Last laps to home

 22/09/2022

Once again, an early start, with two long days ahead of us. 

We filled up the tank and set off on a lovely clear morning and sailed along, through Barcaldine and over the River Jordan to Jericho (!!!!) and on to Alpha for fuel and coffee. BUT...  no fuel and no decaffeinated coffee ("try the Post Office - they do coffee"!!!), so, checking the car's  fuel estimate, we continued on, arriving in Emerald with the red light on the dash and only a litre or two left.

Settled in nicely after not booking and being turned away at the Big 4 and luckily finding a spot at the Cabins and Caravans park. We met some lovely neighbours whose 4wd was on a truck and van being towed. Their 4wd transmission had seized and no joy in Emerald getting it fixed or hiring a vehicle. We had a Happy Hour drink with them and the people on our other side. The NRMA will look after them, so they should be able to work something out.

Off early again the next morning for the run to our last stop - Monto. We learned our lesson and booked this time. No tv, so we had an easy dinner, a read and an early night.

No hurry next morning for the run to home, so stopped in Gayndah at the Nourish Cafe for brunch. Just lovely. Great decor, great service and an array of delicious choices. It appears to have been an old bank or some such building and they had an adjoining room set up with old wares and gorgeous linen clothes for sale. Very atmospheric. 

We took the Kilkivan shortcut through to Gympie and filled up car and spare jerry-cans at Kybong Puma with the cheapest fuel since leaving home, in anticipation of the reinstatement of the fuel levy next month. And a Macca's sundae.

(Note: The Australian Country Way is no highway. Full of bumps and lurches which shake everything around. We endured it for three days, hoping it would improve. Very wearing).

Home again, two days earlier than we said. We had a cuppa and unloaded the food and necessities and spent the evening revelling in having our own house with space to move around, and OUR OWN BED!!!

The guests of our friends who had used our house over the previous weekend had paid for a cleaner to do bathrooms, carpets and floors, so everything was spotless. And they left two bottles of fancy wine for us!

We spent the next two days giving the van a thorough clean out and wash, made a list of all the maintenance things we need to do and check, and it's ready for our next adventure. 

We've had a marvellous time, ticking all those things, and more, off our bucket list. If we'd had more time, there are other things we might have seen, but we're tanned, healthy  and happy (albeit unfit and fatter from all the long days sitting in the car and van, and very little exercise).

Oh well.

See you next adventure. Thanks for reading. 

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