HAVING A WHALE OF A TIME!

Enzos- a favorite cafe

On my very first night as a solo traveller, I met some really gorgeous people. Cathy and Col and their awesome son Kyle. They were going around Australia too, with Kyle doing his education remotely via the internet. Like his parents, Kyle has incredible social skills and can talk to anyone, regardless of age, ethnicity or views. And he has the same big warm smile as his mum! These people made that first night the best it could possibly be, and were instrumental in my positive outlook towards traveling. I still keep in contact with Cathie via Facebook and love all the incredible photos she posts there, of their travels. And where did they come from? Hervey Bay!

So, even on the outskirts of Hervey  Bay, I began to look forward to being here. Which wasn’t usual as I hadn’t found a place to stay reasonably cheaply yet, and for once, Wikicamps did not help me. Lots of high priced Caravan Parks though! But suddenly the sun was shining and the breeze was fresh as I came along the Maryborough Road and approached the Eli Waters (a suburb of Hervey Bay) roundabout. From there I could go to Point Vernon , or Boat Harbour Drive, or to the Esplanade.

I chose the Esplanade. Great choice! The Esplanade stretches from The Pines at Pialba Beach, along Scarness Beach, onto Torquay Beach and around to Urangan Pier. This is one of the longest and most beautiful beach fronts, backed by gorgeous picnic parks and paved walking tracks I have ever seen. And every beach front has its own unique ambiance. Pialba, for instance is a quieter, more open. Scarness has more to offer the families with childrens playgrounds and busy, pretty shops across the road. Torquay is slightly nicer with the awesome Enzos Café right on the beach. One of my favorite cafes ever! Very ‘beachy’ with a laid back but stylish presentation. You can have your Chai Latte at the little tables and chairs outside, shaded  with their colorful Umbrellas, or laze luxuriously on the bean bag lazyboys there. While across the road smart shops becon the bemused tourists.

 Urangan slowly becomes less busy again, given more to the joggers and walkers who take advantage of the long,  well kept paths and quiet beachfronts there. Until you get to Urangan Pier. I loved walking out here, not only for the fabulous views but it has such clean, fresh salty air, and an easy walk. God, I just can’t fault this esplanade!

However, I still had the sticky problem of finding somewhere for the night. By this time I  was so smitten with Hervey Bay, I was determined to stay, if I could find somewhere cheap enough. OK. So here is the bottom line. You shouldn’t do this…. BUT…. I’d heard that Hervey Bay was very easy going on campers who made no problems and that if you parked somewhere quiet ….. well, anyway, a lovely Hervey Bayer told me of Point Dayman Park, very near to the Bay Marina.

 As it was low season, if I was quiet and I left early, she said the locals were pretty good about it. So off I went, expecting a dark, or at least overgrown area to hide in. But no! Dayman Park is stunning! Parking is in two well paved sections, surrounded by childrens area, picnic area and a café right on the beach. And yes… you can walk straight onto the beach! The views from the beach and the top section are to die for, yet the locals that I met were both friendly and smiling. Now I know the caravan parks are against this, but I think the locals have the right idea. If you are quiet and leave no trace why not have campers who will then frequent all the local businesses? But be warned STIFF penalties for camping if they decide to persue it.Anyway I will love Hervey Bay forever more because of Dayman Park!

The next Day as I went to do some shopping at the Urangan Shopping Mall (see… letting us stay, works!) I saw the Botanical Gardens next to it and decided to have my coffee in there. All I can say is…. Is there no part of Hervey Bay which is not beautiful? These Gardens are just so stunning and well designed I ended up staying the morning there. Walking along the winding paths around the lake and onto the viewing platform in its middle,  watching the fountains play in the sunlight and dance along the waters, on through the Chinese gardens, and  down into the woodland glades. I almost forgot to have my coffee at the picnic tables there.

