Hi readers, We are at Walkamin Central Caravan Park, very sociable place this. We arrived on Wednesday afternoon and set up the van. Great site next to our friends, Ian & Desley, Ian came over and gave me a hand to set up and the first wine went down around 4:30 !!! Very nice. It has been a busy couple of days with Fae working hard to set up "Home". We had a beaut Haloween Night on Sat with lots of guests getting into the swing of things and dressing up as what they thought witches etc look like. See pics. We had a couple of hectic days doing stuff and having things ready for "Happy Hour" Gees doesn't that take time!! We had a great "Melbourne Cup" luncheon on Tuesday. As I said before it is a very good park. We have bumped into some people from Port Lincoln that we have not seen or heard from for over ten years. (small world I kid you not!!)
Our friends have set up for the wet season by puting in a false floor in the annex, coplete with vynal flooring, very posh.
I had a young guy fit my new wheel bearings today for $120, He did a great job and saved my knuckles etc! He goes by the name of "Priceless Automotive 0437 647977" he will travel up on the Tablelands around Mareeba if you are up this way.
Misty is finding it hard to settle in with people walking past "Her Van" and the owners dog has taken to walking past and barking now just to stir her up Heh! Heh! she will settle down.
Well as things happen I will update the blog so bear with us and have a great life.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Friday, October 22, 2010
It's Finally Happened
I finally retired on the 15th of this month Yeahhhhhh!!!
It took a while to come around but finally we are on the home stretch, we have sorted out most of the stuff we are taking or leaving behind. I have my trusty scoot up for sale, as it won’t be able to go on the rear of the van. We have bought a Rhino Rack bike carrier to go over the spare wheel on the van to carry to push bikes (you really do have to peddel to make them go, bugger!!) Never mind, Fae’s is pink, naturally and mine is blue, we put a basket on each for Misty and stuff. We got two gel seats so as to be gentle on the behind.
I replaced the tyres on the van with new light truck ones as they have been standing for more than two years and I did not trust them anymore. I have four new wheel bearing sets as well so all should be OK with the rolling stock.
We have decieded to go up to the table lands to a place called Walkermin for around four weeks to get the feel of every-thing and to get away from this van park. I must admit to being a little cross with the managers again as they have closed one toilet block down even though there are around 30 people using them. (when it rains you have a good 200mts to get to a loo.) They do leave the handicap toilet open, but won’t clean it as they expect the users to do that, I recon that’s a bit off!!! So much for paying your rent (not cheap either)
Like I said we do love the place but because we have been here for just over two years and we feel as though we are not being treated like paying customers any more. Never mind it has now come to an end and Fae and I go on the road next week.
We are really looking forward to catching up with friends, Ian & Desley up there and love the park and the informal atmosphere. They have a big shed, closed in on the weather sides where they always have their communial happy hours etc. Bloody great!
The toilet blocks are beautiful inside complete with the little things like soap, tissues, flowers etc. you could eat off the floor as they are spotless, and that says volumes about the owners, Lucy and Husband.
It took a while to come around but finally we are on the home stretch, we have sorted out most of the stuff we are taking or leaving behind. I have my trusty scoot up for sale, as it won’t be able to go on the rear of the van. We have bought a Rhino Rack bike carrier to go over the spare wheel on the van to carry to push bikes (you really do have to peddel to make them go, bugger!!) Never mind, Fae’s is pink, naturally and mine is blue, we put a basket on each for Misty and stuff. We got two gel seats so as to be gentle on the behind.
I replaced the tyres on the van with new light truck ones as they have been standing for more than two years and I did not trust them anymore. I have four new wheel bearing sets as well so all should be OK with the rolling stock.
We have decieded to go up to the table lands to a place called Walkermin for around four weeks to get the feel of every-thing and to get away from this van park. I must admit to being a little cross with the managers again as they have closed one toilet block down even though there are around 30 people using them. (when it rains you have a good 200mts to get to a loo.) They do leave the handicap toilet open, but won’t clean it as they expect the users to do that, I recon that’s a bit off!!! So much for paying your rent (not cheap either)
Like I said we do love the place but because we have been here for just over two years and we feel as though we are not being treated like paying customers any more. Never mind it has now come to an end and Fae and I go on the road next week.
We are really looking forward to catching up with friends, Ian & Desley up there and love the park and the informal atmosphere. They have a big shed, closed in on the weather sides where they always have their communial happy hours etc. Bloody great!
The toilet blocks are beautiful inside complete with the little things like soap, tissues, flowers etc. you could eat off the floor as they are spotless, and that says volumes about the owners, Lucy and Husband.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
The Wet Season Commeth
As the title suggests the weather up here has turned rather early. Some suggest an early start to the wet! It has been fairly bad over the last couple of weeks, cold nights, rain all day and night. Nothing gets dry, towels etc, bloody awful.
