30th July to 7th August

THURSDAY 30TH JULY 2009 – GOOGARRA BEACH QLD DAY 142

The weather here for the last few days has been wet and overcast perfect weather to catch up on some books and we went into Tully and hired some DVD's which will keep us occupied for a while.

I decide not to do any washing today as the washing machines here a all new heavy duty ones. They charge
$5-00 for a load (I am used to paying $3-00) and when I like to do 2 loads (whites and coloureds) it can be quite expensive especially when we don't have enough clothes to fill the tub.

We spend the reading our books and watch a couple of DVD's during the evening.

FRIDAY 31ST JULY 2009 – GOOGARRA BEACH TO WONGALING BCH (MISSION BEACH) QLD – DAY 143

This morning I leave Nick and Lucy at camp and I head into town to buy supplies for the next week to take with us to Mission Beach. This will last us until Friday night where I am hoping to talk Nick into taking me out for dinner on the Saturday before Dunk Is.

I enjoy looking at the shops here as they are varied and interesting with some of the old buildings being renovated and quite modern but most are the original older ones. There is one shop which sells everything from shoes, to bags, to evening dresses to daywear. The ladies here are so helpful and friendly I spote some lovely shoes. Surprise, Surprise they have my size and purchase 2 pairs.

In desperate need of having some major 'panel beating' done I find up an alley a delightful little hair salon so enter. I am successful in getting an appointment straight away so I have a make-over. These girls are so friendly which I love about these country towns we are visiting. When you leave you feel as if you have made a whole load of new friends even though you will probably never see these people again.

Emerging 3 hours later and feeling like a new women I head across to the local IGA store to fill the car with supplies before heading back to camp.

Nick and Lucy have had a lovely time together so I don't feel so bad about being away so long.

SATURDAY 1ST AUGUST 2009 - WONGALING BEACH (MISSION BEACH) QLD – DAY 144

It is only 26kms from Tully to Mission Beach so we pack up and leave by 9am. We are booked into the Dunk Island View Caravan Park here at Wongaling Beach just south of Mission Beach. It is a huge park and pet friendly so we settle into our spot amongst the trees. It is quite a way away from the amenities block which is a bit of a nuisance but the rain forest atmosphere where we are is worth it. The sound of the birdlife is amazing we just hope there will be no mozzies!!!!

After a bite to eat for lunch we ge into the car and decide to do a drive. It is not far into Mission Beach and it has a lovely cosmopolitan feel without being too big. We notice there are markets on tomorrow so will come in here and spend a bit more time tomorrow.

During the evening I have a lovely long phone call from my old friend Jan Amies. She brings me up to date with what's been happening with her and her family and it was only 2 weeks ago that she was on holidays here in this area so it was unfortunate we missed each other but will look forward to catching up back in Sydney next month.

SUNDAY 2ND AUGUST 2009 – WONGALING BEACH (MISSION BEACH) QLD – DAY 145

The local Markets are on at Mission Beach today so after taking Lucy for a long walk on the beach we head into town. It is a busy Saturday morning here and the markets are an interesting array of plants, books, art, craft and clothing. I buys some tiny ripe avocados as we have discovered Lucy loves them. I threw out some fresh peeled avocado skins with a few remnants of the fruit and she happened to find one lonely discarded one and devoured it. They are so delicious tiny and cheap so I buy a bag for her.

I like to support the locals in these little towns and buy a gorgeous little dress for my new little grand-daughter (due in November). As we are also on the East Coast I buy a couple of pots of fresh herbs as we use up so many each week it can be quite expensive to purchase them at the supermarket . Fresh Basil and the old fashioned crinkly leaf parsley is my favourite and the smell of these fresh herbs is to die for.

Nick finds a stall selling second hand books so he is in heaven and as it is getting warmer and I have done the rounds I have to drag him away. We find a lovely organic coffee shop in town with an eclectic mix of patrons (a group of young people all with dreadlocks and ear rings in every visible crevice) who were meeting the day after a beach wedding (would love to have seen the bride and groom)!!!! I ordered an organic Thai beef salad which was amazing, Nick had a hamburger and chips!!!

We then headed home to our faithful little dog Lucy greeting us with such excitement.

