We are on countdown!

Passports are in the pile.
Empty suitcases are on the bed.

Electronic gadgetry piles up!!!!!!

Do you remember the days when you went on holidays with a camera and an unattached flash, when the phone was left behind because it was attached to the wall, when there were no computers to consider and you didn't own any sort of an ereader? Like me, you must be on the wrong side of 40. I am not mentioning 50 or 60!!!!!! Sometimes I think it may have been better if I had stayed in those days.
As we prepare to set forth on another epic jaunt the electronic wizardry and its necessary bits and pieces seem to be occupying more and more space. This time we are taking -


2 sets of binoculars
4 cameras
An assortment of lenses
1 tripod (?)
1 remote flash
2 ereaders
2 mobile phones
1 computer
1 GPS
4 lots of spare camera batteries ( 1 for each camera)
A collection of chargers.

and I think I need it all.
The good thing is that I don't have to worry about film and something to read!!!!

I am waiting for a technological breakthrough. I love the little computer and don't want anything bigger to carry - but the screen is too small to scrapbbok. I want a rollup high quality computer screen that I can attach to the keyboard. Come on you inventors - please build one. I need to pursue my habit.

Not all of our bookings are completed yet but we are reasonably well organised. At least these days you can do them as you travel along provided that you can get free internet. A word of advice to the unwary - NEVER go away and use Telstra roaming!

4 more sleeps and we are off.

Fast trip home - goodbye Aussie Swag

That holiday came rapidly to a halt as we received a phone call from an interested buyer - we headed for home asap and now we are without our little home on wheels. Very happy with the transaction. Let us hope that the KK becomes as much loved and used!

It is Wednesday and we are in Hervey Bay

Rainforest fungi at Bunya

Well the travels have been enjoyable! - but some of the weather has been lousy.
The two top photographs below were taken at Bouke - the Darling has plenty of water at the moment!









It was most pleasant to camp at St George and walk along the river and then head north again.






We visited both Crows Nest and Bunya National Parks and it was pretty cold and damp at times. We have, as usual, been lost on many occasions, including on the final leg north where we became misplaced in the suburbs of Hervey Bay. But that's life for the traveller. Lost is good.







The red knecked wallabies at Bunya were a delight to watch - this little fellow was just out of the pouch and he had very wobbly legs at first - he turned into a maniac shortly after and raced around in circles.














My main gripe has been that many larger towns are very poorly signposted and it is near impossible at times to find parking for vehicles with trailers attached. We have decided that from now on we will only visit small towns and they can have our business!
We are heading for home as we have a possible buyer for the Aussie Swag.

Lake Cargelligo, Nyngan, Gundabooka National Park, Bourke and into Queensland

A day on the farm - bikes, Auntie Col, Uncle Kev, cousin Sharon, cousin David plus assorted smaller people and other family members. I enjoyed taking these pictures of the old truck, the Holden and the bike.

We overnighted at Nyngan and ate in the local RSL Club. There were galahs (the flying kind) all around Nyngan - there is plentiful grass seed and they have obviously bred up in numbers. You could never say that they are quiet birds.




From Nyngan we headed to Gundabooka National Park, 50 kilometres south of Bourke. This National Park is largely mulga and we enjoyed some lovely short walks through the landscape and met up with Michael and Marea. This is Stone Country and the Aborigines lived in this area for thousands of years. We were privileged to be able to see some of their rock art which shows them dancing and hunting.






We took a side trip on the dirt to visit the Geographical centre of NSW and have decided that we should now visit the centre of all Australian states. We have already been to the geographical centre of Tasmania so we only have 5 to go!









We headed towards Cunnamulla and then onwards to St George in Quensland. The wildlife that we have seen has been great - we have spent lots of time taking photos of birds and water - along with the very numerou emus.


More pictures to come tomorrow!!!!!!

Firsts

Before we could actually pack the KK we had to learn all about putting it up - there are lots of little things to do and the order is important. Here The Pirate King reads the list of instruction before we erected it for the first time. The Engineer's job was to push the button!

Then we packed and set off. Our first night was spent at Forbes in sub zero temperatures and then we headed for Lake Cargelligo.
Photos
1. At Forbes
2. Leaving home
3. The Engineer pushes the button
4. The Pirate King reads the instructions

We spent a wonderful few days at the Lake visiting many family members and celebrating Kevin's birthday at the site of the old family farm where Kevin had spent his childhood. The countryside is so green at the moment and it is hard to imagine that just such a short time ago the Lake was empty and the land was bare.

The first trip in the KK

KK is the Kimberley Karavan - it is poised and ready to go (almost)on it's trial run. The weather is atrocious - the wind is blowing and the temperature is falling. My centrally heated house sounds very attractive....but adventure awaits. Sometimes I think it could await a little more patiently. Roads out west are closed and the anticipated trip up The Bore Track may be cancelled.
This photo shows the KK being brought to its new house - we picked it up in Melbourne.