First few weeks

It’s a bit of a worry when you’re parked in the bush and in the middle of the night you smell smoke.  We’re at Lake Mackintosh, can’t actually see much of the lake because the ‘permanent’ campers have got the best spots.   Obviously we’ve not been caught in a fire but my acute senses did smell smoke, Steve says someone had a fire going – I sincerely hope it won’t be going again.  

                                                  

                                                                                                                        

To get to this spot we had to drive over the dam wall.  There’s a sign saying no overtaking which is quite unnecessary as the wall is only slightly wider than the caravan    

The sign over the dam, has been changed by someone

I was in charge of breakfast this morning so I made something in line with my capabilities in the kitchen.  We each had a replacement meal shake.  I came down the step and shook them both and half of Steve’s went all over the place because, again in line with my kitchen expertise I’d not secured the top.  I laughed, Steve didn’t.

I broke another tooth.  I’m thinking it must be an age thing although there are some people who still have their own teeth in their 80’s.  I don’t understand why my health is so bad.

We spent a night at Beaconsfield, where the mining accident happened. 

We also spent time at Evansdale where they have a penny-farthing race but we didn’t stay for that.

Some time ago we saw a program on t.v. about Sheffield where they have heaps of murals on various walls around the town.  They’re really good and it was here that we bought tee shirts for the littlies.

We haven’t done any rushing about.  We’re taking it easy and enjoying the peace and quiet.  We’re here until the 23^rd April when we sail back to Melbourne.  We haven’t discussed what we’re going to do when we’re back on the mainland because it’s so far away.

We have to be back in June or July as I have an appointment with my orthopedic surgeon.  I have to have x-rays to make sure my hips are okay.  If they’re not I wonder what he’ll want to do.  So far this year I haven’t had any disasters, apart from breaking a tooth.  I have to make a conscious effort to walk carefully and take time getting in and out of the caravan because the last thing I want is to fall.

They have sparrows and starlings in Tasmania.  We’ve also been told they have blackbirds and I haven’t seen one of those since the last time we were in England.  I’m surrounded at the moment by big fat bumble bees, complete with yellow stripes, buzzing around.  We don’t have these types of bees in Perth, we have wasps which are referred to as bees but they’re not ‘real’ bees.

Before we left home Steve fitted two tanks in the back of the truck.  One is for diesel and the other for water.  I have a real fear that we’re going to run out of water, even though we carry litres of the stuff for drinking.  I don’t know if it’s because water is so precious in Perth but I do feel a lot better knowing we have plenty with us.

We had a laugh when he went to fill up with diesel when we landed at Devonport because he’d had to use the spare diesel and he wanted to make sure we didn’t get caught without some.  When he was filling the tank a lady asked him what he was doing and she thought it was hysterical and told him there are plenty of service stations to fill up.  When we were getting to Victoria we filled up at every station we passed because you never know where the next one will be.

We also carry a jerry can of petrol for the generator and because you can’t take spare fuel on the ferry Steve gave it to some German boys who were at Inverleigh with us.

Because of the solar we had fitted and the spare water tank we don’t need to go into a caravan park.  Like so many other caravaners of our age we don’t want bouncing castles or playgrounds and don’t like having to pay $30.00+ just to fill up with water and charge everything.  We are now totally self sufficient.  We charge the phones and ipads through the inverter and caravan battery which is charged by the solar.  If we want to do some washing then we use the generator and we also use this when we want coffee from the machine.

Since my hair has grown I don’t use the hair drier so don’t need power for that.