Pics of the trip to Weipa......

John seems to be waiting for the trye to re-inflate itself while Ian takes a few casual snaps.....no...no...we eventually did change the tyre.

Darcy, our host here in Weipa preparing the seafood gourmet meal.

Thanks for the intro Gatz. team.

Thank you to all those generous spirited folk who have already made a donation;it is appreciated. All donations are individually recognised and will be provided with a fully tax deductible receipt

For those of you who did not catch it initially and would like to donate to Cure Cancer Australia and HMRI, the site is   www.gofundraise.com.au/page/IanDear

Thank you for your interest and support.

J & I

17 and 18 July Coen to Weipa feeling flat?

Yep, off we set from Coen in high spirits for the 260 k corrugated experience to Weipa. Morrie's unusual flatulence after a minor creek crossing proved to be a flat tyre, puncture mark invisible to naked eyes, so to speak. After a fair bit of heaving, grunting and high lift jacking we had the spare tyre on and off we set again somewhat more muted at the thought of another flat tyre bringing everything to a grinding halt. It was, however, not to be (PTL) and we arrived at Darcy Hallam's hacienda in Weipa without further ado. He prepared a beautiful meal of oysters, prawns and fish and we felt lucky to be alive, if not fortunate not to have exploded. Darcy is a lovely guy and a captain of the pilot boat in Weipa, bless his drawers.

This morning we were lucky to experience a classic belt and braces performance by a "lollipop" man in Weipa. He brought us to a halt at his crossing with his lollipop and then indicated to his mate 3 metres away that it was safe to cross with a sharp tootle on his mouth-activated whistle. Truly impressive! The good citizens of Weipa care very much for each other!

And so on to the tyre repair joint in Weipa where Peter treated us to the driest laconic humour we had so far experienced. John, please take up the story......

Picture in your mind Weipa Acme garage and sort of battery and tyre joint...............yep, that's it. Galvanised iron front, the BP sign had become flaccid and the reception area was the size of a small billiard table.

We employed our ingress tentatively as we were nervous and anxious about Morrie's flat tyre and the robustness of our future peregrinations. The three people in the reception area were already a little cramped but we befriended them as John makes eye contact and smiles with anyone with a pulse - Oscar, the Dad with the tats and the 30" waist James the two year old son - " Where's your nose James ? " said John 10 times.." Where's your nose? "............" This is your nose......." said John....10 times....but Oscar was clealrly becoming a little uneasy at this behaviour which - PTL - John identified but , I have to say just in the nick of time. The other cobber looked like a maths teacher but he drove a 1991 Peugot 404........you know the 1600cc jobbie that would not pull the skin off a custard....my God he was soooo proud of this heap of rubbish but we both were sensitive to this wayward love affair and encouraged him to go for the repco alternator although it was not a genuine Peugeot part.

He finally capitulated which shot us to the top of the queue.

" Pete " John said " It's about Morrie's tyre - it's flat and you look like an expert "............" That's yer first mistake " said Pete......kinda like Elliot Goblet.........but said Pete " I know my tyres...........yep....pick 'em a mile off - they're round and black ".

We knew straight away we were in good hands.

The round of golf at Royal and Ancient Weipa would not have been so long if it was only 30 degrees and the lunch menu did include a salad sandwich but the Smiths crisps and the 34 degree heat mixed with the bore water was a prescription that, fortunately was only the domain of elite athletes.........Ged and Christine, Christine still don't fully realise how fortunate they are.

The highlight was the phone call on the 10th from Elliot Goblet " Yer tyre's fixed and ready for discharge from hospital ".........well, talk about laugh, but, nay , the laughter was muted as we still had reservations about Elmer ( who we had glanced briefly at the 8.15am rendevous ) and his capacity to identify the tyre's malady.

We rolled back into the forecourt of Weipa BP Acme at 3.17pm, hot and sweaty after a gruelling 18 holes and ,lo and behold the whole thing turned to gold. Yes, we had run over a sharp rock, punctured the tyre but repairable, Pete ( Elliot Goblet ) made a donation and Elmer threw Morrie onto the hoist with arresting professionalism and put everything back together like all the King's horses and all the King's men with Humpty Dumpty.

The egress would have been wonderful after parting with only 40 clams save for the fact that Elliot Goblet took a shine to Ian's erudite approach to the whole thing and took about 29 minutes to tell Ian his life story - it would have been more comfortable for John if this joint had even a crude dunny.

Mr Goblet went close to being included in the Henderson Christmas letter and made another donation for wasting Ian's time.

Darcy's steak and salad went down a treat tonight after our luncheon of crisps.

Good night.............I think I'll have a Bundy and coke.......haven't had one for about twenty years.

14 July - 16 July - Terrorising the Mieschs at Lake Tinaroo

We headed off from our rather nice van park in Cairns Central and employed our egress with what can now only be described as consistent efficiency. We wended our way up through the tablelands, through Mareeba - which was preparing itself for its annual rodeo - and onto Miesch central at Lake Tinaroo.
We walked, laughed and cried as we heard the story of Mr Debel, a local mechanic getting mugged three days prior by a druggie - then he said." This is my wife Heather "...and I said " Hello Heather " and then she said..........."Yes it has been nice weather ".....when you're a little crazy you know a lot of extra stuff and when you're a little deaf, that's handy too, but the two don't necessarily row in the same direction.

