Day 36

As I'm going to be here at Walkamin Caravan Park for quite a while longer there won't be too much to write about so I've decided to suspend the blog until I hit the road again - probably early August after Christmas in July.

If anything interesting happens or something is worth a photo I'll post it but I will be back!

12th July

Day 35

There's been a bit of discussion recently about the use of solar vehicles in Australia and I remembered seeing a picture showing the recharging stations around Australia. You can click on the original map to see more detail. Well I found the pic and here it is.

It's surprising to see how many recharging stations there are already

I did a bit of walking and took a couple of pics along the way. 6,000+ steps and 4.2km

Another lovely bush

The Tableland has hills all around

A different view of the park

Tonight was barbeque night, tomorrow we are having cheese, port and bubbly and last night some of us had fish and chips from a van that sets up near us at the post office.

My new battery for the laptop arrived today so all being well it will be fitted tomorrow.

I spent a lot of time sorting out the forms etc for my hearing at QCAT. It all has to be printed and sent by post but all's well my friend Ken has a printer.

July 11th

Day 33

Today started with sunshine but deteriorated after lunch with several short sharp showers.

My walk to day was not around the town but along the rail trail to where the road that runs alongside the track heads back to the highway. It was a long walk for me and I clocked up 6,360steps and 4.6km 

There wasn't too much to photograph but I took several interesting shots

These rocks would have taken some work to get them in place

I knew I was walking northwards as that was the way the solar panels were facing!

I don't know it's name but it's a magnificent tail

The column I wrote on Monday has been published already - and I thought it turned out well - although I am biased

10th July

DAY 32

Another relaxing, walking and reading day but with a phone chat with a lawyer from the Cairns Community Legal Service brightening the afternoon. I emailed them asking for advice about my dispute with Performance Motors at Mareeba and his advice is for me to ask for a hearing with QCAT (Queensland Consumer Affairs Tribunal). He suggested that I could perhaps get a hearing in Cairns or even Mareeba and maybe do it by phone or video as it would be hard to appear in person if I'd left Qld before it comes up. Job for the morning.

A few more pictures from my walks today - and by the way the tree planting picture caption yesterday was wrong.  It was 1996!

 I see this colorful windmill every day on my walks

The bottom paw paws are showing signs of ripening

 If I climb this tower would it count in my daily walking total steps?

I have no idea what these pillars are along the rail trail! Perhaps someone may let me know.

Tonight was the State of Origin Rugby match and there was a sausage in a bread roll tea in the shed before the match. There was the sausage plus onions, cheese and bacon in the roll. Yummy!

Having no interest in any footy code I came home before the game started.

Tuesday 9th July

Day 31

It hasn't been really raining but just a bit drizzly today when I went walking. I did get a few pics for you today but they are all from around this area plus another lovely pic from Tony.

What a great view

Look at the date! 1996

..... and that's today. I didn't notice anything to eat though

Another beautiful garden

Someone's been using their topiary skills!

You have to have a palm tree to show you are in the tropics

... and then there are others!

Day 30

It doesn't seem possible that I've been on the road a month already!

Yesterday I got an email from my GoRV editor Max and he was wondering if my next column was nearly ready. That meant I spent the afternoon writing 'The Wallaby Track' and sorting pictures before sending them off to him.

Mark, one of my Walkamin friends, gave me a lift into Atherton Woolies as he needed shopping as well. Besides the groceries I bought an extra pair of shorts - there's a drawer full at home but only a couple of pairs with me!

I needed a couple of O rings for my water hose connections and last week I tried Bunnings but they didn't have any - or maybe they had hidden them so well I couldn't find them! Well Reece Plumbing had a box of assorted O rings and I got 3 so I had spares. The kind lady said, "They are yours - i can't be bothered with the paperwork."  Wow - freebies!

I also bought a roast chicken pack for lunch - two drumsticks and a breast. Lovely grub.

Alan and Doreen, my old friends from previous years here moved on yesterday and Kev and Annette from WA are my new neighbors. They are a nice couple and are on a very big trip.

My Mackay friends Tony and Denyse were disappointed there were no pictures yesterday so sent me some of theirs from a recent trip to Broome. It was to celebrate Denyse's 70th birthday and they looked to be having a ball. Thanks Tony!

A bit rocky Denyse!

Wow!

Tony looking fit!

What a lovely setting for a birthday celebration!

There you are Tony - pictures on the blog again

Day 29

Not a great deal to report  today - did quite a bit of walking but nothing worth photographing.

My next door neighbors Alan and Doreen are leaving in the morning - they are old Walkamin friends and invited me over for coffee today. They hope to be back here for two months next year. We met them the first time we stayed here all those years ago.

Last night was quiz night after happy hour and a lot of fun.

