Airlie Beach QLD

January 09 2007

I was heading for our tent which is under a tarpaulin, near the small creek. Gums and ferns abound . The birds were settling down for the night in the trees above me . Raucous screams form the Sulphur Crested Cockatoos filled the air . I was treading lightly in bare feet watching out for any cane toads,spiders and other creepy crawlies that may cross my path . The shadows were long the park lights were dim only illuminating corners of buildings and entrances to the dunnies and bridges ,

Rachel has two small wire haired fox terrier dogs . About a foot in length in total . I had them on a lead . Both mutts were straining to gain their freedom and dash off to explore the scrub and follow up on the rustling in the foliage on the edge of the track .

A women loomed out of the darkness. " Hallo Alvin " she called in a distinctive north Queensland ascent . I was taken aback . Only Rachel and Scott knew i was in the camp and I had just left them at their caravan. The dogs strained forward pulling to greet the women . She bent down and showered affection on the bigger of the two dogs . It was then i remembered that Rachel had called one of her dogs after their grandfather.

The Whitsunday Islands are about midway up the barrier reef on the coast of Queensland . Rachel is currently gardening on the resort of Hamilton Island . Rules are you cant have dogs on the island so it is a daily ferry boat ride to work from the mainland . We poke around the resort on the day we arrived . A massive tourist complex. Golf cart are the main mode of transport, they sneak up on you silently. The landscape is spectacular with palms and eucalyptus set out in all their glory.

About 20 years ago we had camped at Airley Beach when the children were 5 and 7 . at that time we had arrive when the weather was extremely hot. these first few days have been tolerable . up to 30 degrees C in the late afternoon. The camp pool is a very popular spot at that time . Our park had a mandatory pool and a great way to meet fellow travellers. Day time temps have been up in the high 30s and humidity sweltering at times.

Tomorrow , Rachels day leave commences for a week . We plan to hire a boat for the day and find a spot to snorkel and swim. This time of the year the poisonous jelly fish are about so I will have to hire 'Stinger Suits' which will also help keep me from cooking in the relentless sun . I have also booked a scuba diving trip out to the reef . I well remember the remarkable reef life and the myriad of reef fish.

We arrive into NZ back in early December, took a week to get over jet lag and meet up with family and friends . My daughter, Tamra, is guiding on Fox Glacier. At time she is able to put family and friend on a Heli-Hike to fill the helicopter seats. Bev had the first opportunity . donning crampons and a walking pole she climbed around the ice crevices and arches. Two hours soon pass and the flight out swoop you over the Ice face back to civilization.

We spent Xmas at Fox glacier with Chris and Tamra and reunited with the Tucks who had returned home form all parts of the world . Colin is in Malaysia doing mineral exploration surveys using helicopters , Poppy just finished her African O/E travelling down from Kenya to Cape Town, overland . Lewis returned from Canada where he is flying Helicopters for a logging process in Northern Vancouver island. Plenty of stories and adventures where shared.

I was thinking that all was going well with our travels and return to base until....... Our forest block manager, Mike Rooney and I decided to tidy up the front fence of the property . This necessitated the realignment of the fence and the digging of several post holes for strainers . My hands are too soft for heavy manual work so we opted for the hire of a small digger to tidy the fence line and dig the strainer post holes.

After much deliberation I said "Dig here Mike" several bucket fulls where removed in short order . We were both peering into the hole and spotted a cable protruding form each side of the newly excavated hole . Bugger, we had ripped up the Telephone Cables. This meant all the phones up the valley were off the air. Guilt and embarrassment made me slink over to a neighbours to inform them of my mis-adventure. The bill for repairs is yet to arrive.

Bev and I have instigated some repairs to the properties in Hokitika . New windows have been ordered and yards and general tidy up undertaken . The painter has 30% of the external repaint done and new floor coverings will go in when we get back for our 18 days in Aussie.

Well better go and get my 'stinger suit' and do some snorkeling around the rocks

I wonder what will happen next

Alvin & Bev