21st Dec, Twilight Market day, Chandler.

Lin wants to go to the 'Twilight market' today, which as the name suggests, don't start till late, well, when I say late, what I really mean is around two and go's on till eight, which is then pitch black, so where they get the name 'Twiligh't from beats the sh*t out of me.

 Today's a bit of a lazy day, just take the dog for a walk round the park, turns out we find the local dog park which has been closed for a while to let it recover from all the stuff dogs leave there. Guess what? whe're the first ones to use it on its reopening and for that honour, we get to meet the local councillor and to top it off, we get a free calender that has nothing to do with dogs. Does life get any better than this?

Its two thirty, Lin cant wait any longer and wants to get to the Twilight market NOW. I'm surprised really that we managed to hold out this long, thought we might end up outside the gates, waiting for them to open. Lin copy's the directions from google and we're off, so with only one or two stops along the way just to check out we're heading in the right direction and not going to end up in New Zealand we make fair time.

Now this may come as something of a surprise, but its almost like a real market, not every stall is flogging off some sort of craft or homemade crap, OK so the fortune teller was there and the bloke selling crystals, but there was at least two stalls doing coffee and even more selling food, (curly crisps on a stick and Portuguese chicken burgers do count as food, right?) we think one stall was selling parrakeet's, that or advertising a pick-yer-own co's the trees out here are full of um. All in all, it was quite a large market and even I enjoyed it, makes a change don't it.?

Just for a change, no scenery... no trees or roads or madly dressed up cows !!! and just to let you know other than food we/ I did not buy anything at the 'twilight' market !!!!

This is George, Grandson George..... how cute is he... and look at those big blue eyes...

And this is Oliver..... now he is defo up to something.... what ??? we dont know but theres sure to be a plan being plucked.... hahaha..

Love to all.

Happy Christmas and New Year to you all, have a good one, Lots of Love Linda and John xxx

20th Dec, Opp shop till ya drop again....., Cleveland and Logan...

The day starts really well, Lin gets up to find a happy birthday message on her phone from her brother Nigel, which saves him from getting his nuts skinned by his sister when we get back..... (well done Anne)

We're off to Cleveland again today, just to have a look around the town (and see if I can find a place to fish.....) Its a largish town and I find Lin's got an altereia motive for coming here. 'Opp' shops. The place has got um by the bucket load. Lin's been doing the net thing again and checking um out. Bugger!, got to get rid of the laptop, at least the shopping centres have got comfy seats.
The haze comes down and the day drifts into a blur. Lets be honest, once yer seen one load of second hand stuff, yer seen the lot (and I recon most of it comes from dead people...). Lin's right made up, she's managed to find a vase  that matches the daycore at the place we're staying, so no sooner said, she buys it as a gift for the people to return to, Well lucky them, but at least Lin's heart is in the right place, even if I am down a dollar......

No piccies... just shopping and actually the vase was new and very very nice x.....watch it Smiff.. it wont be my brother who gets a 'seeing too' lol......

19th Dec, Happy birthday Lin, Shop till you drop ...Rochdale

Today's the love of my life's birthday, Happy birthday Lin and to save a bash in the head, these are the first words I utter upon opening me eyes. Lin's already up and sitting on the veranda clutching her ipod hoping for birthday greetings from back home. The ipod pings away and Lin's doing a lot of smiling, Thank God for that....... it could have been a very, very, long day. So where would the birthday girl like to spend her day?, you got it, a bloody shopping centre, I don't believe it, Oh well, its what she wants and she's been on the net and found just which one she wants to visit. (sometimes having a laptop don't pay).

 The day starts with the usual bacon sarnies and dip in the pool then into the Ute with the air con  up full. Lin's got all the directions written down, (don't trust that sat nav after last time) and hyperdome here we come. Its another big centre and we spend the best part of an hour just driving round looking for a parking space. The place is much like Lakeside and to me has just as much appeal, but Lin's beaming, so its all worth it. She's off, flitting from shop to shop like like a butterfly on speed. I'm getting a lot of, "Roxanne would love this, this would suit Billee, these are so Kouy". I ain't daft, so I just nod and agree. ....I really don't get get this shopping thing, even after being dragged round nearly every shopping centre in the country, Its got to the point were I judge a shopping centre by how comfy the chairs are outside the shop Lin's in, sad.... but oh so true.

