Fraser Coast

Oh no! Cloud cover first up this morning. But wait... No... All is well as the cloud dissipates and blue skies once again. Our latest start so far as we head off at 10am. First step is the Fraser Coast Discovery Centre and Regional Gallery. Not overly fantastic, but okay I suppose. Back on the coach and a pleasant drive to a couple of the newer suburbs where we see all the different houses, which are built on half acre blocks. Clearly plenty of money around here. We are now at the northern point if the heads and retrace our drive back into Hervey Bay where we stop near the Urangan pier which stretches nearly a kilometre out to sea. It used to be longer, but was starting to be dismantled when the locals jumped up and down, the dismantling ceased, and instead, what was left, was restored. There was a local open air market nearby so had a wander through it, but nothing whatsoever worth even considering. Lunch at a local cafe 'Salt' which was average at best. Not impressed with limited choice white bread sandwiches but as this is our last day, I'm glad that every other meal has been much better. Back on the coach and we head out to the same area as this morning, but go beyond to Burrum Heads where yet again we drive around and look at houses. This really has been a waste of a day and I'll be putting that in my feedback sheet. Have had a really good time but this last day was pure and simple 'filler'. At least it has meant one less day of Adelaide's shocking wintry weather currently occurring! Back at the hotel for the rest of the afternoon. There was a wedding in the park opposite the hotel and so I had a lovely birds eye view of the ceremony. Off to Goodys at Toogoom. Was right on waterfront but couldn't see a thing in the dark, so the potential nice view was wasted at night. Food average and that just about sums up the whole day. Anyway, has been a really good holiday, would just have been be there if it finished yesterday. Only complaint with the hotel is the shocking Internet, where I have literally spent hours trying to load photos and Facebook entries for work, plus thus blog. Just as well I didn't have anything else pressing to do!

Maryborough

25 degrees today. Beautiful clear blue skies and the gentlest of breezes. Doesn't get much better than this on holidays. After breakfast we head off on our half hour-ish drive to Maryborough. We stop at the local park which is really well maintained and then it's into the city centre to pick up our local guide 'Mary Heritage' aka Elsa. She was born and bred in the area and I figure her to be in her 80s. As we drive around the township, she points out different places. Just love the old Queenslanders, especially those that have been well maintained. Most have such large blocks of land that appear to primarily be just lawn. Our guided tour is about an hour. We drop Elsa back at the town hall and are then dropped at the local shopping centre to get our own lunch. I get off the coach and for some reason, determine to walk with M who would forget her head if it wasn't screwed on. I have just finished saying that I'm going to walk with her to the end of the path as it is too big a step up along the car park are, and before I have actually finished the last word of that sentence, M turns away from me at a 45degree angle, takes one step up on the retaining bricks and falls a over t! I could hardly believe it. She's on blood thinners so no surprise that there is blood everywhere from the cuts on both her hands and toes where she has scraped herself on the retaining wall bricks as she stumbled and fell. So, nurse Ratchet to the immediate rescue and I so able to get her back on her feet again, without any broken bones, thank goodness. m is seriously embarrassed and keeps apologising for not listening to me. Once I realize that she is okay I tell her that I'm now going to tell her off for not listening to me! I tell her to repeat after me, "Karen knows best", which she duly does. Unfortunately I've left my first aid kit in my apartment, but Chrissy comes to the rescue and I'm able to bandage up M's fingers. I then get her into the shopping centre where we sit for our lunch. After lunch I tell M that I am going into Big W to get so more band aids as I realize that her foot is bleeding. She assures me she is ok and another lady, not one of my kittens, has said she us going to stay with her and look after her. I get the band aids and can no longer find M and P as they have moved from the food court. Oh well, at least there isn't a blood trail for me to follow, so I head off on my own way and figure I will catch up with her on the coach at our appointed departure time. In Millers I stumble about a 2 for $10 rack so come out with a $35 dress and a $25 long sleeved t shirt, so I am very happy! Back to the coach but no sign of M or P. As it is now the time to be on the coach, I go looking for them and find them both in and I B buying clothes. I try to hurry them up, and surprisingly, P is even slower than M.... And she's not even one of mine! So almost 10 minutes later I have managed to herd them both back to the coach. We then go to the Portside Heritage Precinct where we are able to look through the Bond Store, Military museum and Customs House. Loved the Military museum which had so many different collections. Well done! Then we have our group photo, and my Constable Bear is included. Many of our travel group now ask after him each day and want to ensure he has had his fair share of photos taken at each location. What a hoot. Then a leisurely drive drive back into Hervey Bay where there is ample time for me to do a load of washing, have a coffe and even a pre diner wine.... Dinner is at the Golf Club.Really lovely meal. Good night after a good day! Back to the hotel about 9 pm. Our holiday us coming to a close and it really has been great. Very impressed with Seniors Coach Tours, although I am surprised about the stairs at front of the building and some of the early starts that are not particularly 'seniors friendly'. However, apart from that, can't fault the. Company. Extra impressed with the apartments of Shelly Bay resort. Am sure our holiday will end on a high. Nit looking forward to returning to very cold, wet and stormy Adelaide!!!

