek, which was fed from the hot springs, I got almost the last site, kept getting lucky. Stayed 2 nights it was terrific to soak in 38 degree water,but jolly cold getting out and making a dash for the Showers!  So finally making the last sprint to Cairns, via Mareeba in the Atherton table lands.  Took me a lot of calls to find a caravan park in cairns, price ranging to 60 dollars per Night! No thank You! Finally got into top tourist park for 45.00 per night.still peak season up here. 2 nights to do my washing and pack , then out to the airport for a midnight horror flight to Perth.  Not a fan of jetstar,  but it's the only direct flight , so There!  Then the flight was delayed, so I eventually arrive, lucky the hire car desks were still manned, I got an upgrade, again, to a Rav 4! A very nice car to sit in and drive. Spent what was left of the night at a hotel, as I had appointments in the morning, then down south to jeans. Whisked off to mum to visit on Saturday,  picked up my mail, piles of it, thank you to all my hexagon swap People!  Then settled into helping Kath with the catering for the birthday luncheon. 30 odd people, fork food, champagne, and gorgeous desserts. Whew! Kath did a fantastic job. Collapsed all day Monday,  then off to Perth to visit John Bell for commiserating and a catchup, since his wife's funeral. It's hard, we she'd a few tears, and hugs. Then it was back to jetstar and the redeye, back to Cairns.  

So I hope you are all keeping well, as I am, all the best to you until next time.

vicki

travel within travel

Hi everyone, I am back. And on a roll. Since I last blogged, I have been busy, traveling within my Travels!  Does that make Sense?  It does to me.
 I came back from west Australia,  in may after my normal april/may visit, picked up my motor home from Brisbane and continued in a westerly fashion to Dalby,  spent a pleasant few days there, the caravan park is right in town, very convenient. A bit of star News!  It is right opposite the qld twins house from house rules on TV!  As it happened, they won, but I didn't know that then. They were very welcoming and posed for photos to my fellow traveller's,  not Me!  Then I was off, further west, over ground I had previously covered, towards Charleville.  I paused for a few days at Mitchell, spent some time in the artesian hot spa there. Very good for my arthritis. The caravan park is a few minutes walk across a bridge to the pool. Then on to Charleville. I was there in 2014, but this time I stayed at charleville bush caravan park, about 3 km out of town,but what a great Place!  Bush type sites, lovely ablution blocks, nice laundry,etc But the best bit was a great nightly camp fire, happy hour, camp oven damper several nights, camp oven dinner, sat nights, pizza night Sunday night. There was a bus to take us to town to the local RSL Monday and Thursday  nights, and a very comprehensive tour of the area on several mornings. Bonnie and Charlie, are the managers, very welcoming and helpful. On arrival we were issued with our own Bath mat!  That's a First!  The owner, Graham, gave talks on a couple of afternoons before happy hour about the deserts and corners. Cameron, Haddon and Pepper to name a few. They also ran 4wd tag along tours. So to cut a long story short, I booked to go on the next one as a passenger with the Leader!