I think we were there for about four or five hours, I cant really be sure, the shutters came down after the first twenty minutes, but I do remember seeing parking spaces on the way out, so it must have been late. Back home and it's a bit late to walk the dog, so into the pool to cool off, then down to the 'award winning' Chippy at the end of the road for a birthday takeaway, (Lin's choice). As birthday teas go's, this one weren't the greatest. I think the award they got, must have been for best drink, best table setting or even from the local dog show, co's it couldn't have been the food. Still, Lin's had a good day and that's what counts.

A local marina... look at those boats , ''theres money in them there waters''

John finds another 'old cow' to keep him company, while I shop... see what I mean about the chrissie decs.... they defo dont get it !!!! lol x

Thank you all for my lovely birthday messages, I got them all and spent the day smiling from ear to ear. xxx

Love you lots xx

18th Dec, look before you leap, Rochdale

Another hot night and another early morning dip, Seems a bit odd to be in a pool before eight in the morning, Still, thats how its done out here....... good ain't it.

Well I went fishing yesterday and Lin wants to go round the shops today so alls fair. I get on the net and check out were to go and find a place not to far. Half an hour later we're pulling into the biggest shopping centre I've ever seen, I think I've shot meself in the foot on this one. What can I say, we spent the day there, Lin going in and out the shops, me trying to find somewhere to park me bum.

Ahhh she loves him.... look at this flippin pair...

Ozzie does christmas... yep, this was about it in the local town of Cleveland.... its very different than in the UK, they are all out buying buckets of prawns,, while your all out trying to catch a Turkey lol x

In Cleveland outside the town council... apparently they have only just been allowed to turn the water in the fountain back on as they had a drought and had to turn it off !

Love to all, be good, be safe, don't spend too much and eat as much as you can... so I am skinner than you all when we get back hahahaha  x x

17th Dec, Lost and alone, Rochdale

I'm not sure the people at home can imagine what its like to wake up in thirty five degrees of heat, let me tell ya, its hot and sticky, even with the fan going full pelt, but the saving grace is a quick cup of coffee and a dip in the pool. What a way to start the day....

I'm off fishing today and the beach is a bit of a distance, not to worry, I've found a sat nav, I type in the address (Victoria Point) and off I go. The fishing go's the same way as normal, bugger all, still its a nice day so its not been all bad. Time to go home, fire up the sat nav, press home and away we go. I'm not paying to much attention, just letting the sat nav tell me which way to go (much like Lin). Half an hour later, I get a left, right, left and "you have arrived at your desternation", I look around and where the fu*k am I?. Seems the sat nav has either been set to an old address or its been bought from someone else, all I know is, Im sure as sh*t its not where I'm suposed to be. A touch of panic sets in and for the life of me I cant remember the address of the sit and I havent got a clue what Lins phone number is, I cant even stop a copper, all I can tell em is I'm staying in Rochedale. For the next twenty minutes I'm turning the Ute upside down looking for an address and all I can find is a couple of scrap's of paper Lin's been using for notes, I go through the sat nav's recent trips with no luck and things ain't looking to good. I'm begining to think I'll just have to go down the nick and wait till I get reported missing (if I get reported missing)!!!! I go through the Ute one more time, undo one of Lin's scraps of paper and bugger me, its got the sit's address on, cor, the relief...... I punch it into the sat nav and off I go. Seems like I'm right on the other side of Brisburn and it takes over an hour and half to get back. What a day, three hours fishing, Half hour to get there and a total of two and a half hours to get back, sod that.