Chris and Val have a great set up and we were well looked after - chicken curry and a little Sav. Blonk.

It's now Friday and we headed off to Cooktown via the ' coast road ' where Morrie had his first test - e deflated his tyres to 35 psi and comfortably motored through Mossman, the Daintree and across the ferry....great country side - this is Australia kids ........soak it up.

Hit Cooktown at 4.45pm with a well below average repast at the bowlo.........put $10 through a pokie but didn't know how to work the machine; the lady who helped us would have ben helpful if she was not so drunk and angry at losing all her money.

Reached Coen after Morrie's first real test of corrugations (he passed) but discovered a chip in the windscreen (patched) and then busted our mallet hammering tent pegs into granite rock tent floor. Photo will attest.

Short interlude: a day in the life of a "tenter". Wake up, head for amenities block/ablutions. Hazard 1: losing soap in shower along floor to adjacent shower stall. Hazard 2: drying feet sufficiently to avoid wetting shorts being donned. Hazard 3: forgetting item(s) critical to successful ablution and having to return to tent to collect. Return to Morrie for breakfast of cereal and fruit from wonderful fridge (I'd marry it if I could!). Then strike tent remembering to don gloves first and collect 12 (count them, 12) tent pegs, fold tent, fold plastic, shove in Morrie with other stuff, hit road, to do this all again in reverse upon reaching that day's destination. A simple life, a bit like your first car, say, a Toyota Yaris, then graduating over time and the years eventually to a Lexus (or the camping equivalent of a 30 metre Winnebago with tv dish, showers, kitchen, spa, pool room, a lap pool, 5 bedrooms, multiple chaises longues, a drawing room, a smoking room, etc etc).

And now a short PS to the short interlude (Are you still there?): getting to sleep in tent. Sleeping bag or inner only? Blanket or no blanket? Read book or not? If so, head light required. But head light on newly washed hair may result in hat hair. Is that rain or wind outside? Leave tent up in am or pack it wet for drying out at next stop? Drift off to sleep thinking how bloody lucky we are to be doing this..... zzzz. Land of Nod. Sigh!   (Should I get a life or find a job?!)

I have just returned from the Coen pub where I paid $25, yes $25 for a VB six pack - don't tell Christine.

Ginger red dirt, wonderful scenery, the heartland of Australia - God - I love this country.

Thanks for listening.J & I

Paronella Park and Barrelling towards Cairns

It's Tuesday and we left the Gats about 9am with lotsa beautiful fish fillets - we were royally looked after by team Gatkowski - thank you - aimed towards Bingil Bay, ended up at Mission Beach camping area - a lady from Narooma liked Ian quite a lot but I sorted it..........called in at Cardwell where Ian did a week of intensive SES work after Yasi hoping to see how the baker he had helped was travelling but .......sad news..he had, after his second cyclone, Larry then Yasi, moved to Dimboola and the bakery was empty.

 Cardwell to Tully still showing the scars of Yasi but after 5 months starting to show signs of recovery.

It's now Wednesday and another snifter of a day on the track - 7.02am rise with sprinkles of rain but don't worry Uncle , we got your tent down lickety split and into Morrie before it started to rain with purpose.

Spent an hour at Paronella Park just South of Innisfail - an extraordinary thing really - this 26 year old cobber called called Jose ( Joe to his mates ) built this wonderful monument to his dream in about 8 years starting in 1929 - he was a little bullfighter who emigrated from Spain to FNQ on a whim.....
but , despite floods, neglect and perhaps a lack of money this place is still worth a visit - thanks Mel.

Now in a rather nice caravan park in Cairns central with a visit planned tomorrow to terrorise Chris and Val Miesch who I have known for 43 years.....Mother of Pearl!  They have a great hacienda on the edge of Lake Tinaroo...one of Australia's overlooked nirvanas.

Meanwhile we are mingling with 10,000 other grey nomads per night..........heaven on a stick.

Thanks for listening..............we love this country................

Bowen July 10 2011 - Gloucester Island in background

With Ted and Sue Gatkowski and Koorelah, their boat in the background......right in front of Monte's.....a great lunch spot and holiday resort...........

Bowen central, days 9 and 10 10 - 11 July

A short trip today into Bowen to stay with good friends of John's, Sue and Ted Gatkowski and their son Adam. Within 1.5 hours we were aboard their craft Koorelah travelling at 70 kph (twin Suzuki 175 hp outboard motors) to lunch across the bay opposite Gloucester Island to Monte's, a Bowen icon, for lunch. Trawled for Spanish mackerel without success but what fantastic scenery and jade green waters. Later that night we got up close and personal to the pilotage operations for Abbot Point coal loader and saw off a bloody great ship full of the finest Bowen coal. The next day we spent some time with Adam discussing our trip to Bamaga, toured Bowen and saw the old Catalina ramp and site as well as many of the scenes and scenery out of the Baz Luhrman film Australia (Nic and Hugh) which was set in this very town. Nearly touched by greatness! Huge thanks to all the Gats for their great hospitality and wonderful memories, with pics to prove it, of New Guinea (before it flew solo) back in the 70s. A few musings: why is camping area toilet paper of single ply? John's and my conversations are on the improve and extraordinarily stimulating. Example:" Jeez it's a big country, John!" "Yeah". Life is nice. More later so please watch this space and tell your friends.

Two clowns by a creek