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michelle62

54 Blog Entries
1 Trip
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Trips:

Travelling around Australia

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Trip around Australia

4/5's of the James Family have been planning to go on a trip around Australia for a number of years. We now have the vehicle which we are having modified and we hope to leave late April 2007



The Great Barrier Reef

Cairns, Australia

We spent a lovely three days in Cairns, we camped at a camping ground walking distance to the city. We walked all over the town and also rode our bikes, it is really a bike friendly city with plenty of bike paths. We went on a cruise to the a reef on the coast, part of the Great Barrier Reef where they have a pontoon permanently parked. We stayed at the pontoon for five hours after travelling 1 1/2 hours on a Catamaran to get there. I got sea sick as I usually do but everyone else was fine. Glenn, Caitlin and Riley snorkeled all day out on the reef. They were the last people to come back and I think they would have stayed longer if given the chance. I rested and settled my stomach and watched them. I enrolled Caitlin in a class which she went to by herself and learnt how to snorkle and then there was no stopping her. We all decided it was a fantastic day and well worth the experience and the sea sickness. I went out on a semi submersible and viewed the reef from a safe distance. It was a fantastic experience and we finished it off with a Basken and Robins icecream on the way home.

permalink written by  michelle62 on June 14, 2007 from Cairns, Australia
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Travelling North

Townsville, Australia

Up early, you are getting an idea of the pattern now, and off to Townsville. We found out that Public Holidays mean that even the supermarkets are not open, so we could not replenish our supplies. We did find a bike shop open and we eventually convinced Glenn that he would not find a garage sale with a 6' 4'' guy selling a fantastic bike for a song and he bought a bike for himself. We now all have our bikes which means we can ride as a family. So we put the bikes to good use and rode around Townsville which was very pretty. We loved it and rode along the river past the mangrove swamps and back to the truck. It was lovely to ride as a family. We left Townsville late in the afternoon and headed North looking for a good place to stop, just 15km north of Caldwell we found a road stop and camped there for the night.

permalink written by  michelle62 on June 11, 2007 from Townsville, Australia
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Alas we must leave Prarie

Charters Towers, Australia

We reluctantly left Prarie and headed towards the coast, stopping at Charters Towers for the Sunday lunch. The original sunday lunch idea was mine and I had thought this was a great opportunity to get a 'meat and three veg' meal which we werent having while camping. Somehow the concept has been bastardised and it now has become a choice, taking in turns for each of us, I didnt think life was meant to be fair but the kids thought it was. Anyway, unfortunately, it was Caitlin's choice in Charters Towers and the choice was obvious, McDonalds. We happened upon McDonalds at the same time as forty grade six students on their school camp - fun. They all lined up with zip lock bags or envelopes with their cash and ordered their respective meals, and then asked friends for extra 20c etc. I think you get the picture. Glenn can never eat anything there so he only had a coffee, so the Sunday lunch, although Caitlin had fun, was most unsatisfactory. Off towards Townsville but we stopped just short of there at Reidy River Road side stop about 3.0pm and I cooked Glenn up some belated lunch.

permalink written by  michelle62 on June 10, 2007 from Charters Towers, Australia
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Great Place

Prairie, Australia

We left Winton for Hughendon, this was a long drive with many unfenced paddocks which meant we had stock, kangoaroos, emus, wild pigs and dingos running across the road at various times, I tried to be vigilant to help Glenn. It was cautious driving but so spectacular to be seeing all this happening in front of this is the bush setting. At Hughendon we refuelled and then headed towards Charters Towers with the intention of Camping for the night, we generally try to set up camp before 4.00pm as this will avoid the dusk and the dangerous Kangaroos crossing. We pulled into Prarie and I saw a great pub which I thought we may be able to camp at. I walked into the pub and then walked right through it and found no one. I came out to Glenn and said that I couldnt find anyone but as a minimum we should have a drink as this was a great pub. A couple of seconds later the Publican arrived, he was pulling out stumps a couple of doors down to burn in the slow combustion stove. We could stay for the night in his backyard with hot showers for only $11.00 best value yet. We set up camp and then moved into the pub of course. It was fantastic, circa 1894, and the couple who run it have tried to maintain this throughout. The dinner is served in the dining room with fantastic old furniture, side boards etc. The bar proper is covered with photos, old hats, farming implements, snakes in formaldahide(spelling??), the bar chairs were dentist chairs, barber chairs, tractor chairs - you get the picture. Riley and Glenn had another game of pool and we all decided that Prarie was terrific.

permalink written by  michelle62 on June 9, 2007 from Prairie, Australia
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No time for line dancing!