The pool at night.. its lovely to be able to jump into the water to cool down when ever you want too. xx

Thats all for today as Johns had too much excitement getting lost and the day is over with no piccies being taken..

xxx

16th Dec, Dippy dog, wedding day blues and the beach, Cleveland.

Well after yesterdays little fiasco round the park, we thought we'd find a beach for the mutt to have a run on, the dog might get wet, but at least we wont have to put up with the smell. Its like taking a baby out, we've got to pack for it, lead, harness, bowl, ball and five gallon of water in case she finds another pond.

We end up at Masthead Beach, Cleveland , about thirty k from the house and finally find a small beach where dogs can roam off the lead. Kira don't muck about, across the beach and into the water, the mutts just like a kid and yer can see she's really enjoying herself, I'm just glad she came out when we called, Lin wouldn't have been to happy if I'd had to throw her in to get the dog out.

As luck would have it, we just happened to pass a market on the way in and Lin thinks its a good idea to have a wander. After parking the Ute, the three of us head on in only to find a bloody great sign saying "no dogs and no smoking in the market". Lin's not gonna be put off so me and the dog walk round the outside, while Lin walks down the middle, I'm not to sure who got the better deal, even if I did have to hang on with two hands to keep the dog out of the fountain....haha (the mutts just plain nuts over water).

Its Sunday and we've had a good morning out, but Sunday just ain't Sunday without a roast, so we head on back to the house to end the day with one of the best chicken dinners I've made since we've been out here.

This is the beach at Cleveland (Masthead)

In she goes !!!!!

and out she comes !!!!! have to say she is flippin lovely...and very comical.

Walking back towards the car and the market .

A thorne between three smiths .....

Candice and Lawrence get married and sadly we missed the day...all the very best to the Happy couple...

Thats all for today xx

Love to the kids xxx

15th Dec, Stinky dog, Rochdale

Well, we're house sitting and just settling in, so not too much is happening, just finding were the towels, cups and frying pans are kept, even finding out what switch works what lights is a bit of trial and effort.

We did take the dog round the park and I think she treated us to a little pay back for not letting her in the pool. As soon as we got near the first bit of water, she was off and there was no calling her back, there she is standing in four inches of muddy, stinky, reedy pond water, just waiting for us to catch up. As soon as we reach her, she looks us straight in the eye and does a belly flop, not content with that she then rolls onto her back and starts squirming, making sure she's totally covered. God that dog stunk.....for the rest of the walk she was happy to walk just up front, letting the ripe aroma drift back, nice, very nice. Luckily we've got a large bottle of water in the Ute which gets the worst off and even though the back is sealed off from the cab, Lin swears she can still smell the dog, not sure I can too.

At the house the hose comes out and the dog knows whats coming and ain't having none, we almost had to pin her down to give her a wash, not forgetting this is a rather large dog that we don't know that well. Sometime this house sitting lark ain't all its cracked up to be.

The local park again...

Madam looking for a puddle to chuck herself in no doubt !!!!

Heaven !

XXXXXX

14th Dec, Dog days and Victoria Point, Rochedale South

Didn't sodding get up at five this morning, bugger that. Today we came round in our own time and that seems to always be around seven now. The way of life is so much different out here, the working day starts at seven and ends around four, so when I'm getting up, all the other buggers are just starting work and bloody good luck to um.

Bit of a lazy start to the day. Lin's watching TV and I'm on the net seeing if I can find a spot to fish and would you believe it?? there ain't a beach here for bleeding miles, anyway, we decide we'll chuck the dog in the UTE (Ozzie speak) and have a run down to Victoria Point, its only thirty k down the road. It all go's well, Kira's in the back and the sneaky dog's got her head out the window, waits till we draw up beside passers by, and barks like a good un. I'm sure one or two of the poor sod's sh*t themselves, bloody well made me jump.