so I went off to drive a figure eight, sort of , to get back to charleville in a month. First stop long reach,  and collect my mail. As I drove along, it started to rain, yea,the drought has broken., first rain in 5 Years!  I arrive in long reach , caravan park is ankle deep in water, Yuk!  But hey Rain!  Great. So I book for a week, to get my mail, and next thing is terrible news,my lo very friend and wife of my kids godfather, passes away from cancer. I book to fly back west for her funeral, decide I have time to catch the train to Brisbane,  that will be nice, see some different scenery, but no. Train tracks under water , etc, from Rain!   So I fly, very sad time, but glad I went ba c,  hugs and tears for John and his 3 sons and their lovely wives and grandchildren. Fly back after 5 days,get a a quick trip to Busselton to see Mum. Think I will go back on train, no it is still at Long reach!  Fly again, long reach is isolated by road. Plod up to post office daily, chasing more mail, no,  roads still closed, no Mail!   Finally after about 18 or so days roads are open, I give upon mail, and head north  for an abbreviated figure 8! They had about 10 inches of Rain!  So I go to Winton,  dinosaur country,  but the roads are a mess, so I only see the stuff in Town!  Julia Creek,  Hughenden,  then back to Winton,  Barcaldine via Longreach, again, Black all,  Augathella,  and hello Charleville!
I am madly washing and packing , lightly, and getting some supplies, bottled water and lollies for the drive. We left 2 weeks ago, 4 couples and me. He only takes 5 vehicles max, the trip is all motel accommodated and meals. Of course I am single supplement, but hey, I won't get out to the Simpson desert on my own, so I pay my money and am grateful for the chance.
First day to Windorah, about 440 km,  cabin accommodation, pretty good meal, continental breakfast,  packed lunch.  Off we go for the 400 plus km to Birds ville,  and hitting dirt roads almost immediately. Pretty good roads though. Lots of oncoming traffic, as we have just missed "the Big Red Bash" 7000 people in the desert for a rock concert at big red, a spectacular sand dune 40 kms inland from Birdsville.! Imagine it, and it was rained out, they had to move the concert to town.! Our Birdsville accommodation is lovely, I stayed there about 5 years earlier when I did a flight tour out to Lake eyre.  We spent 2 nights there, took a packed breakfast and drove up Big Red for sunrise, first lessons for everyone in 4 X 4 driving.  My photos don't do it justice. And I  hAve forgotten how to insert them , Again! The east side is easier to drive up, something to do with the prevailing winds, but we go inland further west to Eyre Creek,  which is dry, have smoko and turn back over 20 plus dunes. It's been interesting riding with the experienced leader. He talks the others through the hard bits,encouraging the nervy,  anxious ones and everyone is happy. Then we arrive back at Big red, it's a Sport!  About 20 or so vehicles are there, people up the top, watching, as all the "guns" rev up and have a go. Most Fail!  There is a "chicken run"  for anyone who can not make it, or a slightly easier way at big red. We go up the easier way back to the top, watch some more, then a couple of our guys they want to have a go. More air out of types,  some coaching from our great leader, and back down they go. 3 goes each, and they admit defeat. So our fl, fearless leader, and yours truly set off down, while our cheer squad stay on top. I am not missing out on This!    Down we go, no messing around, no big run up, like some of them do, no turn arou nd, drop a few more gears, I presume,  then away we go. Straight up and over in 1 Go!  Boy that was Fun!  I videoed it, but I think it is too big to put in here, but I will have a Go!

