Tales of the travels, trials and triumphs as we explore Australia in a converted bus

Motorhome Travels - August 2003

Our second month on the road and all is going well. I guess we are going to have to think about work soon :-(.

We have taken the Moke to a service centre to have the brakes looked at - they seem to have stopped stopping!

On the Hillside at the Gold Coast,
Qld

We spent the rest of the time in Surfers alternating between the truck-stop and a nice little bay by the river.

After a huge drama and some big $ we have the Moke back with ...
Two new wheel bearings
Four new sets of brake shoes
Four new drums
Four new sets of adjusters
Four new back plates

ooo - that is going to damage the budget!

This map shows our track west of surfers.
Each colour is a different days travel

We were happy to be able to spend lots of time with our good friends Trish and Ty. They left to head back to Canberra (after two delays and a false start) on the 20th - we were ready to leave the hustle of the coast too. So inland we head.

We spend two nights at Flanagan's Reserve - this is a great little camping ground and at $4/night it is good value.

We stopped at a fossicking area just west of Warwick for 3 nights. This was extremely peaceful and very relaxing. We did not have a licence to fossick so that is our excuse for not leaving there rich!

26/08/2003

We are parked on the shore of Lake Coolmunda. This is a lake created from a dam. Today Tracey set off with the camera in hand to take some photos - I think you will agree that these are not bad!

Hobohome parked by the Lake, Qld

The one of the tree is my favourite, it looses a bit in the smaller version here, the full res shot has fantastic shading in the sky.

Traceys Tree Shot, Qld.

Hobo parked by the lake, Qld

27-08-2003

We took the Moke out and went into Inglewood to do a bit of shopping and to have a look around. Inglewood is your typical small town, I guess it is feeling the pinch. We picked up a pork roast for the evening meal tomorrow night (yep - my birthday!!!) - pork cooked in the camp oven is FANTASTIC! Actually most things cooked in the camp oven are pretty good. I figure that this is because of one or more of the following...

Because it is cooked on an open fire, it takes a long time to cook and by the time it is ready we are VERY hungry.
While we are waiting for it to cook we tend to sit around the fire and drink a bit, so by the time it is ready anything would taste good.
Something to do with the cooking process locks in flavour.

I must say that Tracey's ability with the camp oven has surprised and impressed me enormously. It has been a bit of a learning curve - the first loaf of bread did not look like bread, it did not smell like bread and it certainly did not taste anything like bread. The second attempt at least tasted like bread.

Doing the washing, Qld

The last go (a few days ago) was very impressive indeed - it was as good if not better than any bread I have tasted. It was half eaten before it was cool. I must take a photo of the next loaf to come out of the camp oven.

I hope she washed her
paws, Qld

Today was washing day - this involves lots of water so we found a tap at a picnic area. The washing machine is in the back of the motorhome and it was a good opportunity to use it while we had the Moke out (although you can use the washing machine with the Moke in the motorhome, it is a bit easer with it out).

29-08-2003

The Camp Oven Loaf

Today the drinking water pump died (again). I spent a few hours trying to repair it but finally gave up. I phoned the 12 volt shop in Perth and they are sending a new one to Goondiwindi today (they are not bad those guys). We will pick it up on the way through next week. Lee is sending our mail there too, so we will have two reasons to visit the Goondiwindi post office.

BTW - many thanks to everybody who emailed, SMS'ed and phoned birthday wishes. It is kind-of a nice feeling to know that people are thinking of us.

31-08-2003

Hobohome in Texas, Qld

We have moved on to Texas. Texas is a small town on the NSW-Queensland boarder. Last night (Saturday) we went to the local pub for a drink and a meal. Everybody there was very friendly and we met some NZ'ers on a strange mission. Trish and Kerion (who live on the Sunshine Coast) were on their way to pick up a miniature donkey for their miniature farm. They have invited us to call in on our way past to see the wee things!

Today (Sunday) we took a drive around the area and had a look at all the local attractions. Texas is quite a nice small town and the locals seem to take pride in their town and its appearance.

Tomorrow we are off to Goondiwindi!

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