We soon make it down to Victoria Point and the place seems more like a harbour with not a beach in sight, still we take a walk along the edge and let the dog stretch her legs, you can see she's really keen with the water and pulls a bit on the lead to get nearer, not having any luck, she finds a four inch deep puddle and belly flops down in it, Now if this dog trys to sit on Lin's lap, I'm gonna need Oxygen. (so will Lin). We can't let the dog off the lead here so we're gonna take her round the local park. Back to the UTE (more Ozzie speak) and as soon as the tailgate's down, she leaps in with the grace of a steeple chaser. The trip home was much the same as the trip going, dog's head out the window, woof, woof, smell of poo, I'm just glad I weren't waiting for a bus. At the park the dogs off the lead and loving it, as theres a lot of water here (streams and creeks) we have a job on our hands keeping her out of it, but she dose as she's told and we manage it, which is just as well cos the water don't look to great and smells a bit.

Back to the house and the pools looking great, the temp's around thirty making the water even more inviting. Cosies's on and we're in. The dogs going mad, we're in, she's not. Shame we cant let her in but the pools got a membrane lining and the owners don't want it damaged and made a point of letting us know the dogs got sharp claws. Oh well, at least she gets a good splashing, now we just go to put up with the smell of wet dog.

Well this is the beach at Victoria point..but the tide was in...!!!!

Madam with her head out of the window... she sure makes those walkers jump lol....

The local park..at Rochedale South.

Thats all for today folks... a few days to settle in and then we will be fine xxx

Love to the kids we miss you all..xxx

13th, Dec, Rise and..... We'll just rise and shine and smile , Rochdale

Up at five this morning and its about now ya wonder why on earth did we offer to take um to the airport. I sit on the edge of the bed and someone sticks a cup of coffee in me hand, I just hope it Lin cos me eyes ain't working yet and I'm sitting there in the nude. I climb into yesterdays cloths and wander out. The place is a hive of activity with baby bags and suitcases everywhere. Now this really is were ya feel like a pork sandwich at a Jewish wedding. I ain't got no bags to pack, no bottles to make or shoes to sort out, even the dog just wants to sleep, so I just sit there trying not to keel over on the settee and go back to sleep. With the bags in the car (big fuc* off thing), Lin, Janelle and the babe, squeeze in the back and I stumble into the front with Brett, Co's I've got to see how to get back, Huh! at this time in the morning, I'm lucky if I find the right room ta have a pee in, I really hope Lin's paying attention. I come to just as we reach the airport, so by the time we park up, I'm full of beans. We say our goodbyes and they trundle off and I climb into the car. This things a sodding monster, even when I drove a bus, I weren't this high up and were does that bleeding bonnet end, Oh yea, This is gonna be fun. Much to Lin's and my surprise, the drive home was pretty straight forward and we never got lost once, not even a little bit, how bout that? Got a bit of a shock when we opened the garage door and this big black dog came bounding out, Forgot about that.......

Time for a shop, back in the monster and off down the road, the shops are just round the corner and I suppose we could walk, but where would the fun be in that. We load up with all the goodies we're gonna need for the week, plus a few treats and bones for the dog.... (we don't want this bugger getting hungry, she's a bigggg dog). The bags get emptied into various cupboards with the hope we'll be able to find it all again, now just got to empty the trailer and bike, within the hour, anyone walking in would believe we've always lived here.

Ya can really tell the dogs missing her family, she keeps going into the baby's room and laying down by the cot, even as the evening wears on, we sit in the TV room downstairs and she lays upstairs in the dining room. you watch, it wont take us long to win her over..

Kira xxxx

12th, Dec, To Infinity and beyond.... Rochedale South

Yeaaa......, after sticking up notes all over the place, the keys have turned up, seems like they were left on the hook on the back of the toilet door, not saying which gender co's Lin'll hit me.

The next sits a meagre hundred k away and should take no time at all. The weather looks like it really don't know what to do with itself and we're getting more wind than a double dose of baked beans, this makes wrapping up the tent up a bit of a challenge. All packed away by nine thirty and we don't have to be there till four, so we've got a bit of time to kill. The bike gets parked up outside the camp and we head for brekky and a wander, ended up having brekky in the sun and the wander in the rain, looks like the start of one of them days.

