Sunday 20.5.12

Things about Quilpie we forgot to mention. The caravan had beautiful artesian spas. I was in my swimmers out in the open and it is May! I’m excited!  They also had dinner and country music for entertainment but we gave it a miss because we could watch the ABC! We watched the news. We live an exciting life. We haven’t been able to watch telly since we left. There was a huge TV tower in the hamlet of Quilpie.

Adrian and I hopped on our bikes and went for a ride. We went to a huge park. It had a wonderful, covered children’s playground, tennis court, skate park, outdoor gym and hot and cold showers. We had a go at the gym. It was all laid out on pavers and surrounded by a white picket fence. A wonderful addition for the village.

We actually did set off early today and Fay drove the first 100km or so to a place called Cheepie. We HAD to have a look.! A dilapidated railway station and a house across the road which was a post office – that was it. We managed to have a cuppa on the station and we walked around for a little. Then we set off for Charleville.

Today we had a BIG surprise. We booked into Charleville where there are about 6 caravan parks. We gave our name and the lady said another Dixon had booked in. We are now parked beside Adrian’s brother Tony and his wife Clare from Taree. They are on their way to Rubyvale to do their yearly fossick in the ruby tailings. The people you meet.

After lunch we talked with Tony and Clare till about 4 then we set off on the bikes to find the Tourist information centre. It was about a 4km ride on the other side of town near the airport. Lots of stuff to digest but we will probably go to the little celestial observatory they have set up on the top of the information centre and a few other things. We have booked here for two days but we may stay longer.

When we got back from the bike ride, the usual country and western singer was playing. We decided to go and listen for a while so we took our chairs and a drink and wondered up. It’s a bit alarming that I knew a few of the songs – C and W songs always seems to be about divorce, the F100 breaking down, the effects of last night’s chilli or someone’s favourite dog karking it.

Once again there is no TV so it looks like we will be Rummikubing and a DVD till Fay falls asleep. Till tomorrow ……