Never mind, woke up with a heart beat so all is good. Poor Misty didn’t like Fae much last week, she took her to the vet to get desexed!! Bad day. I however got in her good books by rescuing her from the nasty vet the next day, Yeehh for dad!!!
Poor little thing, had half of her belly shaved and none to happy about it either. She would settle, only to leap into the air as the ends of the stiches jabbed on some thing or other. Still she will settle down and save us a bit of grief further down the track with the male dogs.
Slowly, very slowly we are getting down to the essentials we need to take, and working out still more weight savings on stuff we wont need.
Fae purchased a new Backarat pressure cooker the other day. Very good brand at a very good price too!. We had one when we first got married nearly 40 years ago, it did not last very long and I still remember the pea soup hanging from the ceiling in the kitchen! She vowed never to have another one until our friends had lunch prepared in around 30 mins with one the other day. Fae has used it a few times now and is sold on the fact you only need one pot and it is very fast. Corned Beef last night with veg in around 20 mins, not bad either.
Did I mention that there is only 5 ½ weeks to go :o)
Ok Folks stay safe
Never mind, woke up with a heart beat so all is good. Poor Misty didn’t like Fae much last week, she took her to the vet to get desexed!! Bad day. I however got in her good books by rescuing her from the nasty vet the next day, Yeehh for dad!!!
Poor little thing, had half of her belly shaved and none to happy about it either. She would settle, only to leap into the air as the ends of the stiches jabbed on some thing or other. Still she will settle down and save us a bit of grief further down the track with the male dogs.
Slowly, very slowly we are getting down to the essentials we need to take, and working out still more weight savings on stuff we wont need.
Fae purchased a new Backarat pressure cooker the other day. Very good brand at a very good price too!. We had one when we first got married nearly 40 years ago, it did not last very long and I still remember the pea soup hanging from the ceiling in the kitchen! She vowed never to have another one until our friends had lunch prepared in around 30 mins with one the other day. Fae has used it a few times now and is sold on the fact you only need one pot and it is very fast. Corned Beef last night with veg in around 20 mins, not bad either.
Did I mention that there is only 5 ½ weeks to go :o)
Ok Folks stay safe
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Eight Weeks To Go (who's counting)
As the title says only eight weeks to go, Yippeeeee!!
Can’t get here bloody quick enough, as I said before we have been looking at a way to mount the new pushbikes on the rear of the van. I spoke to a knowledgeable gent the other day and he suggested a “Rhino Rack” seems they do just what I wanted. Hooks over the spare and locks on, then mount the bikes to the frame. It looks great in the pics so here’s hoping and at $156 it was easier than me trying to make one that would have weighed ten times as much ( being a boilermaker I tend to over engineer every thing)
We purchased a new 120amp hr battery the other day and fitted same in the van and the old van battery now lives in the tug to run the Engle. It is only a small battery but combined with the 80 watt solar panels it should, I have been told by Engle, run the fridge during the day and top up the battery enough to run it at night. There is always the genny and a C-TEK 25000 charger if it don’t work !!
The weather has been beautiful this last couple of weeks and it makes you wonder why you ever lived down south, that is until its 38 degrees and 110 % humidity !!! The park is thinning slowly but there is an increase in the child population, Hummm ! Grumpy old man walking here !!
As I have stated before we have had coloured strips put on the tug and names etc put on the van, looks a beaut. You will see us coming for miles (maybe meters) still looks great. We went to visit our friends at Walkamin the other day and made a booking to be in the park for two weeks before we set off. This time is just to relax and learn to slow down to a walk, also to get misty used to different surroundings. She has been great lately as she is still very young but she has not been on the lead for two days now and no running off to chase turkeys or kids ( fingers crossed) She comes to sit out side with me in the mornings for around five minutes then off back to bed with mum and another sleep till Fae kicks her off the bed. She would happily stay there all day.
We purchased two tub chairs the other day to replace the recliners that were too big for the van. These look great and are very comfy, Misty has hers picked out already. It will be nice to be able to relax inside out of the cold at nights as we travel around.
Ok folks please keep in touch through our email or this blog. Safe travels to you all.