Its one thirty, time to start heading over. The ride should take no longer than an hour and half so we should be there with time to spare. The suns out and trying its best to fry me head in me helmet (and doing quite well at it), and as we hit the motorway, the bikes purring like a kitten, then the heavens open, Oh, whoopee bleedin do. We pull up under a bridge and drag out the wets from under everything in the trailer and set off once more. Within thirty seconds, the sun's beaming down yet again. I really wish this weather would make up its sodding mind co's now the sweat is running from under me helmet and it ain't stopping till it reaches me trainers, hitting all points south on the way. I'm just thinking "I'll take the bloody jacket off at the first stop we come to, when all of a sudden....... traffic and its backed up for fuc*ing miles. Now this jam is one of those that don't quite stop, just keeps moving at less than walking pace, in fact one old lady poked me with her walking stick, co's I wouldn't move up. Two an a half frigging hours we were stuck for and only went twenty five k (about fifteen miles). By the time we got moving again, me legs felt like I'd walked it (and most of it I had). First stop, service station, not co's we needed juice, I needed to get this bloody coat off, I would have been dryer if I left it off and just  let the rain do its stuff. Coffee, cool off and a quick call to let the people know we're running late and we're off again.

Lin does her magic (had to be a first time) and within ninety minutes, we're pulling up on the drive. Really nice house, really nice people (Brett & Janelle with baby Jade) and a really fuc*ing great dog (Kira). We're made very welcome, shown round the house and they gave us a wicked tea. The dogs got a bit of arthritis but is still full of life, very playful and wanted to play fetch with me arm. This promises to be a very nice sit...

On our way and actually moving...

The sundeck....

 The pool...

And the man and his dog....  this is Kira....she's as a dane/lab cross and very long and tall... she's also very lovely...

and this is our car (Ute) for the next few weeks...very nice...and flippin big.

So camping done, journey through hours of traffic done... new home lovely, dog lovely, pool lovely.. people lovely, and fabbie tea...so all is very very good xxx

Hi kids... love you lots, miss you loads.. wish you were here  xxxx be good and take care...xx

10th Dec, Last day camping...Kites, Balls and Goodbyes..... Cotton Tree

Well the tent didn't blow away last night much to our relief, so to celebrate, we're gonna pop down the coast to Colundra and have a look round. As we've gone round Oz, we haven't come up against many traffic lights or roundabouts and the reason for this, is cos the've stuck um all on the same road. I suppose to some, it might seem like a good system, roundabout, traffic lights, roundabout, traffic lights, keeping them no more than fifty yards apart, that way no one can build up speed and no one gets killed, unless someone manages to get hold of the pr*ck that came up with the idea in the first place....

Colundra is another Estuary town and the main water sport here is kite surfing, (much more peaceful than jet bikes).. Its very interesting to watch the boarders zip the whole two hundred yards across the neck of the river, turn round and zip back. Theres loads of the bleeders and we watched them for ages. I could only imagine the mayhem that would occur if a boat wanted to get through them to get to the sea, (looks like crossing me fingers didn't help).

As Ozzie towns go, this one weren't bad, plenty of opp shops for Lin to check out and loads of seats outside for me to get comfy on.... (everyone's a winner). The trip back was pretty much the same as getting here, stop, start, stop, start, I even spotted a speed camera, the big sign saying speed camera helped.

Its a shame really, apart from the wind getting even stronger, its our last night in the tent and things seem to be getting noisier, the people opposite have got guests and they ain't keeping it down, we've got car horns tooting somewhere round the back and a couple of girls screeching somewhere and to top it off, we've managed to lose the bike keys, good job old smarty pants had the sense to keep a complete spare set. what a way to end a day....

Caloundra and the kite surfers....

This is a group of Tai Chee practitioners practicing on the beach at Cotton tree.. it was amazing to watch and very therapeutic... I just managed to catch the ball they were using as it skimmed the water...

Th lesson ends and they relax...