The rest of my time in Hervey Bay was much the same every day. Wherever I went was either endless beaches or cool green foliage. Even the rocky flat outcrop of Point Vernon was magical, set in natural woodland parks with easy parking, that you could walk straight out to the sandy low tide flats with.  The Marina, back in Urangan,  was lovely too, with the bobbing boats in the harbor and the busy shopping area and cafes behind it. From here you can take a boat trip to see the whales, in season. Unfortunately I was a month out, as mid to late July is when the wonderful humpback Whales migrate up here to warmer waters, some staying for a while, some continuing northwards. If this place had a downside for me, this was it. I missed the Whales.

But who am I kidding. Hervey Bay was perfect! And I will be back to see the Whales!!

Dreams are what you do before you make it Reality.
The Grey Chihuahua

TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS OF A TRAVELING BLOGGER

THE UNSPEAKABLE HAS HAPPENED! I have lost loads of photos from my blogs!!! And I don't know how to get them back! Well, I have been asked SO MANY times now- how easy is it to become a blogger? Short answer… if you love writing or telling a tale, becoming a blogger is not so hard. First you need something you are passionate about or have a real interest in, to write about. It can be anything from minding the baby to- travelling Australia! Then you just find your preferred platform (I stuck to Google’s Blogger for mine, but there is Wordpress and many others) get your account set up and sort out your layout (of which you are usually offered a  choice), and away you go.

A Longer answer….. is NEVER that simple! Getting set up and writing the damn thing is pretty straight forward. It’s all the little glitches after that that really wind you up. For instance, do you want to add pictures to your blog? In one way, this is always a good idea as it creates visual interest and captures the imagination quicker than words. A blog without pictures is like a barren landscape… dead boring, and somewhere you really don’t want to be. BUT, then there’s the downside. Writing a blog, for me, is no problem. Words are easy to place on a page. Pictures are Satan’s own invention. A sadistic way of letting a

blogger know how puny and useless they are.

 Firstly you have to take or find the damn photos. Then you have to download them either into your pictures file, on the computer, or direct to your Blog via USB cable from your phone/ camera. Either one takes years off your life. No. Literally- years! I once timed a download of just one picture onto a blog I had waiting to astonish the world. It took 25 minutes! I cooked my tea while I was doing it.

Now this may just be a BLOGGER platform glitch as I haven’t tried others……YET! Or it may be because I am traveling and writing as I go. This means I often find myself with poor or no network access. Yes blogging is great while you are able to use the internet. Strange isn’t it? So in cities, towns, areas of denser human population… Blogging is a fun thing to do. Try traveling. Suddenly, after a half an hour of walking around in circles, across whichever inaccessible terrain you are in, holding the blasted computer up to the sky in a beseeching offering, you realize… That you have developed severe, excruciating pain in whichever arm has been trying to balance the small rectangle, which has now gained all the weight of a fully grown Rhino. And that you have established a following (well more of a ‘hiding’ really).There are now people who are locking themselves in caravans and campers around you, peeping out from behind their curtains and locked doors. Don’t try explaining that you are actually quite sane and just trying to find a ‘connection’. I’ve tried it. Doesn’t work. They ring the police.

So not only does it take you one full day to WRITE the blog, if you are lucky enough to get an internet connection. It then takes you another day to download the photos and TRY to upload them onto the blog. Oh, and did I mention, that even when you get these beautiful, inspiring shots onto your page, they don’t always go where you want them to. This is where you find something else has taken over your Blog. Something evil and twisted. The Blog has gained a life of its own, and has developed the personality of a sulky, bratty ‘princess’.  “You want to place that picture here? No. I don’t want it here. I want it higher up/ lower down/ not on here at all! What do you mean it’s your blog? I’M alive! I can choose where I want to put your crappy old photos, which, incidentally are pretty naff. I could do better.” So you spend precious hours negotiating around the spoiled little……

Finally you have the Blog written, the pictures downloaded and in place (maybe not quite in the place you originally wanted… but they are on the blog) and you send it to ‘preview’. At which point you realize…you need to alter the wording. It isn’t that… good. OK, it is pretty awful right now. AND it’s here where you realize you have a blinding headache, a wrenched shoulder, and NO interest whatsoever in publishing this useless, shitty piece of offal called a BLOG. You go to bed. At 12noon. With paracetamol and a hot water bottle.