Bundaberg

Another great day weather wise, even though this is the first day since we arrived where there is some actual cloud cover. After breakfast we head off towards Bundaberg. Our first stop was at Apple Creek in the park, for morning tea. Then about 200 metres on we stop at the Flying High Bird Sanctuary where I am almost immediately set upon by a parrot that takes great interest in my name badge and then my beaded sunglasses chain!Apparently this is Australi's largest free flight aviary, but I was somewhat under impressed, although it was still interesting. Back on the coach and head into Bundaberg where we stop for lunch at the 1928 restaurant which is right next to the Hinkler Hall of Aviation, which was really well done. I had no prior knowledge of Bert Hinkler but it transpires he was a definite trail blazer particularly for flying between the UK and Australia. Originally a Bundaberg lad, he definitely put both Australia and Bundaberg on the map re solo flights. Then on to the Bundaberg Distillery. It was an okay tour through the distillery, however apart from seeing the actual molasses, the only other things we saw were various vats and tanks. I thought we might have also seen the bottling and labelling, but not to be. Tastings were well done as they used full nips, in actual glasses and you could have 2 of any thing. I never knew there was anything other than brown rum made here, but they have a whole range of rum liqueurs plus top shelf rums that are world gold medal winners. However am still not a lover of rum, so no purchases for me. Back on the coach and back to Hervey Bay, I think it's about 170km, and straight to the RSL for dinner. The place was literally heaving and thank goodness we had pre ordered our meals, which were excellent once again. Finished with an after dinner mint cocktail which was just scrum my, again. Back to the hotel and chance of an early night is much appreciated. Have heard that Adelaide had its coldest August day yesterday when it didn't reach 12 degrees. Hard to imagine when it is low to mid 20s here each day and quite simply, perfect. Forecast for Friday is 25 so how good is that?

Fraser Island

Perfect weather again this morning, although while waiting fir the coach I put on a light jacket, first time I've needed anything with a long sleeve since we arrived. On a coach to where we will get on the ferry to Fraser Island which is the largest sand island in the world. 35 minute ferry ride and then onto a large 4 wheel drive coach driven by Steve, who is the font of all knowledge re the island. It is a heck of a bumpy roller coaster ride along sand roads which is all there is to get around the island. You need a permit to bring your own 4 wheel drive here, plus get permits for fishing and camping. We head to Eurang or something that sounds like that, for a quick rest stop. There is a huge restaurant and lots of accommodation but I've already decided that there wouldn't be enough to do here that would hold my interest to warrant an overnight stay. Back on the coach and we are then driving along the 75 mile beach. Just beautiful. Miles of pristine white sands. Am surprised that there still isn't much bird life here even though Steve tells us that there are sea eagles and other various birds. Take the opportunity to do a 15 minute flight in a small plane that takes us over the ocean and inland. Saw a mother and baby calf whale plus another couple of humpbacks. Inland the vegetation is really thick. Logging stopped back in the late '70s so most trees are really tall and hundreds of years old. A couple of beautiful lakes inland make the scenery quite lovely. Flight only cost $80 so was worth it as I can't see me self getting that chance again. Back on the coach and we stop at a famous shipwreck, called the Mahalo or similar. Apparently it was a luxury liner that was used during WWII to carry troops and returned to a cruise liner after the war. A Japanese company bought it to scrap and attempted to tow it from Sydney back to Japan. However it hit bad storms off the Queensland coast, the tow lines broke and as they had already scrapped the steering bits, it crashed into the island and that's where it has remained. A quick photo stop at the Pinnacles which brag multi coloured sands, but I could only see a few shades of yellow in the exposed rocks. Back to Eurang for a buffet lunch then inland to a perch lake which has as its base thick leaves and vegetation which has formed a 'lining' in a natural glen that has filled with rain water. It's huge, similar in size to a reservoir! Lots of people swimming and splashing it it, but still too cool for me. Our coach has broken down so it's a short wait for a replacement coach to reach us. Then it's on to Central Station which was the old logging headquarters. Walked through the rain forest which was beautiful. The only such rainforest in the world, that simply shouldn't exist as it has all grown up from a sand base, but has relied on the decaying foliage to provide the nutrients to support the growth of the amazing vegetation. Lots of the families who lived at Central started their own gardens and brought the ferns and stag horns, etc that now thrive in this rain forest. just lovely. Back on the coach again and we head back to the ferry for a 5 pm departure. It's been a long day and we are all a bit weary. Back on dry land and we head to the Boat Club for dinner. I was certainly pleased to get back on the coach to head for our hotel and my bed is calling for an early night. It's been a good day, again, but Fraser Island is somewhere I have no desire to visit again as I reckon I've seen all there is that might interest me. the only stars I ever want to sleep under are the 5 stars of the Hilton Hotel chain!

