On to Oz

Our Wicked Van The Mystery Machine

We got to Oz too late to get our next Wicked Van so we took a hotel room. The hotel was right on the river and 1km from a stop on the Water Cats route. It was also the first hotel I ever stayed in where the bathroom was at the end of the hall, not on suite. The hotel was really convenient as we took the water cat across the river and walked to the Wicked Van place. We got the Mystery Machine which was a 5 speed stick. So Carl started driving. A 5 speed stick with the stick on the left since the wheel was on the right and the turn signals on the right and drove on the left side of the road onto a freeway and across the bridge to the hotel through the middle of town. Was I scared? It was a stressful ride to say the least!

 

We have a drink on the river

One of the City Cats

We took the Water Cat into Brisbane which is a city on the river. It is a beautiful city with many parks and public spaces including a cliff where people can rock climb.

Brisbane at night

The river at night

Denise is the hostess

Carl prepares "bugs" and crabs

This trip was all about visiting family. So our first stop was Broadbeach on the Gold Coast to Carl’s sister-in-law, Denise’s, apartment where we immediately left to have dinner at her daughter, Astra, and son-in-law, Stephen’s, house. A sausage sizzle. Carl re-met Asher, who is now 5, and met Tennison, who is 2 and a half. They all had a great time playing in the back yard by the river.

We bury Asher at the beach

It was a chore to get him out!

 We spent 4 days at Denise’s and we met the kids at the beach several times as the beach is beautiful and Asher is a fearless swimmer. He really enjoys playing in the surf as well as digging in the beach. One time Carl and Asher dug a hole up to Asher’s chest and buried him. Carl had a tough time pulling him out of the sand.

A neat playground

 They have some great playgrounds all over for the kids.

An innovative slide at the playground

The campsite at Arlie Beach

Leslie feeds bird at Arlie Beach

We headed up the coast to see Alan at Townsville a 1000 km away. We took 3 days driving it as the van was old and shook and bounced and swayed all over when you went over 80 km/hr, about 55 mph, so Carl kept it at or below 100 km, 68 mph. In fact air streamed in the door jams and you couldn’t lower the window as it would pop out of the track and you had to stop to get it back in while trucks passing sent the van swaying over the road. The first day everyone passed us, including an old lady pushing a shopping cart! We stopped over night at a campground at Arlie Beach and the next morning walked around Arlie Beach. 

Marina at Arlie Beach

Carl in part of the freshwater "Lagoon"

They have a great man made freshwater lagoon in the middle of town for people to swim in and lay on the beach. There is also a large marina there and of course beach front shopping.

 

Carl found a backpack for day hikes

Annabelle, Leslie, and Alan

A playground in the park by the beach

We arrived in Townsville and met Alan, my brother, and his significant other Annabelle, Alan and Denise have separated. After dinner Alan grabbed a bottle of Scotch and called Carl outside. At 9 AM they both came back in the house with 2 more empty bottles. That was the end of that day! We spent several days exploring Townsville with Alan and Annabelle. It has a big park by the beach with several playgrounds, a pool, a couple of lagoons and a man made waterfall.

The man-made waterfall

Magnetic Island

A Kuala we saw on the way up to
the bunkers

 We visited Magnetic island one day which was fun. We hiked up to some World War II bunkers and gun emplacements and saw a couple of Kuala bears up in the trees. We ended up at the beach having drinks.

 

Carl is the gun on the emplacement

the battery spotting bunker

Another Kuala we saw on the way out

We enjoy drinks on the beach

A line of Prius taxis

A sugar cane train

We drove back down to Broadbeach. It was a 3 day run and we stopped at a couple of campsites.

The camp site theme was Africa

A rhino sneaks up on Carl

We say goodbye to our old van

Our new Beatles van

On the way back our Mystery van over heats and leaves us a 100 km out of Brisbane. We call and in 4 hours we have a new van, The Beatles, delivered to us. It is automatic and much nicer. Carl's driving is now over.

Leslie, Denise, Maria, and Novs

Jorrie, Nova and Astra

We went to Nova’s house, Alan’s daughter, to see her, her husband Jorrie, a surgeon who we didn’t see until 10 PM, and her daughters Illia, who is 5, and Maria, 18 months. There we had a dinner get together with Steve and Astra's family.

We  feed the black swans at Nova's

Illia, Asher, and Steve

Grandpa Alan with grand kids

The champagne ladies!