MONDAY 3RD AUGUST 2009 – MISSION BEACH QLD – DAY 146

We wake up today to more rain. Just hope we don't have this rain next week when we are on Dunk Island. I get onto the internet to check emails and as it is early in the month, pay some bills. We decide to go for a bike ride down the road and after putting a bit of air into my tyres we take off down the road by the beach. It is interesting to check out all the holiday houses to let here. It is just a shame it is so far from Sydney as it would be an ideal place to come for a long weekend. We ride 3kms before it begins to spit with rain however it is enough for me (as I am still a little nervous on the bike despite the roads here being so quiet and safe. We will go out again this afternoon if the rain stays away.

I am cooking a slow cooked beef in red wine with mushroom casserole for dinner tonight so want to go into the bakery for some fresh crusty bread to have with it. Just the perfect comfort food for this kind of weather!!!!!!!! It's crazy though as it is the middle of winter and we are in summer short sleeve tops and shorts with a temp of around 25 degrees. The nights are pleasurably cool where we need a blanket or two but the days temperature is perfect despite the rain.

TUESDAY 4TH AUGUST 2009 – MISSION BEACH QLD – DAY 147

We spend the morning around camp before heading into Tully during the afternoon. We have discovered our fairly new battery for the caravan is not working so we take it to a Battery dealer in Tully to check it out. They tell us we will have to leave it here overnight for testing and we can pick it up tomorrow.

After stocking up on a few items we head back to camp. I decide to cook a roast for dinner but just after I put it on we are invited to a 'free sausage sizzle' hosted by the caravan park managers. We are in two minds as to whether to go as I the roast lamb is smelling delicious!!! Watch this space.

We meet the couple who have set up camp next to us. Shane and Jason who are a delightful couple. They come from Wollongong and are spending 2 years travelling around Australia. Their 2 boys are back at home attending University. After 10 months of travelling up the east coast they have arrived here and will spend a week.

The Park Manager comes around and reiterates the invitation to the sausage sizzle so I feel if they have gone to the effort of putting this on we should support them so our roast dinner is abandoned (we can have it tomorrow night) and at 5pm, armed with our utensils and chairs we head up to the camp kitchen area.

There are many people there (lots and lots of grey nomads which we try and avoid) but we see Shane and Jason and invite them to join us. Shane and I have lots in common as she is very crafty and we find it very easy communicating. Jason is also a keen fisherman and he reminds me very much of my son Danny.

The night is very pleasant and as TV reception here at this park is very poor we decide to stay on and watch 'Packed to the Rafters' on TV before heading back to camp.

WEDNESDAY 5TH AUGUST 2009 - MISSION BEACH QLD – DAY 148

We spend the morning around camp and at the beach before going for a 5km bike ride along the beachfront. It is interesting to see all the lovely beach houses that are for rent and could imagine this area would be very crowded during the summer months. Many of them have put in swimming pools as despite being so close to the beach you are unable to swim here between October and May each year because of the deadly Irrikanji stingers. Despite the beautiful beaches up here the fear of these stingers and crocs makes our beaches down south so much more appealing.

During the afternoon we drive to Tully to find out the outcome of our battery. Unfortunately there is a problem with is and because it is only 10 weeks old we are able to get a new one however this dealer does not have the same brand so he tells us we need to exchange it in Townsville when we are there in a week or two's time. As we won't be doing any 'free camping' in the meantime it should be ok to wait.

THURSDAY 6TH AUGUST 2009 – MISSION BEACH QLD – DAY 149

I decide I want to have a look at an Interior Design shop in the area where our neighbours here Shane and Jason had a look at yesterday and thoroughly recommended a look. So Nick takes Lucy to the beach and I take off.

The Interior Design Shop is lovely, with many lovely imported pieces of furniture and artefacts. I get some great ideas with wall hangings and shells so with these ideas tucked safely away in my head I decide to drive to Innisfail about 50kms away. It is such a pretty drive through the canefields and it reminds me very much of the Murwillumbah and northern New South Wales area.

Innisfail is such a busy small country town and it was nice to wander the main street where I picked up a lovely pair of gold sandals. After a few more purchases I headed back to Mission Beach to find Nick reading and Lucy exhausted sleeping under his feet.

FRIDAY 7TH AUGUST 2009 – MISSION BEACH QLD – DAY 150

After doing our washing we decide to head into Mission Beach to our favourite coffee shop 'Flame' to have brunch. They do the best coffee and lovely fresh healthy food. This is our 3rd visit here and we have recommended it to quite a few people we have met from our caravan park.

We spend the afternoon reading and getting organised ready for storing the car and van here before we go to Dunk Island on Sunday.