    

It isn’t until you emerge from under that warm, welcoming, cocoon of a duvet , one (or two) days later that you are recovered enough to make the necessary alterations and FINALLY PUBLISH. That is…........

IF your computer still has enough juice in it to actually start up again  OR...IF you haven’t lost your internet connection again by now.

So how easy is it to write your own Blog? A hell of a lot easier in a CITY!!!

< (Whoo Hoo.You go girl! You've  actually FINISHED a blog!!!)

Karma isn't in the big things you do in life... it is in the small things that affect others.
The Grey Chihuahua

BUNDY, BEER AND BEYOND

I LOVE Bundaberg. And, no, not just because it makes the BEST Ginger Beer in the World  (though that is a major factor) However, I did feel obliged to visit ‘the Big Barrel’ to do a little sampling with a cheerful, bubbly little Bundyberger, and, of course buy a few. I Love Bundy because the people there genuinely try to help you, even if you are in a motorhome! Like the lovely ladies at the showgrounds, who assisted me to find drinking water and said it should be there for everyone.  

 I also love the easy feeling of the place. Its wide open spaces, even in the town itself.  I love its lovely eclectic, main town shopping which strangely but successfully blends old and new together. And even its modern shopping centre, Sugarland, which is just as you enter Bundy, past the airfield. I love the drive there, because once you pass Childers it’s as if the real Queensland shows itself. The earth becomes deep iron ore red, best seen where the road cuts through a hilly section exposing the layers of soil on either side and hiding, for a short time, the natural bushland trees behind it. And there’s long stretches of cane fields, standing tall and proud like real Aussies, waving “G’Day” to you as you pass. And macadamia nut trees! Mmmmmm.  Yep. I know I’m in Queensland when I’m in Bundy.

G'DAY!

Don’t get me wrong… other places are nice too. Childers is quite Beautiful! It has kept all its old historical buildings in wonderful condition, and has to be one of the most interesting, pretty places I have been to. Even the sidewalk is worth looking at, with mosaic artwork embedded along its pathway. I counted 52! But there’s probably more. These are superb and it’s worth a visit to Childers just to see them alone. But there’s much more arts and crafts here. This place is a craftsmans delight. 

One thing I found not so good here , was, it’s a tad on the expensive side and some people were not that friendly. OK getting ripped off for $3 for a small half a French stick in the local Bakery, and being told by the librarian they kept the tables away from the power points as they didn’t want backpackers and such (I think I was a ‘such’) to take advantage of the library, may have coloured my perspective.  

 However, if you keep going towards Bundy, there’s a great Rest stop at Appletree Creek, in a lovely huge park just off the highway right opposite the turn off for the Flying  High Bird Sanctuary.This has to be one of the best sanctuaries you could ever visit!!! It's the largest free flight bird sanctuary in Australia. The variety and color of the birds are stunning. And there’s Emus and Kangaroos and Cassawarries. Please go while you can, though. Like so many of the Sanctuaries now, it’s having to be sold. One of the owners is very ill. I hope they find a buyer who loves it and looks after it as much as they do. I wish there was a way to keep it going. It is so hard here in Australia, as Sanctuaries are not Govt funded but rely on donations and the hard work of the owners and volunteers to keep them going. And people are not made to last forever.

Fraser Coast Wildlife Sanctuary

Maryborough is nice too. Big shopping Centre, big parks, lovely River. And a great Aquatic Centre, which for $4.50 you can swim all day in and have a lovely hot shower after.  Plus it did have a lovely small Sanctuary called Frazer Coast Wildlife Sanctuary , on the western suburbs, which had a VERY small charge to it of $12. 

