Kudos
We met many Australians as we travelled around, all of which
were cordial. The ones that stand out in our minds are the ones that went
out of their way to help us, or took extra time to explain this or that which
enhanced our experience in Australia. Four people come to mind:
When the camper van's 12V system failed the first time, and
we needed to tighten a loose electrical connection. At the Big 4 MacDonnell Range Campsite where we were staying in Alice Springs, I flagged down a Camp Warden on his scooter. He was a friendly chap wearing a smile. I
asked him where I could borrow a pair of pliers. He pulled a pair out of his
pocket, and lent them to us without question or hesitation. Then, an hour later dropped by to see that we got things fixed.
When we were lost after dark in the back roads of the Glass
House Mountains, a couple stopped, offered to help, then went out of their way
to take us where we needed to go.
At CrookNeck, Paul, the father of our host, Megan, chatted
with us on a number of occasions, sharing his knowledge of the area and country.
His stories and information were valuable to expand our knowledge and
understanding of Australia.
When walking the beach at Woorim on Bribie Island, the
lifeguard that took the time to explain in detail their efforts to reduce the
risk of shark attacks, and the effects of wind direction which change ocean
currents affecting the likelihood of other undesirables showing up in the
water.
Our hosts at CrookNeck, Megan and Brett, provided us with
the opportunity of living in rural Australia that we were looking for. The cabin in a
macadamia nut orchard, in the Glass House Mountains, was everything we had
hoped it would be. As
many of you know, when we travel, we're always looking for hidden treasure;
CrookNeck was the treasure we found in Australia.
Other Interesting Things Australian
Most of the interesting things we ran across in Australia were
captured in our previous stories, but here's a few that just didn't fit.
One day we were out and about in the town of Glass House
Mountains. We had been shopping at the IGA and a bottle store. After exiting a
round-about, a guy in a uniform and vest stepped from the shoulder of the road
and waved us to the side. My first reaction was that I must have been speeding.
I had no idea what the speed limit was, nor how fast I had been going. I also
didn't know if we had the car rental agreement with us to show ownership of the
vehicle. When I opened my window, he said "just blow into the breathalyser
to the count of 3 as a check for impaired driving". I did, passed,
and we were back on the road within the minute of being pulled over. He never
asked if I'd had a drink today, or whether I had a driver's license. It was a fast and effective RIDE program, with a clear innocent
or guilty outcome.
As we went around the country, we saw warning signs for Wallabies
or Kangaroos, Hedgehogs, Lizards, Wandering Stock, Koalas, Sheep, Cows, Horses,
Camels, Stingers, Snakes, Spiders, Crests (of a hill), Dip (in the road), and
Flood Area. Obviously, there's a lot to watch out for in Australia. It's an untamed country, and an adventurous place to visit.
The Flood Areas were the most common warnable. They placed
Flood Warning signs everywhere the road was low. Rather than having a ditch
alongside the road which seldom gets used because of the general lack of
rainfall, they warn about possible flooding, and place a measuring stick at the
lowest point to show the driver how deep the water is. Rather than having a
bridge over a dry creek, they provide for water to
flow over the road. Then of course, they put a Flood Warning sign and measuring stick.
The only time these areas get any significant amount of rain is when they're
brushed by a cyclone which results in a flash flood.
As many of you know, when setting out on our trip, I packed
a large stick that I thought would help us survive in Australia. As it turned
out, we didn't need it. But instead, we should have had another backup charge
card, a few tools to fix the campervan, a fly swatter for the menacing flies in
the Outback, and done some research on handling multilane round-abouts.
Australia is a vast, diverse and wondrous country. We only
saw a smidgen of it, but feel it was well worth travelling half way around the
world for.
Thank you for joining us on our Australian adventure.
