97 - Anthonys now gone, here comes Yasi

Hiya everydody

I have been continually up dating this post, with the advent of cyclone Anthony.

Well it has come and gone with very minimal damage, crossing at Bowen 200 kms north of Mackay.

We have left Mackay and now in Ayr. Here for a couple of days bunkering down for the super cyclone.

Up till the last bulletin, we here were in the firing line, however looks like Cairns is going to get it now.

Guess where we were heading on Wednesday....................................Cairns,

Stay tooned!!!!


I

96 - One Of Our Favouties - Byron Bay.

Byron Bay was a great haunt for the reader here, back in the sixties.  Ahhhhhh they were the days

Load up the woody, with 6 or so, blonde hair stompy wompy surfer boys, all cramped in an FJ Holden, surf boards on the roof, bopping out to the Beach Boys, Dick Dale, The Deltones, Little Patti.............stop right there!!!!!!

We would do the track to Byron Bay from Sydney at least once a year. Once there the mission was to ride as many waves as possible...chase the girlies.....drink schooners of Tooheys, and just sleep where one dropped.

In those days a trip from Sydney to Byron Bay took at least a week, with the Pacific Highway, a goat track to be kind.

Lets fast forward 40 odd years, and whenever the chance takes us, we return to Byron Bay. The trip now from Sydney is about 7 to 8  hours, depending on the beer stops, on a near super highway in parts.

But now when visiting the area we normally come from the north, an hours run from the Gold Coast, and once again on a dual lane super highway.

But these days we don't go to surf, can't chase the girlies, cause I can't, but still drink schooners (Pure Blonde), but usually sleep in a beautiful home at a place called Ewingsdale, which is just off the highway, where we house sit for a dear friend of ours.

Yep tried the surfing thing,......give that away as a bad joke, but still can sink a few at the top pub. But of course just loooooooov hang'n out at our favourite place Tyagarah Beach, which is the northern end of Byron Beach. I am sure you don't need me to tell you, why we go to Tyagarah.

Byron Bay of course is now a Back Scratchers paradise. Not like the 60's any more, but hey we all move on. I did a bit on Byron Bay Feb '09 in this blog, so I won't repeat it here.

There is every chance we will be there again in March 2011, to catch up with the bride's youngest brother, and his absolutely magnificent wife. But as usual things change by the nano second for us. Heard that before.

Here are some pikkies of our various times at Byron.

The house we house sit

The view from the Balcony, with the ocean in the background

The bride just about to go for a spin in the hippymobile

That's me about to go for a surf at the Pass

Hang'n ten baby

Me again on a fantastic right hand break at the Pass

Surf rage with me out the back

The most easterly point in OZ taken from Tyagarah beach

Well, it is after all, a nature reserve (he he !!!!)

Well that's all folks at the moment.

If I didn't have the need  for a beach fix prior to me posting today, I sure have now....come on Feb 1st.

Now as a foot note to our followers of the Retro Roamers, next Tooooosday the 25th January, the bride and I  would like you all to be in fine voice on this day, and all sing the famous Beatles classic "When I'm 64".

Why....not telling ya!

Cheers and beers

Us

95 - Change Of Pace

Well everybody at the time of writing this blog.....14 days to go before we finish this "tour of duty" in Mackay NQ.

With the extra weeks added to this gig (originally set to finish 11/01/11) we are running on empty, but that's the way it goes, but really looking forward to being "On The Road Again".

Of course like all our gigs, not much to write about when we are cemented to the ground, and as tragic as all the weather events around us, I thought it best to add another entry give the blog a bit more interest and a happy note.

At this stage on Feb 1st. we are heading for Cairns for two weeks. With much yelling and screaming from me, the bride won this argument as usual.........telling me to "get over it "and "get a life."

Not a good time to head that way I ranted, smack bang in the middle of the tropical north wet and cyclone season. However geographically wise, we are reasonably close, and we haven't seen the son, the daughter in law plus the grandees, for six months or, so why not. The bride needs a granny fix.

We are still in the planning stage of how to do this.

Option 1:
We have a mate now running a motel in Ayr. Thinking of leaving the van there on the way up, and then head onto Cairns without the RetroLiner and get an apartment for a couple of weeks. Expensive exercise.

Option 2:
Take the van  to Cairns and camp on the son's front lawn for a couple of weeks. That is the cheaper option, however without air conditioning in the RetroLiner, and me wanting my own space (cranky old fart) the two weeks could be challenge.

Watch this space:

So till we get moving again here is some pikkies we took on one of our many jaunts in the tropical north.

CYA

Rex Lookout between Port Douglas and Cairns

Sunrise at Ellis Beach (just north of Cairns)

These shots were taken from our van at Ellis Beach Caravan Park

Lagoon at Airlie Beach

Another hard day for the Back Scratchers

Another day just hang'n out at the Airlie lagoon 

Taylorwood Retreat in the Whitsundays . No peeking now!!

 

Rolleston Beach just north of Townsville

Not bad for a "granny"

The bride reading the "No Idea" at Savannah Park at Yepoon.

Midge Point just south of Airlie Beach

More pikkies soooooooon of other places 

94 - Mother Nature Give Us A Break

For those who follow us, will see that we are all about, a bit of fun, and a little cheeky sometimes. We have our share of whinges, especially mechanically orientated, but hey...... we live quite simply, and have a fairly stress free environment.......and are very thankful for every day.

But our hearts go out to all those effected with  the horrendous events around OZ. Devastating fires around Perth, as well as floods further up north in WA.....but SE Queensland, no words can describe the horror  un-folding before our eyes.

Our hearts and prayers go out to all those in the direct firing line. A lot of the places we see under water, we have either managed properties in the area, or passed through them on a regular basis. It is all just so mind blowing, and very hard to comprehend.

But then yesterday Monday 10th January 2011, unfolding right before us, the unbelievable catastrophic events in Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley. Words cannot describe the gut wrenching that we (the bride I ) are experiencing. We cannot comprehend the emotion that is going through those poor soles who are in the middle of this unbelievable disaster. For those who have lost family and friends, we as individuals can only pray for you.

As I am writing this, further events are now unfolding for Ipswich and Brisbane.

This looks like 1974 all over again.

Look at this link

Our thoughts are with all.