We arrived....but only just!

---

wohooo! we made it to Cairns...but only just! After much deliberating we decided to fly from Darwin to Cairns as we could not organise a car share and I just wanted to get over here to see Katie (and Clare and Roisin!) We headed for the interntet cafe to book a ticket and had a look at some notices in the internet cafe. There was one guy driving over so we texted him on the off chance he might be able to give us a lift. I pretty much forgot about it as I have texted quite a few poeple and only one got back to me saying he had already left. So we went to the internet and booked flights. At the very second I paid we got a text saying we could have a lift and leave the next day if we wanted (Monday)! Was gutted! Rang the airline and I had inputted my details wrong!! to cut a long story short we set off for Cairns on Monday with Bruno in a old Toyota Corolla and a lot of water (got a bit paranoid about breaking down and dying of dehydration!).
we had a few incidents along the way. We broke down in a place called Mt Isa (there was a famous film made about the place when a woman got charged with murdering her baby but really a dingo took it...Meryl Streep?!) and had to stay over night before taking the car to get fixed...new alternator. We also got pulled over by the police...I was driving at the time! Just wanted to check my licence and advised me not to go too fast as the car was over loaded (we had a lot of stuff!) and if we hit a bump would all be killed! Nice! He was a nice police man tho and sent us on our way with a smile!
On the last night we stayed behind a pub in a place called Prarie (I think!) there were stuffed animal head on the wall and lots of pictures of the landlord with various wild pigs that he had killed! It was a tiny place and I could see all the houses in the village from outside the pub!
We finally arrived yesterday to a gorgeous hostel that Roisin found which is more like a hotel and has a huge pool and spa and no bunk beds..yey!
We left Bruno, our driver, not on the best of terms as he decided we should contribute to the alternator repair. I was not happy but offered for Pat and I to pay half as he now has a new alternator in his car! he then accused us causing the break down by driving too fast (??!) even tho he had told us that it had been a problem before. We ended up giving him some extra money before I basically told him to f off! Would have been a v cheap journey if we had not had to pay more (only $148 each in fuel and between $5 and $7.50 for camping each night) but never mind, still glad we drove as we got to see a lot more and we had fun (apart from the camping...one sleeping bag between two and no sleeping mat!).
The weather is pretty crap here so got to get out in the sun before it rains!

---

Comments

[Kate]

YEY
Hey, great to hear about your adventure darl...keep em coming...Speak to you soon..HUGS, enjoy teh sun shine you lucky blighter! XXX