Bless them. It's the one thing that SHOULD charge more.! I particularly liked that the owner takes pride in the dingos and you can see it. He will also give talks on them.  I enjoyed my time there , especially with the sweet and gentle Roos. It was good to see all of the animals were obviously in good condition and well looked after, but I wish some of the bird cages had been bigger as I felt for the beautiful Cockatoos in there.

 

 

Rossendale

The drive to Maryborough also hoards some lovely little RV friendly rest stops! I recommend anyone to go on the Bauple Tourist Drive, just off the main Bruce Highway. The scenery is gorgeous, and both Rossendale and Bauple have little hidden gems of rest areas where you can stay for a night or two. But you do need to be self sufficient as neither has toilets on these stopovers, for that you need to travel a little further to pretty Tiaro. There, there is a huge rest area in a park with clean, modern toilets and little shops and cafes. A popular place with good reason

Another place I found  was beautiful Burnett Heads, North of Bundy. This is a small, laidback little beach area, more for the quiet peaceful holiday than a bustling one. Yes there’s a big hotel and a lighthouse, but neither are out of the ordinary. In fact the lighthouse can only be got to on foot and isn’t  in such good shape. But the Esplanade IS gorgeous. Small but perfectly formed, as the saying goes lol. The beach’s white sands sit snugly between two rocky outcrops, keeping it sheltered and safe. The pathway runs a fair distance along the esplanade, and houses here are obviously the wealthier ones! I had a lovely cold shower in the old toilet and shower facilities there, but kept my bathers ON as there are no doors!

I just have to say here. You do get what you pay for. If you are free camping just be grateful for any toilets at all, long drop or flushing and showers are a bonus. On a completely opposite scale I spent a night at a fabulous RV place on the way from Mayborough to Hervey Bay Called the Cheery Nomads RV Park. This has to be the best value I have found. It costs little more than a Showground does, but the facilities are awesome. These were the cleanest, newest toilets and showers I had seen since leaving Melbourne three months ago! They were spotless! God how I had missed them! The grounds are equally immaculate with power and water. And then, there’s the Happy Hour in the little Bar area there. Whoo Hoo. Deb and Mario are just the BEST. Such lovely people, very easy and friendly and always trying to help. I will be back!

Life isn't about waiting for the rain to pass. It's about learning to dance in the rain.

The Grey Chihuahua

SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

After two days at the Matilda Servo, and finding that the button on my jeans would barely close up, I felt that maybe, reluctantly, I should make a move. I really didn’t want to leave Matilda and went, tearfully, up to tell her so. OK,... and to get my LAST big breakfast…. With a side order of trifle ….. and maybe a few sandwiches. What? What? I was taking the sandwiches and the trifle with me for later. Jeeeze.  I was also sad to say farewell to the many, wonderful birds I had watched for hours from the hidden depths of the Chihuahuas’ blacked out windows. A bit like my own private bird hide.

My next port of call was Tin Can Bay 65km away. It was a long but beautiful drive through surprisingly green and luxuriant vegetation, a large part of which were sky tall conifers carefully planted in  neat forestry rows.  They reminded me of the vast Radiata forestry plantations where I grew up in the South East of South Australia. I have always loved the smell of these forests ever since. But back to Tin Can Bay…  I had heard that there were good sightings of dolphins there and a local pod of them were fed every morning at Barnacles Dolphin Centre which offers its visitors a rare opportunity to interact with wild Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphins. The Indo-Pacific Humpback dolphin gets its name from the elongated dorsal fin and humped back appearance which arises from the accumulation of fatty tissue on their backs as they age. They also differ from other dolphin species in relation to their mounded forehead and long beaks. But alas… I was too late. It had been a long drive and they feed at around 7.30 to 8am. It was now 9am. Although the rest of Tin Can Bay was nice, with an well kept esplanade winding around the bay, it was very quiet and not a lot else to do. Unless you go fishing.

