Day 21.... architecture.... and some oddities...

I have a busy weekend ahead and it starts tonight with a sleep-over at my best friend's house. And on Sunday there's a pool party here at 'Spice-girl's' to celebrate her hubs birthday. So I may not get the chance to visit your Blog until Monday. But I will, and look forward to it as there are sure to be lots of new posts up out there.
I'll leave you with some Townsville architecture and other bits and pieces. Enjoy!

The old (above) and the newer (below) - inner city

The old above and the newer aquarium - inner city

Two lovely old pubs on the Strand - above is the Queens Hotel and below is the "Cri"

Some beautifully designed homes on the lower reaches of Castle Hill overlooking Cleveland Bay

I'm awfully sorry to interrupt this post, but I no longer feel comfortable in calling this local 'strange', 'weird' or 'odd'.  The dedication to the 'sport'/'past-time'?? is striking to say the least,  and my admiration swells - she's been at "it" for 3 days straight now. . . . . . .

On a far, far more worrying note is how these locals dress to go out for afternoon tea.  I can only but fervently pray that neither of these peculiarities are in any way catching or heaven forbid that as time passes they become appealing to the visitor...er, you know, like to 'give it a go'.............

And I'll leave you with the lovely old Customs Building on the Strand.

Happy Blogging!

Day 18 .... a day at the local beaches

We visited the Strand, Cape Pallarenda and drove the windy road to the top of Castle Hill today.  It was very difficult to decide which pics to post as there were so many good ones. We had the best day - please enjoy the local scenery and a couple of, er ..... very strange 'locals'.

Taken from the look-out top of Castle Hill (above & below)

Along  the Strand (above and below) looking out over Cleveland Bay

A lone kite flyer at Cape Pallarenda (above and below) with Magnetic Island in the background.

And here - those very strange locals doing very strange things in a Moreton Bay Fig tree.

Blogger has given me more grief tonight than it ever has before. Inserting the photos was an absolute nightmare. This is the first time it has really frustrated me. 
Here's hoping the next lot will be easy-peasy. I'll try again in 48 hours.

HAPPY BLOGGING

House Rules........for everyone??

Header photo: park and running paths throughout this suburb and most others.

Within 48 hours of my arrival, 'Spice-girl' couldn't get this wall decal up fast enough (or so it seemed to me) nor could she do it without my help.  Most of the Rules were really cute and nice (but I reckon designed to lull one into a false sense of security) and not even a problem to adhere to - for example No. 1 & 3 (easy), but 'some' of them made me pretty nervous, and well, couldn't but wonder..........you know where I'm coming from here right?  Like No. 4 & 8; (well OK if you insist) but No. 12 invited paranoia, and in capitals (well, r.e.a.l.l.y). But the very last Rule (God love whoever created this masterpiece) put my world right again.

'Home-girl', 'Spice-girl' and I are off to the Strand (beach-front area of the outer city) today and hope it will be lovely and clear to get some super pics for the blog.

HAPPY BLOGGING

       

Day 14 ......The tropics .......

Header Photo:    Full moon in the tropics, taken from the backyard last week.

Any post is better than no post right?  It's difficult to believe that it's been a fortnight since I arrived!! Time flies. Well I've caught a very nasty bug/cold/virus thing and this girl is not feeling too bright, but I am suffering post withdrawals and just must post!!  Missed photo opportunities abound because on numerous occasions I forgot little S.S. in the excitement (drat and darn)

The weather is kind (it can only get cooler)  My home town has changed for the better in 16 years.  More shopping centres, population has now reached 200,000 - there's a large military base here and RAAF (both of which I'll get photos of) tremendous improvements with city and suburban parklands; roads, and the beachfront areas of the Strand.  When I left I felt it was strictly an industrial working town, but now it is tourist oriented with its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef. Also I'm very impressed with many of the modern clean and beautifully laid out suburban estates .  A lot of miners and their families call Townsville home, and fly in/fly out to the mines west of Townsville. It's expanding, growing and a seemingly very prosperous city but still with a laid back lifestyle.

