Travel Theme : Multiples (2)

Sarracenias, trumpet pitcher plant October 2009, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

I love the stateliness of these plants. This is in response to Ailsas travel theme “multiples”. Check her blog “Where’s my backpack” for lots more posts, or if you would like to join this large community of bloggers that take on Ailsas theme each week.

This also made me ponder on how important our photos are and how devastated I would be to lose them.

I searched all through my photos for this. I thought I had lost it. Then I remembered I had put it into my “Flickr” photo stream.

So I still have a copy. I have not been backing my photos to Flickr for the past year due to travel and poor internet connections so a new year’s resolution is to go through and put the most important ones into Flickr. I have them on a separate hard drive but that may not be enough.

Last night I watched the news in horror and sadness, with tears in my eyes, as the awful devastation of yet another bush fire blazed through a small town in Tasmania wiping out 60% of the towns buildings. Many of the residents running into the ocean to escape the blaze and from there watching as the fire consumed everything. They lost every thing.

Coral Bay

Coral Bay, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

We are now heading for Carnarvon, approx 350km from Galia Station. On the way we decide to stop at the beautiful small town of Coral Bay. I was here 5 years ago and loved it. I especially remembered a small bakery that had delicious pies and chocolate mud cake and yes it was still run by the same people and guess what I choose for lunch…

After lunch we had a walk along the beach and it was so lovely Jack just had to go for a swim. The caravan parks were all crowded and you had to book in advance to get in. I’m finding that every where there are far more travellers and tourist than 5 years ago, but I had decided to move on to a free camp area about 100km south to spend the night…

Paddling in the warm, crystal clear ocean

Picture perfect scenery

Pauline relaxing with Tyke the dog_

025 Pauline relaxing with Tyke the dog_, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

It has been a really good break from travelling to stay with Dave and Donna and do some work in the garden and of course the great experience of Forest Flying is a highlight of our journey so far. I’ enjoying a cup of coffee with the company of Tyke the dog.

Donna gave us a book, “Boomerang Road” by Quentin van Marle. Chapter 6 describes his visit and experience of the “Forest Flying” it is a good read, especially as he is biking through a lot of the places we are visiting.

Saying goodbye to the family…

Camilla Beach, Matilda on the beach front

Camilla Beach, Matilda on the beach front, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

The camp site was right on the beach front, this photo is taken from the beach of Matilda, and shows some of the erosion from the high seas from the recent cyclone.

Getting ready for the cook up

We baked potatoe in tinfoil and a tin of beans in their can and then did toast over the embers using the long toasting fork. It was delicious, followed by a mug of milo…

spider and web

spider and web , originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

Next morning when Jack looked out it was to see an ethereal world with the bush disappearing into the mist. What a magic sight and we had it to ourselves. Spider webs where everywhere spangled with dew drops.

Waking up to a misty morn.

Track from rest area

Matilda in the mist

Click on images to enlarge them

Lawless rest area

Lawless rest area, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

On Friday we stopped at 3pm at this rest area along the Burnett Highway, for a cuppa.There was a small table but It had no facilities, not even toilets, Maybe that was the reason it was so tidy. The grass had just recently been cut and we walked along a track into the bush area taking lots of photos.

It had such a peaceful atmosphere that we decided to stay for the night. I had to pee behind a tree, and Jack went into the bush to dig himself a hole. It was really getting back to nature, we loved it…

Jack sketching the view

Biking in Kumbia

Biking in Kumbia, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1. 

Kumbia was only a short way from the drive down the mountain and so we stopped there for the night. It was a real gem of a find it was in the centre of the small town and had power and hot showers and payment was by donation into an honesty box.

Arriving at Kumbia camp ground

When we pulled in we found that Molly had also arrived that same day, so it was hugs all round.

We walked along the main street and called into the pub for a calming beer and a talk to the locals. There was a notice on the wall announcing a film evening the next night so decided to stay an extra night.

We slept very well that night

Biking around Kumbia

Next day we were all refreshed and decided to explore Kumbia on the bikes. 

It is a very attractive small town many of the houses had beautiful gardens, the soil around here is very rich and fertile, and also have had some steady rain recently

It was still drizzling on and off so we went back to the van. Jack went over on his bike to a roadside watermelon stand with an honesty box and came back with a huge watermelon that he shared with the other campers. It was appreciated by every one.

Yummy, click on picture to enlarge.

The picture show was to start at 7-30, so I cooked some pasta for dinner before we walked across the road to the memorial hall for the show.

It was advertised as Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant in “Charade” but the big bonus was the showing of a historical film that had been saved on DVD from some old archive film footage from the 1950’s of a big parade celebrating when electricity came to town. Jack was so impressed that he asked if it was possible to get a copy. That led to him being introduced to Peter who invited us to his place tomorrow and he would let us have a copy. The whole show was so enjoyable and at half time they served a delicious country supper, lots of home-baked goodies.

Nobby-sunflowers

Nobby-pc-sunflower-2-12-3-1, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

On the way to Nobby we finally found a field of glorious sunflowers in full bloom. I love sunflowers and had been anticipating this experience. Sunflowers are my favourite flower and to see them by the thousands with their glorious golden display was like finding gold.

Nobby…

What a great find this place is, only 11 kms from Clifton. The campground is opposite the Rudd Pub and what an interesting pub it is. Nobby is the home of Steele Rudd who wrote the Dad and Dave series and the pub is full of old time memorabilia and stories of Steele Rudd. It also does a huge, tasty seafood platter, one was enough to feed us both…

The campground is free but you pay $2 per night to plug into a power outlet, there is only 2 outlets but Molly had arrived before us and saved one of the points for us. As it was the weekend we stayed three nights and there was plenty to do. Pepperina Gallery is a charming art gallery near to the pub,and was having an opening wine and cheese evening of a showing of art work from the Durack family. Fifteen members had a display of paintings and sculpture. It was a very friendly gathering of Durack family members, local people and visitors from many of the towns around including Toowoomba. We felt quite welcome and mixed and mingled with a glass of wine and nibbling the cheese and crackers. The evening wound up with a beautiful Mozart duet for violin and piano. Jack sketched the scene while he listened and caught the atmosphere in the drawing.We were told by Peter, the gallery owner, that they rehearsed on Sunday mornings and we were welcome to come over for a coffee and to listen to them, which we did.

Jim Durack and Anne playing a Mozart duet.

Pepperina art gallery

Camping ground opposite Rudds Pub

Barefoot folk orchestra rehearsing.

Clifton….

clifton-irish-pubJack-and-M, originally uploaded by gypsy woman1.

We are now at Clifton a small country town 30km north of Warwick. This is Jack and Molly having a beer at O’Shanley’s Irish Pub before having a delicious lunch of, what else, but Irish Stew, they told us it was from an original recipe handed down through the generations of O’Shanley’s. The young barmaid, in the photo, was an Irish backpacker and had a lovely lilting irish accent, auburn hair and beautiful skin.

Molly had told us of this pub and the camping on the local racecourse. We would not find it unless told as it is not sign posted as a camping area.The camp was only $7 per night and had power and showers. Last night the wind was a howling gale and rocking the van, so we pulled down the pop top and were as snug as two bugs in a rug… 

This morning we woke to the sound of horses hooves pounding the turf as they had their morning excercise. Today we move 11km down the road to Nobby to spend the weekend.