Look out - Here we
come Bedourie!!!
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| The Big Picture |
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| This Leg - Leg 10 |
Wednesday 5 September
2012 - Boulia
Before leaving the Isa, while Roy
did an alcohol shop, I dropped in to the hospital to see if I could see a
doctor about my spider bite – its still ugly.
I had rang the 2 clinics in town, but was told by both that the earliest
a doctor could see me would be in 2 weeks and that I should go to the
Outpatients at the hospital. The waiting time said 3 hours – that made my mind
up for me. (I didn’t wait!!)
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| Still not good - Joe is disgusted that I put this up - sorry Darling..... |
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| Sunset Boulia |
We had a phone message from Pat and
Ray who said they’d meet us in Bedourie.
We arrived in Boulia just in time to
catch the last Min Min Light Display for the day. It was wonderful. We
loved it!! So very Aussie, and so
clever. You have to see it if you are
ever in Boulia. Then off to the river
(Burke) to set up our camp, hopeful that we might see a Min Min Light, seeing
as we were in the area. They reckon
that it comes to you though – you don’t go looking for it. It didn’t come. Nevermind….
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| Min Min Light Display |
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| Min Min Light Display |
Boulia is a nice little town but not
too much here.
We had internet service, so I got on
a forum about spider bites. I found out
that nothing much can be done. NOT, to
go to emergency because its for emergencies only and spider bites aren’t
emergencies!!! Antibiotics probably won’t work!!
Doctors don’t have any solutions and will just tell you to monitor your
breathing. No help!! BUT, there were 2 things that have worked
(according to the forum). Cider
Vinegar, (which I don’t have and can’t get until I get to a large town), and
urine. So guess what I’ve been using
and it seems to be working. The pain
has gone and it looks like its cleaning up finally – about 6 weeks now!! Who
would have thought!!!
Thursday 6 to Monday 10,
September 2012 – Bedourie to Birdsville
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| One of the entrances to a property |
About 20km north of Bedourie is a
lookout (Vaughan Johnson Lookout) – it’s a steep peak rising up out of the
miles and miles and miles and miles of flat floodplains (as far as your eyes
can see).
The sign to the lookout says “No Buses, Caravans, Trailers”, but there was all
of these up there so we pondered on it for a bit, then decided to do it and we
took Lily up too. It was awesome
looking down on the floodplains. From
up there you can really grasp why this area is described as an inland sea. You can just picture it in flood – it would
be just like being on the coast and the ocean stretching to the horizon.
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| Awesome - Flood Plains as far as the eye can see!!! |
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| Mighty Lily |
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| Quite steep with a 3 tonne van on your tail!!! |
Bit scary going back down!
Along the way we passed a site - 2 guys with
2 dogs and 2 camels. We didn’t find out
what their story was – would have been interesting.. The staffy didn't want to walk.
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| No more walking for me - I'm riding up top!! |
At Bedourie we got a site right next
to Pat and Ray at the council park across from the pub and right next to the
artesian pool. $30 for the week, (not bad) but only staying 4 nights. (We stayed here a few years ago with Kaye
and Wayne). Free washing machines and
admission to the artesian pool and spa. The spa was clean this time Kaye.
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| Roy, Pat and Ray - Artesian Spa |
It was so hot when we arrived, that
we went for a swim as soon as we got settled.
For once, it was me – not Roy, who thought the spa was too hot – 40+
degrees.
The next morning we did our 1km
swim, that we haven’t done since leaving home.
I struggled for the first few laps, but finished ok. We’re a bit out of shape – ha ha (me literally).
We didn’t go again for 2 more days as the wind had picked up which caused the
temp to drop (down to 9 degrees – too cold for me). We did go again on Sunday
at lunchtime – temp getting up again.
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| Bedourie Pub |
A guy in the park was advertising
haircuts for $10 – so Pat and I had haircuts.
While I was waiting my turn in the “waiting room” (a few chairs set up in the
shade at the back of his van) ha ha – I got talking to a camper who, as it
turned out, used to own a house on Moreton Island and knows Amity well – and
blow me down - is friends with Brad Ross, Barry and Carmel and Danny and Mary. It really is a bloody small world. His name is Barry Ferguson and his wife,
Elaine…. They’re heading up to King Ash
Bay. They’re going to look us up next
time they’re on the island.
Well, just when we were thinking
that our dear old Jeddy is slowing down – he made us eat our words….
Can you believe, that people
actually take their CATS travelling!!! Bloody hell (next thing it’ll be cockatiels!!)….
Anyway, this dude had his cat in a
harness and was taking it for a walk, only made the mistake of coming too close
to our van, that Jeddy just happened to be resting underneath (one eye always
open). Roy said that before he knew
what was happening, Jed was up and off in pursuit of the cat, breaking his
lead. The man had to swing the cat off
the ground (using the harness) to get it away from Jeddy. Roy then took off after Jed, tried to run
but couldn’t, fell over on top of Jeddy.
