Day 7 - Fraser Island, Childers, Bundaberg, Bargara

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Today we are heading from Fraser Island. We are running a day behind as we can’t get a ferry until midday. We need to wait until about 10 to leave the camp[site due to high tide plus it is a full moon. I had a restless sleep worrying about the torn ten dollar that I found in my wallet. I’m pretty sure the kid at the IGA gave it to me. The woman (4’9” (tall and wide) and black tights) at the bakery in Eurong wouldn’t take it. I spent most of the night worrying about how I’d get rid of it.



We got the campsite packed up and decided to head a little early so we had to avoid a few waves as we headed in. Unfortunately it was the same woman behind the counter at the bakery so I decided not to try offloading the ten dollar note. Having done a reccy yesterday we got to the ferry with plenty of time so we decided that we’d reinflate out tyres. My made in China Super Cheap Auto air compressor did a stirling job on the front driver’s tyre and then promptly stopped working on the next one. More to worry about. First the ten dollar note, now this. The fuse had blown and of course 30amps was the only one I didn’t have a spare one of.



On the ferry we were greeted by a lady in floral tights and a fluoro jacket. This is not the first instance of floral tights I’ve come across and the get up generally adds to the tropical atmosphere of the Sunshine Coast. I’m not sure they are as effective as making you look fat as the lady actually seemed quite slim. The ferry to Hervey Bay is bigger with all mod cons like toilets and a bar. Given Adam’s not drinking I decided against a beer and instead engaged a couple of the locals thinking that I might be able to rustle up a fuse. You have to be very strategic, like this:



“How’d the fishing go?”



“Nah mate f@#k@#g blowing a f@#k@#g gale had one f@#k@#g cast and then called it a f@#k@#g day.”



“Yeh same here. Do you know where the nearest servo is on the other side?”



“f@#k@#g Booral. Turn right just f@#k@#g 900 metres from the f@#k@#g ferry”



“Do you reckon they’d have fuses?” This is a teaser question.



“Not f@#k@#g sure mate. What’s the f@#k@#g problem?”



Tell story about fuse, he rummages around in glove box and voila 30 amp fuse.



The ferry holds about 24 cars and at the Hervey Bay side we had to reverse off.



Amongst my many worries I’ve also been very concerned about salt under the car so we headed straight for the car wash in Pialba which has an underbody cleaning bay. Couple of tips here:



1. After you put the coins in it starts immediately so don’t stand on the jets



2. Water goes everywhere so don’t open your window to speak to your mate during the process



So after 10 minutes we’d successfully removed all traces of salt from under the car, in the car and my undies.



From Hervey Bay, after a quick shot of the Big Whale we headed north to Childers. I haven’t included a shot of the big whale but I’m not sure that it really qualifies as big. Whales are typically quite large and I’m kind of thinking this is a 1:1 scale. Now Adam is a bit of a peanut fan and I’ve been trying to steer away from rubbish food on this trip but Childers is the home of the Peanut Man and Van. So I relented and he bought some peanut butter (no added salt).



Given the Tigers game is on at 4.10 we decide that Bundaberg is about as far as we can get. Whilst Bundy looks quite nice we opt for the beachside town of Bargara. I tried to offload my ten dollar note to the lady at the caravan park, but she is immediately on to it and suggests I take it to the bank. As if! Adam and I get the camp set up in next to no time and before you know it we are sitting in the bistro at the luxurious Bargara Beach Hotel watching the Tiges lose to Parramatta. Despite trying two different barmaids I am unsuccessful at getting rid of the ten dollar note and it is weighing on me. It is actually a great pub but a bit over engineered for the size of the crowd, me and Adam, two blokes in fluoro (not sure why given it’s a Sunday) and a bloke with a toddler who keeps asking the barmaid if she has seen him.



Back at the camp (due to a minor gas issue which later proves to be user error) we decide to cook in the camp kitchen. The family at the next table have cooked a Sunday roast. The facilities at the Bargarra Caravan Park are pretty good, but it still has all the hallmarks of a caravan park (ie the tenant). While I was brushing my teeth a bloke wearing just boardies came in and washed his armpits in the basin beside me. I don’t want to be difficult but why not just shower.

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