Front (side really) yard and yes it's a kookaburra on the post 

PC Back online

Ahhh, my old faithful PC is now back online. I had to repair a few bad sectors on drive C: (I have 4 drives) and it seems there is some file corruption and missing folders (or was I too through on my last tidy up).

I have missed the last few days and still have more Photo's to get out of the digi's

There seems to be two different Job possibilities opening up???

Home at last

We ate KFC last night and had left overs for breakfast.

Then down to Reef HQ the aquarium for a good look around, and then it was palytime in the water park on the Strand.

Then off for a long drive home and a car wash.

Ravenswood

We stayed in the old Imperial hotel, a most gorgeous place. The cheapest on the journey and the most enjoyable. The food was good and the people friendly.

We drove out tot the Dam and stopped at oakey creek, where 14 years earlier Tim and I had spent most of one day, simply sitting the creek trying to keep cool. This year all the creeks were dry. This of course did mean that we could drive across the bottom of the damn.

Then off to Charters Towers then back to Mackay and then Townsville where we spent the night
Successfully missed visiting Ken and Francais, who were only streets away when we called and left messages

My half of the gorgeous room at 'The Imperial' in ravenswood.

Onwards to the lake

(No cell phone coverage yesterday!)
The hotel at middlemount was the worst and of course the most expensive. Today was just another day of driving. Middlemount - Nebo - Mackay (Tried to Visit Ken & Francais, but they weren't home), then on to Ayer. Then we turn inland up the coolest road to get to Ravenswood. Most the road was Gravel and lots of dips and grids. Then it finishes with a steep uphill that is "not reccomened for Trailers, Trucks or camper vans).

Car park at isla Gorge nat park

Driving, Driving, Driving

We left Roma and after driving half an hour realised we had left the cam corder behind.....
We then drove to Taroom, Banana, Dingo (Stopped and saw the place where Tim and i got bogged 14 years ago) then Middlemount

Ryanto the perfect host 

Rest, Relax, Refresh in Roma

We pulled into Roma and found Ryanto's house, unloaded and sat down to a marlevlous dinner.
Next morning, I pottered around on the computer doing all those little fix it jobs that Ryanto had never got around to.

I guess my biggest surprise was waking in Queensland and finding a layer of ice on the boot of the Valiant!

The boys played, watch videos and rode round on the bikes. Ryanto and Wendy have a lovely little home and look after a whole bunch of foster kids. I'm not really sure whose is theirs and who isn't, and I don't think it really matters.

We have stayed for two nights and will leave tommorrow morning for Emerald via Banana and Dingo (I kid you not)...

Bicycle Roundabout in Roma 

Rest at last

Today we just hung around Michaels house. The boys all got on well together and Mike and I worked on the car.

The exhaust flange had come loose (The bolt hadn't quite fallen off), we repositioned the Air Conditioning controls (and shortening the bolts) almost moved the choke and then put it back. Replaced the fuse for the wipers and tightened the sun visor and the Drivers mirror.

The boys played various games consoles and jumped on the trampoline and rode a mini motorbike round the railway carpark.

graabed a few movies from Mike, tidied up his PC had a lovely dinner and pudding, watched a movie and hit the sack...

Stopped at yet another playground

Northwards to Gunnedah

Driving out of Sydney got off the right road and drove around for about an hour to get back on the freeway.

Saw a power station with huge cooling towers at musselbrook but the gaurd would let us take photo's. Had a play stop at "Who'd a Thought It" look out, finally got someone to talk back to us on the CB; two different people.

Drove into Gunnedah about 5pm and had chinese and pizza.

Milson point ferry

Sydney Fun Day

I had called this a rest day but it was far from that.

1st up I had to unpegg all our clothes and rebuild washing line which had collasped under the weight of it all. We then caught a train to town hall station (after Tim dropped us at the station) and climbed aboard the Monorail which we caught to the power house museum.

After wandering around and taking in as much as we could, we visited Paddies market and bought James a present and ate Fried Squid and Pork Dumplings in China Town. Back onto the monorail again and round to darling harbour where we skirted the maritime museum and onto the light rail (tram) back to central station to take the subway to Circular Quay.

Thomas was called up as a volunteer for a Street Preformance of a sword swallower, I then had to join in with 5 other adults to hold the guy rope for a small tight rope that the guy stood on while he juggled the fire sticks that thomas handed him. After that we walked round to the Opera House then back to pier 5 to catch a ferry to Luna park, where a departing patron gave Thomas a ticket for a ride and Peter won a prize on the clowns.

Then home to Tim's on the Train to get ready for an awesome dinner up Centrepoint / Sydney tower and back to bed...

Old Gundagai Rail Station

Canberra to Sydney town

Rising in the morning to a scrumios breakfast at the Sovereign motel, we drove down to look at the historic Gundagai railway station and met the curator as he opened up, he showed us round breifly and then we headed off to Canberra.

In Canberra we joined the throngs that pouredinto the parliment house to look at the chambers and we took a lift to the roof and took some photo's of the vista.