For the past fortnight I have done little other than immerse myself with family and enjoy some quiet time-out for me.  Having said that, and with feeling really quite under the weather today I thought I'd do a family introduction.  (photo notations under each photo)

First born daughter aka 'Home-girl'; Hubs of 'Home-girl'; and 'grandson extraordinaire' Jack almost 6 yrs, photo taken a week ago at the park just a few doors from their family home.
And below is their two young and very exuberant, very large sweet pups Jethro 8 mths and Molly 12mths.   Also 2 felines (no photos yet)  No photo of 'Home-girl' & Hubs house yet either!

       

Last born daughter aka 'Spice-girl' & Hubs. Photo taken Christmas time NYC !!

(they did not take me.......)

And below is their dear old Eddie 11 yrs (there's 2 felines here too)

He's a bit like me really, still awfully good looking just a little frayed around the edges.

And he was good enough to turn his dear old paw over for me to play MACRO FEATURE!!

(no, the novelty hasn't worn off yet ...... nothing is spared, or sacred in the quest for macro perfection)

Also at 'Spice-Girl's' is this..........

where you will have to line up and pay, to see me expertly swimming wading around

in my itsy-bitsy, teen-weeny yellow polka-dot bikini  sedate one-piece. Oh, who am I kidding

I don't own a swimsuit of any kind!  Actually I don't do swimming. Anyway there's oft snakes

having a dip.  I kid you not we found one under the outside rubbish bin only yesterday (a deadly brown)

I had walked by that bin about 6 times  twice yesterday back and forth to the washing line.

We killed it relocated it back to the bush area where the other 10,000 hang out. 

(Ooooh dear I hope I don't lose blogosphere friends through this admission, I promise it was a very sticky situation, perhaps even life and death!)

Here is 'Spice-girls' Hubs work car which he gifted to me lets me borrow because he feels sorry for me thinks I'm the greatest mother-in-law e.v.e.r and deserve such sacrifices.

and here I am doing the blog on his Mac lappie so I can practice and familiarise myself

with it before I make a decision on what I'll buy - but he will probably just gift it to me.

Now I'm just going to laze back on this comfy couch and catch up with all of your blogs.

Thank you for your kind words and I feel very humbled that I've been missed!!

I'm sure I'll be back on top very soon and will have lots of pics of the Tropics.

HAPPY BLOGGING

The tropics..........Day 2......a quick word only

Header Photo:  Street where I'm staying!  (Townsville's Mount Stuart in the background)

I survived the arduous trip.......I did not get lost at the Sydney airport, because I knew I had to change terminals so therefore followed the 'Terminal 3' signs. So easy huh? and besides I had insurance - I overheard a lady on the plane saying she was continuing her journey from Terminal 3 so I followed her, but mostly just followed the signs........

I only have 20 mins to get on here and have a little say (tomorrow I will do a 'real' post - with pics!)

I am in hot demand for the whole day and evening - it is my birthday :)  I am 55 today. Woo hoo.

Tropical Nth Q'land.....here I come....

By the time anyone reads this post I will have packed the trusty laptop into its bag, and be well into commencing my journey up to tropical North Queensland.

Click here for previous post outlining this trip.

Image courtesy: inkcinct

I can't wait to post my first pics as promised and hopefully I'll be able to do so after the weekend.

Take care .... and
                                       Happy Blogging!

The tropics & family beckon...and I won't get lost

In three weeks time (I depart 27th April) I will fly out of Tamworth (an hour's drive north of here) to Sydney (airport delay there for a while) then Sydney to Brisbane (another airport delay for connecting flight) [we don't like to rush things here in Oz], then Brisbane to Townsville. From the time I leave my driveway to entering my daughter's driveway in Townsville I estimate I will have been in transit 10 hours.  It can be awfully complicated flying around this nation when one lives regionally or rurally. And I have to fly Qantas the whole way - yes, have to. If I had chosen to save a few $$$ and change carrier for a particular leg of the journey for instance, it would very likely mean I would have to collect luggage at Sydney airport and then check in again.
And that isn't going to happen, not now - not ever.

The Strand, Townsville,  overlooking Cleveland Bay with Magnetic Island in the background   (20min Ferry ride)

I never did tell you about my experience at the Sydney airport when I flew over to Perth to join my friends there for a reunion did I?  Hmmm, I become somewhat stressed just thinking about it.

