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!!!