Then back to the car and northwards to Sydney and up the freeway and through some of the tunnels that now burrow under the Sydney streets (Inc. under the Airport). We finally arrived at Tim's place and plopped down of the sofa and were greeted with choc mint slices and large cold 1coca colas.

We emptied our washing and did two loads whilst Tim and Thomas cooked dinner and chocolate self saucing pudding.

The boys meet Ned (Glenrowan)

the boys meet ned

The road to Gundagai

This morning we installed yesterdays scoop purchase, a CB Radio (UHF) and loaded the car took our last photo's and drove off towards Canberra. As i reloaded the boot I discovered that the spare tyre was flat, so as Thomas guided me out of town, pulled into a Coburg tyre shop and bought a new tyre.

Then on we drove to finally get to Gundagi. It was a little short of our Canberra goal, but as we had not confirmed anyones floors to sleep on, it didn't really matter. As we drove past genrowan, we pulled in and had a look at the staure of ned Kelly and read a little of his history.

Rest day in Melbourne

I got on the phone Grant back at Arche (it was now monday morning and got him to read out the contacts from my old address book) and phoned Ning Qi. we got his address and now set out to have some fun.

We rose and wandered down to Flinders street station, across the bridge and back up to the Bourke Street mall, looking for the free tourist tram only to find it doesn't run till after 10am, so we headed back to the Victoria and grabbed the car and headed past the MCG and over the hill down punt road to St Kilda and Luna Park.

I had told the boys the could have 4 rides each, but on arrival, got the an all day pass and 2 rides for my self. After all this day was to be all about them and having a break from their trip. We walked down acland street and bought a CB Radio and some of those horribly rich european cakes and pastries, then back to Luna Park to finish our day of fun.

About 3pm we drove towards Connies house (Melissa's old friend) and bought a big bunch of flowers, as it was her birthday on Tuesday. After doing the delivery we headed to Ning Qi's and met up with Fan, Kevin & Jenny + Grandma & Grandpa. Kevin and Thomas got on really well as they had lots of shared interests, and we got ready for a Chinese resturant buffet meal. Ning Qi showed up during the evening and we had a great time catching up.

Acland Street Bakeries

Melbourne Town

Somehow I Managed to not only erase my cellphone/pda but also the backup of my contacts on the SD card, so as we drove to Melbourne, I had no way of contacting Ning Qi and I certainly couldn't remember his number. We lunched in Mildura after going to the Mildura COC church which actually isn't in Mildura, but rather in Merbein. As we left we found a really big and well furnished? playground, were we stopped and played.

The journey to Melbourne was enjoyable with long straight roads and enough LRP petrol for the old 'Val', but we didn't arrive until about 9:30 in the evening. I phoned and chatted with Melissa (after phoning Jane and getting Lissies number) and then drove around town looking for a Motel at 11:30 pm. We finally booked into the Victoria and camped for the night.

Murray River

Big River bend

Murray River Sunset

Outside the National motor Museum (Birdwood)

Meeting the 'Val'

Ooop's, I'm sorry I couldn't update. I am now in Sydney for 2 nights and am back catching, writing this blog. I know that's not how it's supposed to be done, but ah well....

I happily survived my last day of work and as Roi drove me to Rachels work he dumped a notebook on my lap to remove the Virii and tidy up. I was still doing this as we arrived at rachels and then gave a couple of machines there a spruce up and then off to dinner at Sawadee (Thai restaurant) and off to Ajit's where we spent the night.

Ajikt got us up early in the morning and then off to Auckland airport and on to the first leg of the journey. It seemed funny to fly into Melbourne then off to Adelaide just to drive back again.

Picking up the car from Tony was great and Thomas and Nicholas seem to get on well. We popped into kmart and grabbed a Tow Rope, Jumper Leads, 1st Aid kit, Petrol can and so on... Then off to the birdwood motor museum. Yes, they do have a Valiant 2 door coupe, but the VF model.

Then we made Loxton by 8:30 and moved into a 2 Story luxury house with big soft beds and hot showers and had a great meal. This trip is taking off with a great start! And the car drive beautifully...

The last supper

The last day at Arche was a hectic, rush of Training Grant and finishing off all the last details and remembering what i had forgotton. Lunch was Pizza and beer supplied by Datastor as a prize for our company buying so many Philip monitors during the last month, so under this cover and with beeing so busy I didn't actually provide the traditional afternoon tea. I have spent the last few days fixing all my families pc's and as Roi drove me off to rachels work to give her network the final once over, he placed a notebook on my lap and i installed my Protpack and removed 5 Virii and 13 peices of spyware.... I guess you have to laugh!

Dinner involved a lovely Thai restuarant called Swadee in Ponsonby and although we tried to help, Rachel paid for us all. Roi dropped us off at Ajit's house where we have settled down for our fist night of urban camping as we try to get 6 hours sleep before we wake at 3:30 am to make our 4:15 check in.