Well here's the short version. Tamworth to Sydney, lovely. Landed, and the cutest little bus you ever saw collected us country mugs right from the plane and drove us around to the terminal to depart for Perth. How nice I thought.  Like a proverbial sheep I followed the mob into the Terminal and looked around for those flight screens that would tell me which departure Gate to head for (took an age to find them because they had changed the location and style of them compared to 8 or so years ago when I was last there) Blood pressure up only half a notch.  Up 3 notches when it became obvious to me there was no mention of my flight to Perth. None. Like z.e.r.o.  Cabin shoulder bag was really causing me some grief by now.  It was heavy. I was breaking out in perspiration and, I. don't. do. sweat.  I walked for what seemed miles looking at every screen I could find and /or something which would indicate I hadn't been transported to LaLa or GaGa land. But no, still the same thing.  Blood pressure was nearly off the scale by this stage when, there! close by, was my about-to-be HERO - a gun-toting security guard with a kindly face - whom I practically fell upon in tears. ( A slight exaggeration but you're feeling my relief I'm sure)  I had 30 minutes left according to my itinerary. I had already been walking around in circles for 40 minutes!  I wasn't even in the right terminal.  What airport has domestic flights leaving from different terminals???!! Sheesh.  Who can believe this!  I had to walk more miles (with my own personal guide, who did not offer to carry my heavy, (but not over the limit cabin bag) (probably because of my verbal tirade) to Terminal 3 (exclusively for Qantas.) (Yes of course it said Terminal 3 on my Itinerary, but there was nothing to say that the 'cutest little bus you ever saw' hadn't dropped us off at Terminal 3!!!) Finally got on to my flight, fell into my window seat, (perspiring profusely, so I was not amused) which apparently wasn't my seat because this bloke leaned over and asked me to get out of his seat! Honestly, the young whipper-snapper just leaned over and said curtly "you're. in. my. seat." I recall thinking be that as it may but I'm not moving - not in this lifetime anyway  - and suggested in a raspy,whispered tone that he take my seat behind me.  He did. Smart fella. V.e.r.y. wise man. There was not one part of my look that he didn't get. He did not bump me from behind, nor use his little fold down table in anything but a gentle manner, nor did he pull on the back of my seat when he got up and down (numerous times) to go to the loo.  He was not only smart and wise, he was obviously well-trained.

I'm wised up this time. I know I have to leave from Terminal 3, and I even found a mud map of the airport and I know where the walkway is located connecting the two terminals now. No flies on this girl this  trip. A scaled down version of the map is in my purse (if I need to refer to it)   Oh yes.
Preparation is the name of this game.

My post is starting to ramble so you don't want to know how when departing Perth I got completely entangled in that Qantas dispute, the one where every plane in the fleet was grounded here and around the world. No,no we won't go there.  Not today...............

Townsville, my home town. CBD, the Esplanade and Marina with Castle Hill in the background.
My youngest daughter runs up that hill for fun and fitness.  She would love to partake in a famous marathon.

From our little rural town/village in the Upper Hunter to Townsville in North Queensland is a distance of 1,781 kms
and would take 21 hours of non-stop driving to get there.

I will be spending quality time with my two daughters and their husbands, my one grandson and catching up with other family members and old friends.  My daughters and I are going to enjoy a girl's week-end away further north at Cairns where we'll be staying at the Hilton on the beach front.  I did wonder why we were travelling quite so far for this sojourn (4-5 hour drive) but have since learned that Cairns has this amazing store that Townsville doesn't.  Well then, that makes it perfectly understandable.

I am hoping to also spend a few days over at Maggie Island on my own, to just switch off and recharge my batteries.  Maggie is a favourite with the locals and surprisingly its never really taken off as a huge touristy place. Its more like another suburb of Townsville but in a very laid back, slow-paced, island way. It is a true jewel in the ocean.  Lots of memories (all good) over there for me.  The perfect place to contemplate the joys and complexities that life holds.

I am going to enjoy posting on the blog (thank goodness for laptops) (and with all my own photos, as I detest having to resort to using public domain photos as I have in this post) and showing you some of the tropics through my lens!! I'm hoping to be posting much more often than usual as I'd like it to be a kind of diary/pictorial of my time away. And naturally I will keep up with what's happening in your world on your Blog! I always look forward to that.

Be kind to yourselves, and until Silent Sunday (ahem) - I'll just enjoy following you!