THE QUICK TRIP HOME

Since we left Longreach we have been to Alpha, Capella, Clermont, Emerald, Winton, Cloncurry and now Mt Isa.

In between, I made a quick trip home from Winton to Rockhampton then Mackay and then flew from Mackay to join Stuart up in Mt Isa.

I had an appointment with the accountant while I was there and caught up with Kylie and Kathy and their families. I also caught up with Joe in Emerald while there and Tracy while in Rocky.

It was great to catch up but a very busy trip and tiring also.

I got the sad news that my cousin Bill Boland had succumbed to cancer while I was at home as well.

Mt Isa is a typical mining town with expensive housing but unlike the mines in Central Queensland they aren’t as dangerous as there isn’t the methane risk so we went on a tour of the underground mine.  This proved very interesting to Stuart and interesting for me although I have been underground before.

The show here was Friday and Saturday and was very windy and dusty.  The worst I have encountered so far.  Fortunately I could spend a great deal of my time in the van and Stuart only called on me when it got busy as we were parked right behind the stand.

Tomorrow we head west for Alice Springs and have 2 ½ weeks to get there so look forward to seeing a bit of the countryside along the way.  I just hope it doesn’t get too cold.  At least at the shows we have power and can run the airconditioner.  From here to Alice we will free camp and I don’t know how I will go with that at about 8’ C inside.  Stuart won't be working so maybe I can put in an order to cups of tea on the hour while I stay rugged up in bed with a book.  Unfortunately he can't bring the countryside to me so I will have to venture out.

It’s about 28 years since I have been to Alice Springs and I believe a lot has changed since then and not for the better.

I guess one change might be the model of car used for housing in the bed of the Todd River.

All will be revealed in the near future.