NeilR

Thanks to Cass and Ben for the bed etc for the last two nights.  I get the lounge next time.  It was also a chance for Wuffy to catch up with some former Ariah Park people and introduce Kenneth to them.  Back to the journey south.  Things got off to a cold start and it stayed that way all day.  Had no navigational issues today. 

The highway had some roadworks but was pretty good and then I got the NSW.  After that the majority of the alleged Pacific Highway to Kempsey could be best described as a goat track.  Even on the bike, I could not clear the traffic as it was mostly double line and no overtaking lanes or stupid short ones.  For a major highway, it is very substandard and the “roadworks” in progress are not going to help much as bypassing towns does not help much if the road between the towns is rubbish. 

As it was cold and I was unsure of what the weather was going to do, I kept riding until about 4 and then found a motel in Kempsey for the night.

Another bonus of being further south is I can get through Sydney on a Sunday when hopefully the traffic is not as bad.

Kenneth may be right on some things.  Headed off under clouby skyes and very cold towards Seventeen Seventy.   There were scattered showers all day.  Much more interesting once I got off the highway for a while, the run into Seventen Seventy was undulating and twisty through a forest.  Had a bit of around town and the lookout before heading off towards Bundaberg.

Got to Bundaberg at lunchtime just as it started to rain again so the decision was made to press on the Brisbane as the weather was supposed to worse tommorow.  This plan went well until on the northern outskirts of Gympie well two four wheels decided to crash into each other closing the Bruce Highway for over half an hour and created some serious traffic chaos that lasted for quite a while. 

Because of the delay had to do the run into Brisbane in the dark and after a couple of GPS issues and an unplanned trip through a toll tunnel, I finally got to Cassandra and Bens around 7:00.

Well the day got off to an early start as I packed up early as it looked like more rain was coming which it was.  Headed off and it was not long before the jumper went on as it was very cold again and shortly after that the first of many light rain showers. 

Bit of an uneventful day apart from the rain.  Pulled up for a break at Claireview for a break, it was a bit hard to see much beach as it had houses built along the foreshore but eventual found the picnic area. While I was having a break the boys went for a look at the beach and decided that it was nearly a beach but needed more sand. Kenneth thinks the tourist info for Queensland is mostly lies, its has not been sunny, warm, you cannot swim in the ocean half the year and the beaches are rubbish plus the backpacker infestations are as bad as WA. Wuffy argued it is better down south but Kenneth is yet to be convinced.

Took a detour to go to Rockhamption via a loop to Yepoon which turned out to be a mistake as just as got into town it bucketed rain.  As I was now wet, I had a bit of a look around town and at the beach, better than Townsville but that would not be hard.  I was out on the point and could see more heavy rain on the way so back tracked and came directly into Rockhanpton and found a motel attached to a pub and next to a shopping centre so I am here for the night to dry everything out.

Head for Bundaberg in the morning but the rain is supposed to be heavier tommorow so not expectintg a fun day.

Even less active than yesterday.  Had a sleep in, checked the bike over, resorted the boxes, charged everything, did some washing and went for a walk on the alleged beach.

Hopefully out of here in the morning. Vstrom is booked in at 8:30 to get the new chain and sprockets fitted and then we begin the journey south.

Probably get to Mackay tomorrow but it depends on how long the repairs take.

I did do a few kms today but they were on a bus or walking.

After breakfast, took the bus into town.  It was a bit quiet and most shops etc only open 10 to 2.  Went to have a look at Reef HQ, the reef aquirium.  I have been there before but thought it was worth another look.  The water in the main tank was a bit murky as they have to replace one of the pieces that has sagged in the observation tunnel so they have to put in a wall as you cannot drain the main tank.  Still pretty interesting though.

There is a Omnimax theatre in the complex which is like Imax except you lay in a reclined position and the sceen is a dome around you and you dont noticed the edges.  They had a two movie deal with the first being on Coral Reefs, fancy that in a coral reef aquirium, and the other was on the Hubble Space Telescope.  The reef one was good but Kenneth was hiding under the seat when the white pointer sharks were swimming straight at you.  The Hubble was very good as bits were shot on each of the three shuttle repair missions.  It also had images taken by Hubble and a Shuttle launch up close which it gave the sound system a work out. That filled in a couple of hours quite pleasantly this afternoon.

Gave the NRL idea a miss as there is no public transport way of getting that does not involve a 5 km walk home tonight and its a bit far for a taxi, if you could get one. 

Not sure what to do tommorow as here in progressive Queensland,  they give their public transport workers Sundays off.