John pops down to the beach to watch our last coastal sunset for a while....

Thats all for today.... xx

9th Dec, Seen one opp shop, seen um all, Cotton Tree

We normally get three breaks in the mayhem that happens on the camps roads and it all seem to coincide with meal times. The noise dosen't die down, (when have kids ever eaten in silence???) just the rush of the little buggers doing side slides and wheelies. We time things to perfection, jump on the bike and out of the camp without having to zig-zag round a single pink bicycle. Lin spotted one or two opp shops on the way in and even if we got to squish a few kids ta get there, she wants to check um out, first stop "the salvo's", yea, even the sally army's got an opp shop, big bleeder to. OK the Salvo's done and what a bit of luck, there's another opp shop right next door and in we go. Out of there and would you believe it, there's one across the road...... (bugger this). To cut a long story very short, we must have ended up going round about six opp shops and the bike's where we left it, about a mile down the road. Believe me, when we got back to the bike we both could do with a drink, so we make our way over to the shopping centre, park the bike and set off to find the local eatery. Joy can come in small packages and for Lin its an OP shop, it also seems she gets a lot of them small packages, cos even as we come out the car park she spots another one and once again, in she go's. When she comes out, she's all a fluster, seems the've got a bag in there they want forty bucks for and there was one just like it in one of the other opp shops for four dollars. Now she just got to have it. Stuff all this, I ain't going no where till food and drink have passed me lips. Next thing I know I'm sitting in a restaurant with a plate of ribs in front of me, blatant bribery I call it, but it works, Almost as good, we picked up the sodding bag in the first opp shop we revisited.

The camps just as busy as when we left it, except the wind's picked up a bit. Lin's calling it a cool sea breeze but as I watch the tent being blown from side to side and back and forth, I'm not so sure, still with the weight of me and Lin to hold it down, I cant see a problem, but for now I'm off for an hour or so's fishing. I'm not down there to long before Lin creeps up behind me holding her new noodle float which she's dying to try out. In she go's and the floats doing its job, just one snag, theres a hell of a current here and if she ain't careful, she could be in Brisbane a couple of days early.

Me and my noodle....

a Man and his thoughts.....

The day is over and the sun is going down..

Love to everyone..... xxxx

8th, Dec, Sun, Sand and Sea, Cotton Tree

So here we are in sunny Cotton Tree and we've got three nights camping left in Oz. Now as I've said this camp is huge, I would hazard a guess at somewhere round a thousand pitches. We've got um all on here, pop up caravans, trailer tents, fifth wheelers (huge caravans), massive tents. All of these come with two things, loads of awnings and loads of kids. It seems that whole family's ( Grans & Grandads, Mums, Dads, Uncles, Aunts, the odd neighbour and one or two friends they cant get rid of...) book in here for Christmas, years in advance. They get pitches side by side, pull up the caravan and cover whats left in awning. Now of course each of these little groups have got kids, loads of kids and it seems each kid has a bike or skateboard. Crossing Trafalgar square with yer eyes closed is safer than stepping off the curb here. Now for some reason or another, kids seem to enjoy using the toilets here, it could be cos mum and dad cant see um, so they take plenty of sand (the water and paper are already there) to keep themselves busy while their mate/cousin/sibling (or all three) has a dump, its got to the point when someone flushes, it sounds like the tides coming in.

The beach is pretty much the same, find a nice open spot, cast a line and the next thing ya know little joey floats past on a body board with five or six mates, just to make matters worse the little git has the nerve to ask if yer caught anything as he floats past. Its a good job the beach is sand and not rock (I cant throw sand). The beach is something else, for a start, its the only sand I've ever been on that squeaks when ya walk on it, (yea, strange)  We're right on the mouth of a river were it meets the sea, so we have the calm of the river, walk ten paces and the waves are crashing on the shore, this gives rise to a breed of idiot normally only seen doing donuts on the M4 in rush hour. They charge down the river on jet bikes, using the swimmers as a slalom, then see if they can stay on the bike as it hits the waves. Each time I see it, me fingers are crossed, sooner or later I'm gonna get lucky and watch someone break something, the jet ski would be good, arm, leg, or neck would be better, but ya know what they say, the Devil takes care of he's own.

