Sunshine coast over christmas new year

Of course we had a great time visiting our family while we were camped at Maroochy beach caravan park. We had a couple of special times when parents went out to the cinema and we had a chance to look after the two grandchildren, a sort of bonding, if you like. We are not too sure when we will be back and kids change very quickly if they're not living under the same roof as you. we did find that the humidity was hard to take. don't get me wrong, we can take the heat alright, i used to work in 35-40c dressed in period costume and I didn't think anything of it. The difference here is it was a dry heat and this heat carried about 72%moisture..Umm, no thanks.
We have moved South now and having a look at several areas on our way to Glen Innes where we currently are, still like the availability of the coast and perhaps when we get a little further South, may escape the humidity. We both loved Ballina and the area, Yamba and Iluka are both very attractive as well. Sandflys are another problem for me and the mangroves around Ballina may harbour hordes of them. Don't know, we will see...A couple of quiet days in Glen Innes and off to Armidale and Nundall tomorrow. We thought we may go back to highway one through the Hunter valley.......

I would like to title this photo from a fairly well known country song..Some days are diamonds, some days are stones....

Park and campsite etiquette

I have been thinking about writing an article on the above and would like to see what basic "rules" that others live by in their particular situation... Thoughts??
You know the kind of things we all talk about or do automatically...

It doesn't take a lecture from us on what TO do and NOT to do in your own particular camping area, BUT, some basic rules prevail...
Please don't put up stray clothes lines between trees, as it hangs other campers after dark, especially us taller ones.
Please keep your campfire conversation volumes a little lower after you see others going off to bed.
Please turn your generator off after 9.00pm

Coincidence or fate?

A couple of years ago, we booked into the Inglewood caravan park for about a week. The park advertises that it has en-suites to each site and that, in a small town like Inglewood, had a certain attraction. We settled in for a bit more investigation of the area and perhaps some gold fossicking. The couple on the next site had said hello and had gone off early most days and we were settled inside on their return on most nights. The next day, I noticed their van had gone and they had left several items around the doorway of their en-suite. We went out exploring and returned and solved the mystery of the surplus stuff. They had returned that afternoon with a NEW van and that's when their problems started because the new van didn't have the storage that their old van did, so there was a surplus. After introductions and the explanation of the problem we settled down to a pleasant happy hour. As it was, we left the next morning and thought it was probable that we would meet again.

A year or so later, we went back to the Richmond Queensland Lakeview caravan park and I was on my usual exercise program, that is I walk around the park and lift weights at the same time, usually around 4:00pm and 375ml at a time. A voice calls to me "Don't I know you? Are you a fossicker?" Well, yes on both counts, it was Terry from Inglewood caravan park. They were there to explore the dinosaur diggings that we were there for, again. A good catch up that night and we were off again heading south to family and they were heading to the coast for the same reason.

We've been back at Inglewood for four days of mostly rain and inside work. Today, Friday, the finest of the last few days and I see a familiar van and ute pulling in to a site not too far from us and called Marg straight away. Guess who? Terry and Jen again back where this relationship started.... Coincidence or fate?

Kumho tyres

Those of you who are regular followers of our Blog would be familiar with our story on the trial and reporting of the Kumho Roadventure SAT on our Landcruiser. Well after another pleasant visit to Tyrepower Sunbury, we had the tyres rotated and balanced and a visual check to see how they are going after 35,000klms they are performing as stated. by that I mean they are going really well. Of course they are showing signs of wear and degradation but not to the extent that I have seen other types of tyres after that many kilometres.They still have a lot of "meat" on them.
The rain over the last week or so has also given us a chance to try these tyres in the mud. We are currently in the goldfields of central Victoria and the back roads are usually gravel but with over 45mls of rain they have turned to a much stickier consistency. Needless to say, this is NOT extreme 4wdriving but the tyres worked a treat anyway. No sign of slippage or skidding, or any other problem. Now we have covered the whole gambit, bitumen surface, with hardly any road noise, deep fine sand, no need to engage low range or to adjust tyre pressures, and now light mud on clay based roads after heavy rain...All Good..

Treetops Scout Camp

There is something special about Treetops Scout Camp at Riddells Creek. We have stayed here several times over the last couple of years and keep coming back. Is it the serenity? Yes Is it the proximity to Melbourne? Yes Is it the scenery? Yes

There is no doubt about it, treetops ticks all the boxes and being less than 40 klms from the Melbourne GPO makes it ideal for that stopover to and from Tassie, the ideal spot for that family reunion with both cabins and bunkhouse style of accommodation along with the expanding area of powered sites.

This time. we have based ourselves here for the Caravan and Camping Supershow at Caulfield race course. We simply drove the couple of klms back into town and caught the regular train service through to Southern Cross station, hopped aboard another train heading to Caulfield and were there in about an hour.We also have family at nearby Romsey so the location of Treetops has been great.

It's much dryer here than we have ever seen it before. Compare the two photos. Top one is current and the other photo was taken in November 2013.

Clear View Mirrors

Have a look at how well these mirrors line up with the outside of the caravan. You cannot believe how brilliant these are compared to the clip on slide down the inside of the windows and clip on to the bottom of the door type mirrors that I used to have. The electronics just join up click, click. Mirror adjustment is still from the inside because their is no cut and shunt with wiring. The bottom section of the mirror is ALL blind spot so you can see vehicles approaching from behind on either side, no problems. These are GREAT.make your enquiries through your local stockist, auto shop or give them a call at Campbellfield 03 9308 8053 and of course, tell 'em Bruce sent you

Every picture Tells a Story