Friday 13th October 2006

Remington and Stella after a sleepless night

The beach at Noosa Heads

Pammy at the Pineapple with a couple of sundaes

After a great few days with Graham and Sue and another long chat over dinner last night, we finally waved goodbye to them this morning when they left for their home in Brisbane at about 7:30a.m.

It was then time to get to work and organise ourselves for our next move tomorrow. 'One of Us' sorted and started the washing whilst the 'Other One' sorted out the problems with the computer then prepared yesterdays web site page. These activities took most of the morning so there was little time to do anything that could be considered tourist orientated.

After lunch we decided to take a bit of a drive up to Noosa Heads so set off out of the caravan park at about 1:30p.m. then crossed the bridge and made our way north. It was our intention to deviate through Mudjimba but we missed the turn and the next one took us down to Coolum where we were able to view the ocean then drove up to Noosa Heads along the ocean, passing through Peregian Beach, Marcus Beach, Sunrise Beach and Sunshine Beach. Once we reached Noosa we drove out to the Heads and stopped long enough to take a photograph or two before heading back to Noosa and out through Noosaville and Doonan to Eumundi. From here we turned south along the Bruce Motorway as far as Nambour where we then took the Old Bruce Highway as far as the 'Big Pineapple'.

At the Big Pineapple'. we entered the shop where 'One of Us' browsed through the huge range of souvenirs until she found a couple of trinkets to provide the therapy that she needed, however this didn't quite satisfy her needs so we then sat down to a very large ice cream sundae or two, covered with cream and other goodies. With the additional energy that this provided we then managed to climb to the top of the Big Pineapple before getting back to the Patrol and starting on our way home. On the way back to the caravan park we called in to a Matilda Service Station and filled up the Patrol with Diesel at 116.9 cents per litre, then arrived back at the caravan park at about 5:15p.m.

Once back at the park we packed up the last of the items we would not be using before leaving in the morning, then settled down for an AFD (Alcohol Free Day), the first one for a while. In the morning we are moving down to Brisbane for a couple of nights before visiting the Gold Coast for another two days before leaving Queensland.

Saturday 14th October 2006

Our last glimpse of the Maroochy River

Even the caravan park has a large pond

Glass House Mountain - on the way to Brisbane

It was time to move on from Maroochydore today, we deny that their Tourist Police were looking for us but we were getting out before they found us... We blame Graham and Sue... It wasn't us... Trust Me!

Before we departed the caravan park 'One of Us' strolled out to the front of the park where she took a photograph of the Maroochy River and then we both wandered down to the rear of the park where there is a large pond that appears to be full of fish and eels. Then with all this behind us we hitched up and drove out of the caravan park for the last time at about 9:a.m.

Once on the road, Miss Bossy (Navman) started to boss the 'Other One' around and he took notice of where she told him to go, even though she lead us through Kuluin and up the mountain to Buderim before descending down the other side and making our way out to the Bruce Highway. It was then a pretty straightforward drive down past the Glasshouse Mountains, through Burpengarry and onward to the Gateway bridge. As we approached the Gateway Toll Bridge Miss Bossy started to get a bit agitated and was trying to tell us to get off the motorway to avoid the toll. The closer we came to the bridge the more she nagged, however the 'Other One' has experience at this sort of thing and just pretended he couldn't hear. It works with an electronic device, but he wouldn't be game to try it out on 'One of Us'! We crossed the bridge,payed the $2.50 toll without any incident and then she guided us to the caravan park in Birkdale that Graham had booked us into for the next two nights.

Once we had set the caravan up we drove over to Graham and Sue's place where they were having a family get together for lunch. When we arrived we were greeted very enthusiastically, particularly by little Maggie Rose who immediately gave Pammy a guided tour of the garden. Even little Lucy was very happy to see us when she arrived and loved Pammy when it was time for a feed. We were privileged to meet many of Sue and Graham's family and had a great afternoon with them all, enjoying a BBQ that Graham cooked up, accompanied by salads and other side dishes supplied by Sue and the family.

By about 4:15p.m. it was time to call it a day as all the family members had departed so we said our good nights and made our way back to the caravan for the night, with 'One of Us' clutching the remains of a bottle of bubbly.

Tomorrow we intend to see if some other old friends are home as they live fairly close by and we will also call in on Graham and Sue to see them for the last time on this trip. Right now though, it's time for the 'Other One' to have his first beer for the day.

Sunday 15th October 2006

The usual start was made today... well it was Sunday so there was not a lot of movement at the camp (or caravan) too early and when there was movement it wasn't too fast. Eventually 'One of Us' discovered the washing machines in this caravan park were only $1.60 per load and they allowed hot and cold water cycles. Even though it was only two days ago since she had done the washing, this caused a great deal of excitement and ripping off the 'Other Ones' clothing just to get enough to make up a load of washing.... Whilst 'One of Us' was dancing around the washing machine, the "Other One' attempted to give the Tax Office some money but old BAS didn't want to go to work today so they may have to miss out. (Yeah... Tell Mr Costello that!!!)

After the washing was on the line we drove around the corner to the Birkdale Fair shopping Centre where we wanted a couple of things from Woolworths. On the way in we met Sue's mum coming out and had a short chat before continuing into the store. As 'One of Us' said we only wanted a 'couple' of things the 'Other One' picked up a basket, but by the time we left the store he was carrying things under his arms and almost balancing them on his head as well and the checkout took over $70 from us. And that was even before we entered the fruit and vegetable shop which claimed another $27. Glad we didn't really want anything much!!!

We then returned to the caravan where 'One of Us' made some salad sandwiches that we enjoyed for our lunch, then collected the washing from the line before plotting the afternoon's activities.

After lunch we visited a couple of friends of the family from way back in the late 60's and Early 70's, Les and Patti Nash who were once in the Cray Fishing industry in the Greenhead area of the Western Australian coastline. We almost missed them as there was no one home on our arrival but Les turned up before we drove away and Patti returned not too long after. We sat and had a coffee with them and had a great chat for a couple of hours before saying farewell to them once again. It was great to see both of them is such good health and enjoying life.

Once we left the Les and Patti's home we drove around to Graham and Sue's place where we spent the rest of the afternoon, and then enjoyed a very nice dinner and a liqueur with them as well. Maybe they just couldn't get rid of us and thought that feeding us would give us the hint that it was time to go.... But they don't know us well enough yet if that was their plan! We eventually walked out of their home around 8:45p.m. but it wasn't all over yet. Pammy had been complaining that she had been in Queensland twice now and even after all this time she had not seen a cane toad so Graham pulled out his trusty torch and found one for her. She now agrees that they are pretty ugly little critters and that she doesn't want to see them come to Western Australia. (I think she meant the cane toads, not Graham and Sue!) As we are leaving Brisbane in the morning this was the last time we will see Graham and Sue until they visit us in Western Australia sometime next year, so there were some final hugs and kisses and long farewells before we drove off into the darkness, then there was a tear or two shed in the Patrol before we arrived back at the caravan.

We then settled in for our last night in Brisbane after the web site was completed, checked and uploaded very late, however as the saying goes, better late than never... It's off to Main Beach Caravan Park at Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast tomorrow for our last couple of nights in Queensland.