And so I continued on to Rainbow Beach. A surprising distance away, but, a great drive through the Cooloola Section of the Great Sandy National Park, where you can expect quite a ride with many Roller Coaster hills. The town's name derives from the rainbow-coloured sand dunes surrounding the settlement; according to the legends of the local indigenous Kabi people, the dunes were coloured when Yiningie, a spirit represented by a rainbow, plunged into the cliffs after doing battle with an evil tribesman. But today it is a small but very well planned tourist destination, which boasts itself as a gateway to Frazer Island. There is a good contingent of backpackers here with hostels and motels. But also the grey nomads are catered for too with a caravan park and hotels.  I loved the central little shopping strip there. Plenty of space to park and really great shops and cafes. (I splurged and bought myself a Billabong sweatie I couldn’t resist). Actually that is an awesome thing here. Plenty of parking everywhere.  I parked  on the parking island in  the middle of the shops, I parked at the end of the shops on Lawrie Hanson

park, overlooking the beach. I parked on Griffin Parade below the Park, filled a few bottles of water from the taps and walked onto the beach .

 In fact I could have gone to the end of Griffin Parade and DRIVEN on the beach along Rainbow Beach- Double Island Point Road, IF I had had a 4 wheel drive! Personally I think the Chihuahua could have handled it no worries, but apparently not allowed.  In fact you can park anywhere here. It is awesome! And besides this obvious mega attraction, there are long sandy beaches, bush walks, and loads of watersports. Plus…. There’s always Frazer Island! Ferries travel from Inskip point  regularly. And there are masses of tours going. Any wonder this is backpackers’ paradise? Well so long as they clean up and behave, it’s all good, and Rainbow Beach did look well cared for.

As per usual, though, there were no 24hr rest areas (and I can understand that, there were already plenty of backpackers in the hostel and motels) so I took myself off to the nearest RV friendly overnight stop. A mere 60km away. Here the Ross River Creek Store is run by an affable character, John, who has made a brilliant area for campers next to the store.The grassy area is mainly flat with trees, picnic area and even a camp fire to use. And the vast countryside around, with its mountains, rolling hills, cows and

kangaroos could keep you glued for hours. For me, being greeted by his free range chooks was the best! They are so friendly and very open to any food you might have with you. One even stood on my foot while I dished out my bread, to make sure she got some! And then there is the beautiful black cow and calf there munching on the grass in the next paddock (Careful though, this fence is electic) with their friend Ruby, the most gorgeous TINY, shaggy horse ever. John told me Ruby was actually a fully grown stock horse???? Hmmmm not sure on that one. Anyone know the size of stock horses? But they will come up and greet you too, especially when it comes to carrots being handed out. By the time I went to bed the site was full and the endless sky lit with stars. I hope other campers also went and got a coffee or a meal as a small 'thank you' for providing such a great place. But at least I did. Cheers John. Awesome place.

 To believe you are the only important being on this planet is stupidity
To believe you are the only sentient being is madness.
The Grey Chihuahua

OH GOD, I AM SO NOT CLASSY!!!

OK this IS me!!!

Noosa was next on the map, and driving through its hinterland, on the way there revealed a lush, green, tropical landscape full of beauty. The rolling hills and dales can give some spectacular views, a little away from the main road and even a Botanical Garden. However, today’s mission was… Noosa. I had never been there before but heard only good things. Some things I liked, some things I wasn’t too sure if I’d like. Noosa was a playground for the wealthy was one of these. Errrrr, not really me.

