THIS IS A TEST... read more

OK. So I'm addicted to blogging. We had a nice drive in from Hillston, through some absolutely beautiful country - so different from outback. Green, lush, almost manicured. Sheep and farms - real farms, where they grow things. Our friend Ray, has a friend who grows potatoes where we drove through. His farm is 23 miles long. They don't do things by half here. We stopped at an historic pub for lunch, and then planned to visit a place called Bird World. Dante has not had enough birds yet. Unfortunately, the place closed in April for 12 months of renovations. Arrived at the Elders' mid-afternoon. Those of you who encounter Riley and Dante had best get ready. They could not stop talking. And, even wanted to show photos. You'll need a couple of hours at least, ... read more

Got a late start but did get the tire fixed and put back under the truck. Then, we had to find a bolt to replace the one that vibrated loose and was no longer holding the battery in place. A nice lady at a service station interrupted her breakfast and rummaged through a box of nuts and bolts 'till she found one. Frank replaced it and we were on our way. The first thing we saw was a road train. This one didn't have cattle but giant tires and stuff. Impressive, isn't it? We must have passed about 15 to 20 today. We also saw a feral cat. Except for camels, we have seen every one of Australia's feral creatures. The impression we have of today is that of roadkill. The roads are littered with the ... read more

We had a three minute walk to breakfast and waited 'tilll the rain let up a bit. Walked back to our room in the rain. Then it let up again, so we scurried out the door for a 5-mile walk 1.5 to get there, 1.5 miles on a boardwalk thru the rainforest, and 1.5 miles back. Riley kept asking why we didn't drive the car to the walk. Anyway, despite the absence of wildlife, we saw a couple of birds and a fish, the walk was lovely. I’ve enclosed many photos that I will let speak for themselves. It rained on and off all day, and is supposed to continue this pattern through Monday. On the way back we stopped for toasted cheese sandwiches at Mason's store. Let me put it this way. I think it ... read more

Our last night in Port Douglas was full of laughs. The day began with the walk from our room to the dining room. Even though I've sent lots of pictures of this resort, you can't get a sense of how complex the layout is. I have been lost the whole time. What with all the lagoons, and buildings that are not rectangular and come off as spokes on a wheel, I don't have any idea where I am. Fortunately for the family, we have had Dante, the Italian Navigator. His sense of direction is uncanny and he has kept us straight the whole time. If Frank said let's go this way, Dante would say, "well, that's the long way, and we can get there, but there's a shorter way", and invariably, he was right. Riley is ... read more