Winton, Australia

We spent a couple of hours at the Stockmans hall of fame which was terrific. I had a great time and was relunctant to leave but I think Caitlin and Riley had felt that they had absorbed enough outback Australia to last them a while. Caitlin was also hungry off course as there was a cafe there and she was hoping to get something there, alas, it was tomato sandwiches back at the truck. I give her A+++ for her persistance, the hunger comes in waves which seem strangely linked to passing a service station or McDonalds. Off to Winton after refueling, we stopped just short of Winton at a road side stop. Caitlin found another family there travelling around Australia so she had lots of fun playing with them. We have found it very unusual to come across families travellling, over the past seven weeks we have only encountered two families, one from WA and the other from New Zealand travelling around Australia. We left early in the morning after Breakfast for Winton which is famous for two reasons, firstly it is the place where Banjo Patterson penned Waltzing Matilda and secondly it is where a farmer happened upon a femur (spelling??) of an Australian dinosaur which they have called Elliot. There is many references to both of these throughout the town. With our uncanny knack we again have encountered the show and ute muster so the town basically shuts down. We still enjoyed our visit and considered it a real outback town.

permalink written by  michelle62 on June 8, 2007 from Winton, Australia
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Not the fairy park

Anakie, Australia

We left Rockhampton and it was raining yet again and we travelled the whole time in rain. We have turned on to the Capricorn Highway and are heading for Longreach. The rain was persistant and although it was not cold you still got wet and everthing around you wet. We pulled up at Anakie at a truck stop about 4.00pm but it seemed later as it was very dark and we camped for the night. Riley, Glenn and Caitlin watched the DVD but I went to bed - it was too depressing for me. We seem to have struck the carnival folk all along our trip, a bit like the armed forces, and are now following them from country show to country show. The show was at Gin Gin and then Emerald and now their vehicles are following us to Longreach.

permalink written by  michelle62 on June 7, 2007 from Anakie, Australia
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The rain has stopped

Longreach, Australia

The rain had stopped at Anakie when we woke up so we headed off for the long journey to Longreach. I was happy now and enjoying the trip. We stopped at Alfafa and had breakfast and then on to Baracaldine for lunch. Alfafa is the city of wall murals which depict historical events all over the town. Baracaldine is the home of the Labor party and has a workers hall of fame to celebrate this fact. We arrived at Longreach at 3.30pm which gave us enough time to check the mail and do some laundry. The drive had been long as we were driving into a head wind and seemed to be climbing most of the time. I had noticed a Dump Point at the Longreach Show grounds and so we went to investigate. We found that the carnival crowd were camped there so we did too. There were hot showers, toilets and power so we were set for the night. We were surrounded by fairy floss vans, merry go rounds and show bag trailers - Caitlin thought we had arrived at the Show. We had a good nights sleep and set out early for the Stockmen Hall of Fame. We spent a number of hours there - I particularly really enjoyed it - I had always wanted to go there. It is lunch time and we are off to Winton, I just saw a poster for Winton which showed that tomorrow is the Ute muster so we might get caught up in that also.

permalink written by  michelle62 on June 7, 2007 from Longreach, Australia
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The computer is fixed

Rockhampton, Australia

The computer is now fixed and they put it to good use by watching a $2.00 movie that Caitlin had picked up in a bargain box which was when they get off Gilligans Island. It was a very poor movie but they perservered until the end, I gave up and went to bed. We will be leaving Rockhampton tomorrow and I will be pleased as four days was too long. We did lots of walking and exploring, there is two distinct sides to the town over the Fitzroy River the main part and the Northern part. We explored both parts. Caitlin, Riley and Glenn swam lots in the pool, but it was not warm enough for me. I explored the Kenshaw Gardens which was a beautiful tropical garden with waterfalls, fragrant gardens and many other features. I enjoyed the peace of the walk and came back to the camp site refreshed. Our neighbour of four days has been Margaret, a 70 year old lady, who has been travelling on her own for 14 months. We enjoyed her company and had many chats and coffee discussing place she had been and where we should go. I really admired her strength of character to travel on her own like that.

permalink written by  michelle62 on June 5, 2007 from Rockhampton, Australia
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Travelling North

Gin Gin, Australia

We had pancakes for Breakfast at Sharon and then took the nature walk down to Sharon Gorge. It was then off to Gin Gin where we had some morning tea while waiting for the library to open at 12.30pm. Glenn and Caitlin did school work and Riley worked on his French. We had a succesful go at all the school work and replenished our groceries before heading north. We camped just out side of Gladstone at a Roadside stop where we managed to dry most of our washing which was good. We had a number of games of hearts and for the first time I was the victor - it is nice to see that in print because it happens so rarely.

permalink written by  michelle62 on June 3, 2007 from Gin Gin, Australia
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Rocky

Rockhampton, Australia

We walked into town for our Sunday lunch but surprisingly everything was closed. We did have subway (Riley's Choice) and walked all over the town but there was not alot to see. We will have to come back tomorrow when there is more action. The show is following us, it is In Rockhampton for the next three days and it was at Gin Gin when we there. I am hoping the Caitlin doesnt catch on or she will be asking to go again. We are awaiting the Dell man who fix our computer. Meanwhile Riley, Glenn and Caitlin are swimming in the pool three times a day and everyone thinks it nuts because it is winter - but it is very hot we think! We are having a great time and we cant complain. We are camped on the Fitzroy River and there are signs everywhere about crocodiles so we will be cautious.

permalink written by  michelle62 on June 3, 2007 from Rockhampton, Australia
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