Yet the first town I came to was Tewantin, and I did like this very much. Still a coastal town with a harbor, it hadn’t yet turned into a true Noosa. It was a gentler area, still having a country feel but with plenty to do and very picturesque. I liked it, so I spent my money at the big Woolworths there. And then onto Noosa Village. Another surprise. I liked Noosa Village! The harbor area was a parkland for walks and picnics with soothing water views. Plenty of parking along   this esplanade, but be warned of the many speed bumps along it. You WILL go 20km! Which I thought, essentially, set the pace of this side of Noosa. More retirement than holiday homes, more stable than showy. A lovely place to wander around with plenty of shops and cafes. Still a little more affluent, but not stonking rich. Refined rather than ostentatious. But as I watched the well groomed residents walk by I observed their t shirts and jumpers were more likely to have a designer brand than not and their canvas sneakers definitely didn’t come from Target! But it was still a nice place.

Noosa Heads Main Beach

And then there was Noosa Heads. What a different a few kms make. Suddenly there are huge, blindingly white, expensive houses crammed along the architecturally designed streets. The largest ones arching, exclusively, along the banks of the river, their shiny new boats moored at the waters’ edge.  The Chihuahua and I kept going until we found the Main Beach and Noosa National Park. Now, to give it its’ due, The Main beach had a small free 3hr parking carpark there, and a parking spot which was waiting for me. So I got out and looked at the pristine, manicured beach there with the high, white (everything in Noosa was WHITE) hotels overlooking it. A tent had been erected by the Surf Club and was dispensing champagne and nibbles to its discerning guests. I was not a guest. And so I went and walked down the beautiful boulevard of shops just behind the beach. It did, slowly, occur to me that maybe I should have made more of an effort with my presentation that day. But what the hell. Too late now. So I went in and bought the only thing I actually wanted in Noosa, just some postcards for my family and friends. The woman didn’t smile and looked fairly cheesed off. Maybe she thought I should have made more of an effort too. Ah well. I had come to the conclusion that as stunning as Noosa Heads most definitely was… it wasn’t for me.

As I really hadn’t stayed that long at Noosa I decided to have a look at a couple of free camps (er- none in Noosa lol) I had spied on Wikicamps and then choose a place to stay. So off we tootled to the other side of the Bruce Highway again. The drive in the countryside there was great, with forests and panoramic views to refresh  my senses. Yet although Carters Ridge Rest area was truly serene and picturesque, there were only a couple of houses across the road and no one else there. I drove on to Kadanga. Now this really is an RV friendly town! The facilities are great and everyone is so welcoming. And it was chockfull! Kadanga will have made some money that week! Yes-everyone knows of this awesome place. I moved on. Arrawatta Lookout was nearby, and after 10km of hills that would rival the Big Dipper in any amusement park, I found it. And the one car there. … right in the middle. Yes I could have fitted in. Just. But I’d got time enough to go a little further.

So glad I did. This was one happy camper! Whoo Hooo.  I found Matilda!!! The most awesome Servo stop EVER. Yes, yes I know what you’re thinking. I’d choose a Servo stop right on the Bruce Highway over a free camp in magnificent countryside? Well… yes I would. In fact, if all servos were like this one, I would probably just travel from one to the other….. with maybe a few  days at parks and rear hotels or beaches thrown in. I know. I’ve let you down. But let me explain. Matilda has EVERYTHING .A 24hr food court (OMG- no more cooking!). And there’s a launderette, newsagency, beautiful picnic area at the back to park in surrounded by a flowing waterway with LOADS of birds to watch, ducks, geese, waterfowl,  herons, tiny birds I’d never seen before. A walkway over to the shops and   cheap cafes, tourist info,

toilets and showers plus a big, good priced, petrol station. AND… MATILDA. Matilda is a Giant statue of a Kangaroo that sits on the back patio of the food court, surrounded by tables and chairs and water fountains. Now come on. You have to admit. She’s pretty tremendous! Who wouldn’t want to sit and look at her all day? I was one chuffed chick, let me tell you. No one was moving me on.

 

Happiness is simple- just be true to who you really are.
The Grey Chihuahua