Here we come ready or not

  Hervey Bay, Australia
Thursday, November 30, 2006

So now that we have two new wheels we are back on the road hoping to reach Hervey Bay before it gets dark. There's a good chance we will make it providing nothing goes wrong!

There isn't really anywhere to stop off except a few service stations where we have coffee and a sandwich for a late lunch. At one we see a campavan with ROSIE splashed across the front so I have to have my pic taken with it even if my name is spelt slightly different.

on the way to HB 04

We also see a great big truck so we took some pics for you Daddy!!!!!

Anyway everything is going good, we are driving along nicely in the right direction when Brian suddenly slams on the breaks and pulls over saying "Booral Road, I'm sure that's where my cousin lives." It's a good job I have my seat belt on else I would have been straight through the flaming window. Brian then digs the address out of his bag.

So we turn round and start following Booral Road looking for Wheely Road, which is the actual road she lives on. Of course we end up on a road that is now being diverted due to Raod Works and we have no idea where we are going and end up driving round houses to a complete dead end! As luck would have it there is a couple in their garden so I jump out and ask if they have any idea where Wheely Rd is and luckily they do. The very kind lady even gave us a street map so we could navigate our way there.

As it turns out we were on the wrong road anyway; we'd already driven past the turn off before Brian slammed on the breaks. As we leave the couple behind and drive up the road Brian kills a tiny little bird which was just walking across the road and as it saw the car coming towards it, it tried to fly off but got caught under the car. I was mortified and could have killed bloody Brian for not stopping. We finally pulled up outside Heather's house (Brian's Cousin) and she was just stood in her garden. She looked somewhat puzzled as we all got out of the car then Brian walked to the gate and said "hi were a little lost can you help us?" Heather walked closer to the gate looking more puzzled the closer she got and then finally recognized Brian. Poor lass was shocked to say the least at us just turning up as it has been more than 5 years since Brian was last in Hervey Bay.

The hugged and kissed and we stayed for a cuppa then headed off to find some where to live promising to return tomorrow night.

We find the best caravan park in the whole of Oz - Palms, Turo Street, Torquay, Hervey Bay. We check into a lovely cabin equipped with FREE wireless internet for the same price as what we would have paid to stay in a jail cell type room in a hostel. The owner is extremely helpful as we have no idea what we wanna do. We were thinking of going to Fraser Island but it has been on fire for the last 2 days and we heard on the news this morning that a Korean rolled a 10 seater 4x4 with 2 persons critically ill. And besides the place will be heaving with tourists. The man suggests Lady Elliot Island. We look at the brochure which says it is part of the great Barrier Reef (being the first or last island which ever way you are looking at it) and it looks stunning. The only way to get there is to fly and if Ben & I wanna go diving we will have to stay at least 1 night. We check for vacancies and prices and decide to book just for the 1 night; we fly out Saturday morning.

We then drive down to the Esplanade looking for something to eat, the choice is grim if I'm honest so we settle on a place named 'Peppers' which was ok I guess then retire to bed.

To be continued. . . . .