Cotton Tree Beach...

xxxxx

7th Dec, Up, up and away, Cotton Tree

We've decided to start the day with a plan. I open the tent door and throw Lin out. If she's wet when I drag her back in, we book on for another day, If she's dry, we move on....... Dry!!!!! so we're moving on.

A lot of the stuff is packed from yesterday and its only the bits and pieces we needed to get us over the night still to go away. The sun's playing peak-a-boo with the clouds, so the day could go either way, meanwhile, the tent comes down very gently. By now, its seen much better days and it ain't got to last much longer, theres no way we're gonna be buying a new tent at this stage of the game. By nine o'clock, we're all wrapped up, had showers and ready to go and just to see us off, a few specks of rain.

We're heading for Cotton Tree, the last stop for us before we do the next sit, It's not to far from Noosa, only about fifty k, that leaves a nice easy hundred to the sit, that way we don't turn up before they finish breakfast........(see, thinking ahead).

After the odd wrong turn and a few no right/left turns and asking a few people, we arrive at our next base, Cotton Tree Caravan Park and for the first time ever, we've had to queue to book in. We thought Noosa was busy and was almost full, but this place is huge and is busting at the seams. Lin comes out of the office and is seems we've only got a choice of three sites, we take a quick look and pick the only one with shade and as an added bonus, its got a sea view, just how lucky can ya get??. We book in, make our way back over and put up the tent, probably, for the last time before we return to England (as Lin reminds me). By eleven thirty, we're all set up. How bout that?, its the first time we've moved from one site and set up on another, all before mid day. Job done, Lin's off to the laundry and she's been gone a fair bit of time, when she gets back, it seems that she got lost. now she's off to the loo and again, she's gone forever..... appears she got lost!! This is my Navigator, the woman who's been smacking me on the head and telling me to turn here/there, this is the woman who's been guiding me the last twenty two thousand kilometres around Australia. Now she can't find her way round the caravan park. All I can say is thank Christ it was one road all the way round, Highway one...

Our new home in Cotton Tree...luckily we are under three large trees... so we have some shade.. which is more than a lot of others can say and bot oh boy, when its hot its hot !

The view from our tent door.....

John gets free candy floss in the local supermarket...

This is the view from the shopping centre. called the 'big top' cuz its been built under a circus big top tent....

The beach.... ahhhh

more beach...

Well another day over and only 4 nights left in the tent.....xxx

Love to the kids, all of them.... x bye for now x

6th Dec, Busy going nowhere..... just getting wet... Noosa

Surprisingly enough, it was a bit chilly last night, still, a blanket and a cuddle up ta Lin soon chased the chills away and as soon as the sun came up, the tents doing the cooking thing again....Seven o'clock and Lin sticks her head out the tent. We're moving on today and it was sodding hot last time we were on the road. Anyway the sky's well overcast so at least the trip should be cooler. Coffee  and tea made and drunk, the well oiled machine go's into action. Lin's packing the bedding, I've got the trailer and top box open packing away the electricals and cooking stuff. Lin says "did you feel that ?", I stop and feel a plink, plink, then whoosh, the heavens just opened up. I slam the trailer lid, close the top box and dive to join Lin in the tent. So here we sit, with half our stuff packed in the trailer and the other half stacked around us. By now the rains coming down so hard, we can just make out the caravan opposite. At this point Lin asks "where's the chairs??", in the trailer, "Ok, so lets have a cupper, wheres the kettle??", in the trailer, "Oh, never mind, I'll go on the computer" its in the top box, "I'm hungry"..... Luckily Lin's popcorn and crisps are still in here, unluckily, she don't fancy um.