I will post this and continue in a c outlet of days.

May time

Hello friends,
I'm not doing to badly this time, as it was March when I posted my last Blog!
So here I am filling you in since Then!  I traveled up from Victoria,  via the Monaco highway, a route I hadn't taken before, in my continuing effort to travel new Roads!  Ended up in Cranberry,  a place I had actively avoided, but I had a group of hexagon sewing ladies to swap with, so it was worth while going in to visit. I also caught up with Sue and Bruce, whom I had met on a previous cruise, they kindly let me park on their driveway for the night, we had a good chat about cruising ! Then it was off to Cowra  to meet with the solo group of motor homers,  the Blue Wrens, filling in time before we went to Forbes for the solo rally. Had a good 5 or so days there, was parked next to an interesting chap, who has been involved in the music industry, and also a bit of a fly boy.  Had some very interesting chats with him, we had a few meals at the club, and pubs. Mostly nice weather, but we got caught with a torrential downpour, while we were at lunch one day, and when we got home, I had my roof hatches open, so my bed was pretty damp, not counting my table, with my sewing stuff all over It! Oh well it was a good test of my leaking slide out,  but that was ok.
Next on to Forbes rally, where I was a volunteer, in the craft section, which was pretty quiet, I showed 2 ladies how to make my little triangle containers, there was a lot more interest in Margarets knitted blanket patterns. A good time was held by all. I managed to win some meat raffles at the Rsl  Club. Stuffed my freezer full of beautiful pork. Then it was back on the road again. Heading for Mike and Hazel place up on the central coast. But before then I had to manage camping with Easter, being around the c order.  I stopped off in a little town and got the last site at their caravan park, it was full of dog trials People!  The Nsw, state sheepdog trials were on. There must have been 80 or more border  cOllie dogs in the park, with their masters of course, but not a peep out of any of them. So we'll behaved I was Astonished!  I walked over to the show grounds and watched them several days, it was quite interesting seeing t hem being worked. I kept thinking of "Babe", the Movie!  Folk from all over Australia,  not that I found any Western Australians,  but I guess someone was there. A nice couple from Brisbane outskirts, offered me parking on their property for when I flew home. But as it turned out it didn't happen . So I carried on and met hazel and mike at Mudgee,  where we travel led on together to a friend of theirs farm, where we stopped for a few days, very tranquil, beside a river, which mike said they still got a bit of gold from, if you got Lucky!  What a shame Doug Wasn't around!  He would have been down there Panning!  So we continued on back to the central coast in tandem. I stopped and collected some mail from their place, had a good catchup, but I didn't do any beading,which was quite a change, I think we both have been "beaded out", since we finished the cruise, and of c ourse I am full on with my hexagon sewing, at the moment.
I meandered my way north, on the new England highway, heading for Brisbane ready for my flight home to catch up with the family, and my regular patchwork retreat. First I had to find somewhere to park the motor home, as my offer from my dog people had fallen through as they had a family illness to deal with.  I ended up in a storage facility, quite a reasonable price, and I was able to have power on, as my freezer was full of all that darned meat from my raffles I kept Winning!  Thank god for that. So I flew home and was upgraded to business, Whee!  But as usual when I fly west, I can't get on the booze, cause I am picking up a hire car. Darn It!
Stayed overnight in Perth at a hotel, as I had Dr's appointments next morning, then drove down to jeans. This trip was a bit difficult as jean was doing renovations at their place and they were in their caravan,  so I was off to the farmer neighbours house to Sleep! I whipped c own t of Busselton to see mum, staying with Kathy for a few days. Then we had our retreat, at swanleigh,  a beautiful place , great food, comfortable beds, and Cosy workroom. We managed to put together another lovely quilt t for charity again. It was great to catch up with the girls again, very sad to see Jill still battling with her ill health, but she came each day, to sew a bit. I think we are all praying for her, and her family.  After some more time down at busselton, it was time to go north to Geraldton,  I had appointments with ophthalmologist,  who I worked with, I need my cataracts done. Had a lovely visit with meg, and the Geraldton sewing girls, also son Ben and his family. Their youngest Lali,  was 13, this week, quite the grown up young lady . We had a nice Mothers Day lunch, as Ben was off in a surfing competition.
That brings you almost up to date with my travels, will save the rest for next Blog!  Keep well and to those of you not well,  my prayers for a good recovery. Love and hugs,
vicki

Start of new year 2016

Here I am,March 1st, 2016, and where did the end of the year go.? So I stayed in west Australia,  for several months after coming home from the world cruise. Spent lots of time visiting mum, son and daughter and grand children. In December , my friend kath and I went off to Indonesia on a 15 day Christmas cruise, on Sun Princess. Got back to W. A.on Jan 4th.  I had parked my motor home at kaths  friend tom's farm at yarloop while we cruised. Lucky we came home when we did, as 4 days later yarloop burnt to the ground. Tom lost sheds and his caravan, it was lucky I had moved my van away. 

The fires delayed my departure, as 2 highways were closed due to  the damage. I eventually was ready to leave on 24th January. I started  slowly as I was pretty tired. Took 3 nights to cross the nullabor.  I had nice weather, luckily, not too hot. I had problems, Again!  Water Pump stopped, just a switch, fixed in port August a.  Fridge playing up, had that looked at in port August a,  but still problems, need to get to adelaide.  The gps died. Oh well, what's New? 

I drove to a delayed via Laura,  to visit with yvonne and Ken,  then south to Elizabeth,  to visit Geoffrey and adele.  Thank god for good friends, the fridge was going to take at least a week, 40 degree heat, whoa, cant live without a fridge. So I moved in with Geoffrey and a dele until it was fixed. Finally sorted and I am on my way again. Now I am trying to  catch up with friends who are sewing hexagons.  I visit Bute, Robe, and then stop off at Portland.  Visiting Hazel and Graham. While there the hot water system Died!  I get that fixed and leave to head north to visit some more sewing ladies. So I called into balranald,  and then Talbot,  Where I had some lovely times with my hexagon ladies.  The photo is of my hand made hexagon quilt, I am on the last 3 borders. I have also become a member of an international hexagon swap. Having a great time sewing them and posting around the world.  Am presently at loch, in victoria, visiting my good friends Glenda and ray, with their son Brad,  who has just sorted out my photo problem. Yeah. N ow let's see if I can do it again, next  blog!  I am stopping now while I am in Front!   Wishing you all good health and good luck!  Vicki