THE RETRO ROAMERS: May 2010

Monday, 17 May 2010

67 - Sunset Tour @ Undara

Part of my role as a guide, is not only conduct tours through the lava toooobes, but about twice a week, we have to do a wildlife & sunset tour.

That means we load up the guests at base, head out to what we call the bluff, checking out the various (Macropods) Kangaroos, Wallabies, etc., then suck on a bit of champagne (not me off course)at a place we call the Bluff, and watch the sun go down. Then after that we head off to Barkers Cave, to watch the bats and the Night Tigers, better known as tree snakes.

Watching the goings on of the bats and the tree snakes, is something else. Once again we will let the photies do the talking.

The view in one direction off the Bluff

The view in another direction from the Bluff

Here's me opening the champers

Champagne anybody?

Sunset over the western Savannah sky

And there's more

Me just posing as usual

Going...going....nearly gone

Check out the bats

A small Night Tiger getting into position for his dinner

Stay tooooned for the next fun time of the Retro Roamers

Sunday, 16 May 2010

66 - Undara Lava Lodge

Hi everybody we're back.

We are currently in Cairns on our R & R. I have connected to a wireless network, so over the next couple of days, hopefully we can get up to date.

Did do an entry from Charters Towers to Undara, however lost it somehow, so I am not going to re-do-it, and will just go straight into where we are right now.

I am going to let the pikkies tell the story.

In brief we may be here till the end of the season. Yours truly is a resort guide, and the bride is working in housekeeping.

We have no TV or radio, limited internet access, (when I didn't break my modem), however mobile phone coverage outside the van is usually adequate.

We are camped in the resorts caravan park....we call it Undara Heights. It costs us nothing, and we pay $35.00 a week each for meals in the resort mess. Some meals are a bit 'howz ya muther", however breakfast is all about cereal, toast etc., and a large variety of salads for lunch. Evening meals can be as above, however, Friday nights.......fish & chips, Wednesday......BBQ, and Sunday is roast night. So three out of the seven is usually pretty good.

Working hours vary dramatically. The bride is averaging about 4 per day and yours truly on a big day, roughly eight. It is all about supply and demand. In my case there are five guides, and we all have to share the work load. We only get paid for the tours or activities, we do. That's cool......a bit like being semi retired....but still can earn an income without being on the coal face all day.

Suits us fine....although I do believe when the season really kicks in....in June, we will all be working our arse off.

SO nowlet the photos show you all about Undara. I will also do new posts about the various tours etc.

So all going well we won't be updating very often, as..as above we should be here till seasons ends October 2010.