The rain ain't stopping and by now the roads about four inches deep in water and its slowly creeping towards the tent. Lin keeps herself busy by calling the camp office to let them know we'll be staying another night and with nothing else to do, then starts calling the girls so they can listen to the rain. We can't even open the door flap to see whats going on cos the rain just falls through and soaks the place, so I amuse meself by peeking under the tent, making sure the trailer don't go floating by.

As he said 'just amusing himself..."

We sit here with nothing to do for over three hours, until the rain finally slow's, to a downpour, then steady rain, drizzle and at long last stops. We open the tent and with a quick look round Lin calls out she's hungry and can we go and have breakfast in town, so its eggs Benedict and fisherman's breckie all over again.

Back at the tent it feels a bit odd. We're going tomorrow and we're half packed, but we're staying tonight and need the stuff. In the end we packed all we didn't need and dug out all the bits we did, had a general tidy round and left it at that. All done, Lin wants to go for a swim. Bloody hell! if I'd have known that sooner I could have shoved her out when it was raining and she could have swam over and got the bloody kettle.
The suns back out and the sky's are once again blue. Lin's swimming in the river and I've got me book, so once more, alls right with the world and we can get back to what we've learned to do best. Bugger all......

Wet wet wet......

Just a pretty growing in the hedgerow..

Saw these while I was swimming.... they reminded me of Billee and Becky... always together.... but what were they waiting for ????

THIS ! is what they were waiting for FOOD!!!! so as I said a bit like Billee and Becky lol..

Now I said to John take a few pictures while I am swimming ... so heres what he took...

Oh you cant see nothing ???? thats because thats what he took nothing !!! lol.

We still didn't get any shopping yesterday, so theres still no milk. Once again, Lin routes around in her bag and comes up with two pots of creamer she's nicked somewhere down the line. God only knows what else she's got in that bag, when we come back, I'm making sure she go's through customs first.

Lin's decided she wants to go for another swim and guess who's the anchor man?. no use complaining the waters cold, I just get told to "man up", but its not easy to man anything when ya nuts have disappeared looking for a nice warm place to hide. Oh well, cant have more kids anyway, so suck it up and in we go. Twenty minutes of semi choking and knee knocking later and we're getting out.... (I only hope things fall back into place).

I hear the "I'm hungry" call, so it into town again, Lin's seen a board advertising Eggs Benedict, an all time favourite and nothing else will do. I order the fisherman's breakfast, which to my surprise, didn't include fish, just the basket. Got to say, one of the best brekkies I've had since we've been out here and Lin did all but lick her plate.

Eating done but by no means forgotten, Lin is in one of them "I need retail therapy moods", so by hook or by crook, we're gonna track down the shops. We ride this way and that, taking every turn off on all the roundabouts, till finally we spot a group of shops, that'll do and we pull in. We wander round for a bit, but not a lot of shops and I don't think its doing the trick. Lin asks around and finds theres more shops just across the road, so with a smile on her face and a new spring in her step, off we trot. I'm not daft, I've brought me book, so Lin goes off for a wander and I sit and read. I don't even get through a chapter and she's back. Worst shopping centre we've been in, this place is pants, ain't got nothing here worth looking at..... I'm not sure, but I'm getting the feeling this shopping trip just ain't doing it for Lin, but on the bright side, at least she's got the milk.

Back at the tent and Lin wants to go for another dip. Once a day is enough for me and I draw the line, grab me book and nail me hands to the bench were I can watch and make sure local kids don't use her as a float and row out to the sandbar. Thirty minutes of bobbing up and down, doing handstands and swimming under water and she had enough. At this rate, I'm never gonna finish me book.

The rest of the day was taken up with doing what most grey nomads do, bugger all and just enjoying the sun....

A view up the street of Noosaville... they do goooooooooood Eggs Benedict in 'Take 5'.... hahaha...

Lovely... this is view as we eat our brekkie ...

Nice little town this.. although the campsites a bit expensive for what it is... but it is clean...

Love to all... bet you are all gearing up for chrissie... well we're not cuz we ain't celebrating it!!! well not till we get home anyway xxx