I'd recorded the Townsville Supercars racing during the day and  so was able to watch it last night and fast forward the ads. Torrential rain made it very interesting indeed!

Shopping in Atherton tomorrow - I'm getting a lift in and that will save getting Yemmy ready for a trip.

Day 28

This was a mixed day with a disappointment in the morning when we found the new battery for the computer was too big - it seems that my laptop is a 13 inch not a 15 inch as I had thought so it has to go back.

Then things brightened when ACC friends Rob, Rob and Judy picked me up to have lunch at the Tolga pub. It was great catching up with them and we had a lovely lunch.

Then tonight it was soup night at the park and there was a big selection of different yummy soups.

Now it's back home to watch some telly I recorded earlier - sorry no pics today and not many steps.

July 5th

Day 27

Not much happened today but it was still a good day. I managed 7,313 steps - 4.9km - but it was done in stages at a few different times and didn't seem very hard.

I've seen these PawPaws -  otherwise known as Papayas - most days but didn't take their picture until today.

It will be a while before they are ripe enough to pick and a long ladder will be needed.

One of my walks was to pick up the battery for my laptop from the Post Office. It arrived in Cairns on Wednesday but took a couple of days to travel up to Walkamin.

All being well my friend Ken will help me install it in the morning.

Tonight was barbecue night after Happy Hour and the ladies did us proud with their selection of salads. Tomorrow it's going to be a soup night for just $4 each. What other caravan park is as good as this one? July 25th will be Christmas in July - always a great night.

July 4th

Day 26th

During my stay at Trangie Yemmy was parked under a tree and the birds spent their nights seeing who could send the most poo onto the roof and windscreen. 

Today my friend Craig came down with ladder and brush to clean my roof-mounted solar panels as the charge rate was a little down.

Getting ready

Work in progress on the roof

Craig didn't just clean the panels but did the whole roof and finished up washing all of Yemmy until he sparkled nice a new one! Thanks mate.

I'm camped near the landmark windmill

Bigger birds I saw while walking today.

I didn't realise that a fish and chip van came to the Post Office on Thursday nights but I'd already slow cooked some corned beef with potatoes, onions and carrots -  then heated later in the microwave It was yummy.

july 3rd

Day 25

A few pictures to start the day's happenings

Another lovely bush

The wind farm again but the light was better this time!

I think they are Guinea Fowls - but I could be wrong!

It would be a great spot for free camping - but not allowed!

The step on the right was a bit wobbly so I bought a sturdy one in Atherton yesterday plus a strong plastic jerrycan to replace the new steel one that was rusty inside.

This was today's forecast for my hometown - here at Walkamin was so much warmer today.

Tomorrow a friend is bring a ladder and some gear to clean the solar panels on Yemmy's roof. I parked for the weekend under a tree at Trangie and birds did their business on the windscreen and i guess on the roof and panels.

July 2nd

Day 24

This turned out to be a busy morning because I made Yemmy ready for travel by disconnecting things and leaving them ready to fix up again later. The reason was that I was going shopping in Atherton.

It didn't take long to do all the normal things that have to be done before  travelling - disconnect the water hose and electric lead, take down and disconnect the TV antenna, drop the ropes that hold the awning and wind it in, make sure all the drawers were fastened and unlike normal travel days move every thing away from Yemmy instead of stowing it.

Some time ago when I reversed out of the carport at home I'd forgotten the step was out and it got caught up underneath and wrecked. I've been using a lightweight plastic one but it's not too stable. Replacing the step was number one on the shopping list!  I also bought a strong plastic fuel container to carry emergency water as the brand new steel one was full of rust and couldn't be used. A few water hose fittings completed my hardware shopping and I headed for the supermarket.

There's a coffee shop near the Super IGA so I ordered my usual flat white. When it came it been sprinkled with something and had deep thick brown froth. 

They seem to have no idea what FLAT means. Once I spooned all the froth off it wasn't bad coffee! 

Next came the supermarket shopping and my purchases filled four bags! I had been on the road for three weeks so it wasn't unexpected.

 I put everything away before driving back to Walkamin. I'd placed the step  alongside the drivers side front wheel to guide me back into poition and soon everything was back in place.

 

 

After lunch I did a bit of walking to add steps to the 3,000 plus I'd knocked up in Atherton. Total for the day was 6,376 and 4.4km.

July 1st

Day 23

Once again a very relaxing day plus quite a bit of walking. The sun has been out a bit but the wind chill is not so good although I've just been in a shirt and shorts. 

Here's a few more pics from my walk

The Atherton Rail Trail that I walked along this morning

These were the wind turbines I tried to show previously

A lovely bush in someones garden

My proposed route home. There will be breaks in the Alice and Adelaide and if all goes to plan I should be back in Illawarra by late September.