Historical Village and more

This morning after breakfast, we head to the Hervey Bay Historical Village. Once again, perfect weather to wander about. Watch a blacksmith make a small horseshoe, then a rope maker gives a demonstration on how ropes are made, or at least how they were made 100 years ago. Very interesting. Morning tea follows and then a tour through some of the various buildings. Back in the coach to head to the Botanic Gardens. Limited plant and tree varieties but a very pleasant park. The little orchid house is really nice and some beautiful varieties in flower. Our guide, Vicki, is in charge of the orchids and was extremely knowledgable.Back on the coach and off to Reefworld for lunch and then a look at the aquarium which is on the foreshore of the Bay. 2 huge turtles that I got to 'scratch' their shells, which apparently they like. Then back to our hotel where a few of us then head to a nearby patisserie for afternoon tea. I then headed up the street with one of my kittens who purchased a quite large 3 dimensional fish which is a gift for one of her sons to mount on an outside wall near the swimming pool. She intended carrying it as hand luggage on the plane but I tell her it is way too long for hand luggage. So at that point I volunteer my suitcase to get it home and figure somehow I will fit all my gear and this blasted fish! what was I thinking??? Will worry about that next Sunday..... Dinner at the Torquay hotel. We were sitting in an outdoor dining area, and for the first time on this trip, it actually got a bit chilly, but not sufficient for a jumper! Back to the hotel, and an early night for a change, which is just as well, as it's an early start in the morning for a full day on Fraser Island. Time for a cleansing wine and then bed. Unfortunately still having problems uploading photos so no images available to prove the glorious weather we are experiencing just yet.

Whale Watching

Good night sleep had and nice breakfast in the restaurant. All on the bus for our 7.30 departure, although I did have to go searching for one of my kittens, the one I set the alarm for, and I don't think she will keep us all waiting again.... On the Whalesong catamaran and out into the Bay we head. It is a beautiful day, weather perfect. No need for jackets. The staff are very attentive and soon after leaving our mooring we are offered trays of fresh fruit, and then shortly after that, trays of cake are offered. We can get tea or coffee at any time. Within about an hour, we see our first humpback whales. They are not overly active as the waters are so calm. For the next 3 or so hours, our captain takes us all over the place in search of more whales and we get to see many, perhaps about 20 in all. As luck would have it, the last pod we see has 3 'teenager' whales who get really close to our boat, and put on a lovely performance for us. Unfortunately due to sun glare on my camera screen, I didn't manage to get any really good photos of the whales so you just have to take my word for how good it was, or come here and see for yourself! It really was fabulous. At one stage some very cheeky Dolphins were swimming immediately in front of our boat, at about 14 knots. They were amazing and great show offs. Lunch onboard was chicken and salad, very nice and fresh. We then headed back to land, passing along Fraser Island which looked to me like nothing special at all, although beautiful white sands. Otherwise just lots of trees, and I mean heavy density trees. Back in the bay at about 1 pm so we've had a great morning. Can't think of a nicer way to spend my last day in SAPOL either!!! Our coach takes us back to our hotel and we girls agree to go down the street for a coffee. As it turns out we end up at EAT which is a quirky small cafe that is wonder by Dan and Steph. This meant nothing to me, but apparently they were previous winners of MKR. The coffe was good, but in checking out the food menu there were lots of 'odd' combinations that were just a bit too arty forty for my taste buds so can't see myself going back there for a meal. Then we all went our separate ways although I went with one of the kittens to a pub where I donated $10 to the pokies, found a bottle shop and bought supplies, then headed back to our hotel, having met another of my kittens in the bottle shop! Back in my room, time for a much needed cuppa and a chance to check emails and do the blog. Think I've finally got a decent internet connection so hope this saves and then posts. Am not going to chance adding photos at the moment as the whole thing is likely to crash without saving, and that would make me very sad... Time for dinner at a local hotel motel. There are 26 in our group and for the most part our little gaggle tend to stick together so we have dinner together and this has been a great opportunity to get to know each of them better. As I have been to the bottle shop and stocked up on supplies, I have invited the kittens back to my rooms after dinner to celebrate my retirement. So back on the coach we go, back to our hotel and all trundle to my rooms. Out comes the pink champagne and strawberries and a lovely toast from one of the kittens marks my transition to civilian life after 35 years 'on the job'. My response to the toast was that I couldn't think of a better group of friends to mark the occasion with... But wait, no, that's not true. I do have better friends, but they were all busy!!, As you night imagine, that brought howls of laughter... Anyway, lots more chatting, story telling and laughing. Finally they all drift back to their rooms and I head to my bed. Lovely day and a great start to our holiday.