The cat swinging in the air with paws striking out, at both Roy and
Jeddy. Jeddy and Roy both returned
scratched and bleeding !!! and the bloody cat ripped Roys shirt too, and,
didn’t get hurt at all. (I’m so glad I
was inside the van when it happened).
So I guess the old boy still has a bit of life left in him yet!!! His nose is full of scratches though…. Pesky cat!!!
The weather has been so fickle. It was really hot on Thursday 34 degrees,
but on Friday the wind picked up and cooled it down, so much that I have been
wearing a jumper. Even gloves on Friday
night…….Bugger, I thought I was rid of the cold – its really annoying!!
The rodeo was on Friday night at the
showground and finished about 10:00, but the partying moved to the little pub
across the road after that (I don’t know how they all squashed in). I could still hear them partying on at 1:30.
Saturday afternoon at the
races. We didn’t do too badly with 2
seconds and a 3rd (we were only there for 4 races) – not bad for
rookies… It was fun. We had dinner at the pub with a group of
friends (our neighbours from either side of us and another couple - 8 of us). A good time was had by all..
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| Roy and Ray |
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| Mens Fashion Stakes |
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| Womens Fashion Stakes |
On Sunday it was 9 degrees when we
woke!!!! Roy and I decided to wait
until later in the day to do our 1km swim, so it could warm up – but the pool
was still icy - 15 degrees. I hate the
cold and have no idea what got into me, but I did it (Elly you’d have been
proud of me!!). It was our last night
in Bedourie, so had a camp oven roast with Pat and Ray. We had a great night – maybe a little too
much red though!! (Just maybe). We’re
all going on to Birdsville from here – We’ll meet up there…
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| Campoven Roast - Bedourie |
The dust problem has me
beaten!!! I’ve now decided to try
tapeing up the whole door from the outside before heading off again. Bit of a pain but nothing compared to
cleaning out dust. Maybe we need a new
door!! Now see if you can get in
DUST!!! Ha ha
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| Waddi Trees Dates back to the Ice Age - Wood is so hard it can't be burnt or cut!!! |
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| Carcoory Ruins |
Monday to Wednesday (10 –
12 September, 2012) – Birdsville
We pulled in to Birdsville just in
time to have lunch at the Bakery –The Bakery is pretty famous for its pies – so
we had pies. I was daring, and ordered
the Curried Camel Pie - Yummy. Roy –
not as game, had Beef – but very nice.
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| Sturts Desert Pea |
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| Bakery - Art Museum |
Then off to set up camp on the banks
of the mighty Diamantina River.
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| Diamantina River |
Opened the door – bloody hell!!! How
did that dust get in??? I had so much
tape on the door and Roy had put so much dustproofing foam around it!! Uggghh…
Tomorrow we’re off to buy a tube of silicone and will go over every
crack!!!! This is so frustrating… Where could it be coming from??? I’m not giving in yet!!
We got a great spot and had no
sooner unpacked, when Pat and Ray turned up.
They had left Bedourie a couple of hours before us, so we must have
passed them somewhere along the way.
They found a camp on the other side of the road, we’re camped near the
windmill.
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| Our camp on the Diamantina |
On Tuesday (7/11), the four of us
went out to Big Red to give it a go…… E A S Y !!! Roy went up Big Red first and then we went up and over the other
side and back again on Little Red. It
was so much fun. There were quite a lot
of other dare-devils up there including some Americans who hoisted their Stars
and Stripes Flag when they got to the top as a sign of respect for those who
died in 7/11, and brought out a tinnie each and had a toast. It was the anniversary of that terrible day.
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| At the top of Big Red |
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| Simpson Desert |
My god!!! You should see the water
here. When we came here 3 years ago, it
was desert all round. On the Birdsville
side of the dunes is a vast sea of water.
Full of birdlife. Its absolutely
beautiful. Only it did smell stagnant
in places. Wonder what this water is
from – must be the last lot of rain a few months ago. It surely must have rained out here – there’s so much of it…..
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| We made it up - what fun! |
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| Wetlands at Big Red |
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| Top of Big Red |
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| The start of the Simpson Desert |
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| Wetlands at Big Red |
Back to the Bakery – Kangaroo and
Claret pie this time. Not as nice as
the Curried Camel one. Then to the pub for a beer and then back to
camp to tackle the dust problem….. and finish and publish Blog 10.
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| Birdsville Pub |
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| Roy, Ray and Pat |
Our next port of call will probably
be Innamincka, then across to Noccundra for a few nights, before visiting Roy’s
relies at Orinya (south of Toompine) on Friday and staying a few days
there. That’s the plan for now
anyway…….
Catch you next blog.
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To be
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