Can’t get here bloody quick enough, as I said before we have been looking at a way to mount the new pushbikes on the rear of the van. I spoke to a knowledgeable gent the other day and he suggested a “Rhino Rack” seems they do just what I wanted. Hooks over the spare and locks on, then mount the bikes to the frame. It looks great in the pics so here’s hoping and at $156 it was easier than me trying to make one that would have weighed ten times as much ( being a boilermaker I tend to over engineer every thing)
We purchased a new 120amp hr battery the other day and fitted same in the van and the old van battery now lives in the tug to run the Engle. It is only a small battery but combined with the 80 watt solar panels it should, I have been told by Engle, run the fridge during the day and top up the battery enough to run it at night. There is always the genny and a C-TEK 25000 charger if it don’t work !!
The weather has been beautiful this last couple of weeks and it makes you wonder why you ever lived down south, that is until its 38 degrees and 110 % humidity !!! The park is thinning slowly but there is an increase in the child population, Hummm ! Grumpy old man walking here !!
As I have stated before we have had coloured strips put on the tug and names etc put on the van, looks a beaut. You will see us coming for miles (maybe meters) still looks great. We went to visit our friends at Walkamin the other day and made a booking to be in the park for two weeks before we set off. This time is just to relax and learn to slow down to a walk, also to get misty used to different surroundings. She has been great lately as she is still very young but she has not been on the lead for two days now and no running off to chase turkeys or kids ( fingers crossed) She comes to sit out side with me in the mornings for around five minutes then off back to bed with mum and another sleep till Fae kicks her off the bed. She would happily stay there all day.
We purchased two tub chairs the other day to replace the recliners that were too big for the van. These look great and are very comfy, Misty has hers picked out already. It will be nice to be able to relax inside out of the cold at nights as we travel around.
Ok folks please keep in touch through our email or this blog. Safe travels to you all.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Getting Closer
The time is getting ni! (I think tha’t how you spell it)
Gees I can’t bloody wait to get going, a lot of vans are departing heading south yet others still are setting up. We wish we were on the road so bad we can taste it.
We were having a bit of trouble with the new BBQ burning anything you tried to roast. It seems that the tray is too close to the flame. I sent an e-mail to Marine BBQ’s Australia and a nice gent rang me to say he was very sorry about my problems (or my inability to cook). He sent me ,(at no charge,I might add) a new tray to sit in the bbq to keep the cooking tray further from the flame. I have yet to try this but there is a weekend coming up and Fae insists that she does not cookon weekends!! She has a good life.
Got some prices on tyres the other day, don’t they vary and for the same tyres too! Settled on some 225x70/R15 at $158.80 fitted and balanced, light truck with a load rating of 1150kg and speed rating of 180kph. Should just do the trick I recon. I will have to replace the bearings before we start off as the wheels have not turned for around two years (they might be stuck) Still it will be easier to replace them now than on the side of the road somewhere.
Take care all
Gees I can’t bloody wait to get going, a lot of vans are departing heading south yet others still are setting up. We wish we were on the road so bad we can taste it.
We were having a bit of trouble with the new BBQ burning anything you tried to roast. It seems that the tray is too close to the flame. I sent an e-mail to Marine BBQ’s Australia and a nice gent rang me to say he was very sorry about my problems (or my inability to cook). He sent me ,(at no charge,I might add) a new tray to sit in the bbq to keep the cooking tray further from the flame. I have yet to try this but there is a weekend coming up and Fae insists that she does not cookon weekends!! She has a good life.
Got some prices on tyres the other day, don’t they vary and for the same tyres too! Settled on some 225x70/R15 at $158.80 fitted and balanced, light truck with a load rating of 1150kg and speed rating of 180kph. Should just do the trick I recon. I will have to replace the bearings before we start off as the wheels have not turned for around two years (they might be stuck) Still it will be easier to replace them now than on the side of the road somewhere.
Take care all
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Cold August
August,
It’s getting closer !! We did a bit more changing last week. I have put the gas bottles back where they were when the van was new. i.e. In the front boot.
This allowed me to put a big tool box across the front of the van, the genny and new BBQ live there now. We got rid of the big electric frypan as it would not fit into any cupboard and the boss said it had to go. We also sold the Webber Q and three burner stove. Replaced all three with a small covered in rectangular type BBQ. This is working well and you can use it as a BBQ, oven or cook top.
There is a gent in the park at present that does vinyl signage so we got a quote to put the van’s name “Witch – Way” on the back of the van and some matching stipes on the side of the Tug, great price so that’s more money gone.
When we get going we plan to go up on the table lands to Walkamin for a couple of days to get things set up and to go into relax mode before setting of down south.
Fae is crook at present with the flu or such, but she is getting used to being at home now and coping quite well looking after Misty and me.
It has been very cold in the evenings up her (by our standards) although I hear the tourists saying the locals are soft. Bloody hell it is getting down to 15 degrees etc.
One of our dear friends that had a run in with their insurance company just got another replacement van lined up. We hope all goes very well for Jules & Len, they certainly deserve a break. We just went to renew our insurance and I asked the rep how much it was insured for, Market Value, was the reply, fine I said but how much would I get if it was written off today. The lass could not give me any idea and said that was the way it was. I got another quote and am about to change to this company with an Agreed Value policy as my previous company would not do it. I also found out that other companies will not insure if you are full time on the road, be aware, be very aware!!!
It’s getting closer !! We did a bit more changing last week. I have put the gas bottles back where they were when the van was new. i.e. In the front boot.
This allowed me to put a big tool box across the front of the van, the genny and new BBQ live there now. We got rid of the big electric frypan as it would not fit into any cupboard and the boss said it had to go. We also sold the Webber Q and three burner stove. Replaced all three with a small covered in rectangular type BBQ. This is working well and you can use it as a BBQ, oven or cook top.
There is a gent in the park at present that does vinyl signage so we got a quote to put the van’s name “Witch – Way” on the back of the van and some matching stipes on the side of the Tug, great price so that’s more money gone.
When we get going we plan to go up on the table lands to Walkamin for a couple of days to get things set up and to go into relax mode before setting of down south.
Fae is crook at present with the flu or such, but she is getting used to being at home now and coping quite well looking after Misty and me.
It has been very cold in the evenings up her (by our standards) although I hear the tourists saying the locals are soft. Bloody hell it is getting down to 15 degrees etc.
One of our dear friends that had a run in with their insurance company just got another replacement van lined up. We hope all goes very well for Jules & Len, they certainly deserve a break. We just went to renew our insurance and I asked the rep how much it was insured for, Market Value, was the reply, fine I said but how much would I get if it was written off today. The lass could not give me any idea and said that was the way it was. I got another quote and am about to change to this company with an Agreed Value policy as my previous company would not do it. I also found out that other companies will not insure if you are full time on the road, be aware, be very aware!!!
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Happenings in Cairns
Well let’s see what’s new.
I have been on workcover for three weeks as I seem to have RSI or the likes from the computer at work. But that stopped when they did x-rays on my neck and decided that there was more wrong than we thought.I was booked into a specialist surgeon yesterday and duly went to see same. A rather nice bloke actually, he asked when I was going into semi retirement and I said around mid October. He answered that that was a very good idea with what he saw on my X-rays?? He explained that I had Degenerative Arthritis of the spine and I was at my “use by date”. Nice! He explained that I should take it easy at least for the next three months whilst it settled down again. Then no undue heavy lifting, pushing etc.
So that settled it we are on the road mid October and we are counting the weeks.
We have spent more money in the form of a little electric heater, waterfilters, and a new solar panel set up for the fridge in the tug. I went with an 80 watt folding display which should be enough to run the Engle and keep the battery topped up for the evening run.
I selected the Platinum Plus filter set to filter all water coming into the van ,and we also have a carbon filter under the sink for drinking water. We hope to be able to pump water out of running creeks some times, just to top up the tanks, of course all the creek water will go through the twin filters before going into tanks.
I have to get a rack put in the back of the truck to put the table and chairs on above the fridge. That should be all for the tug. The next bit is a bike rack on the rear for two pushbikes, yep, finally got talked into it by the boss. She says it will help with the neck thing and keep us a bit fitter than I am at present,. LOL to all from Dreamcaster & Fae
I have been on workcover for three weeks as I seem to have RSI or the likes from the computer at work. But that stopped when they did x-rays on my neck and decided that there was more wrong than we thought.I was booked into a specialist surgeon yesterday and duly went to see same. A rather nice bloke actually, he asked when I was going into semi retirement and I said around mid October. He answered that that was a very good idea with what he saw on my X-rays?? He explained that I had Degenerative Arthritis of the spine and I was at my “use by date”. Nice! He explained that I should take it easy at least for the next three months whilst it settled down again. Then no undue heavy lifting, pushing etc.
So that settled it we are on the road mid October and we are counting the weeks.
We have spent more money in the form of a little electric heater, waterfilters, and a new solar panel set up for the fridge in the tug. I went with an 80 watt folding display which should be enough to run the Engle and keep the battery topped up for the evening run.
I selected the Platinum Plus filter set to filter all water coming into the van ,and we also have a carbon filter under the sink for drinking water. We hope to be able to pump water out of running creeks some times, just to top up the tanks, of course all the creek water will go through the twin filters before going into tanks.
I have to get a rack put in the back of the truck to put the table and chairs on above the fridge. That should be all for the tug. The next bit is a bike rack on the rear for two pushbikes, yep, finally got talked into it by the boss. She says it will help with the neck thing and keep us a bit fitter than I am at present,. LOL to all from Dreamcaster & Fae
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