Continued from Dr Bob in Australia: September - November 2011

See all of Dr Bob and Sandra's previous journeys at: The Dr Bob Collection

Following two previous major Australian journeys in their Land Rover Discovery and caravan, this intrepid couple return to Perth in Western Australia for another year. The vast Continent lies before them, as do 12 action-packed months out on the road.

Where will they be at the end of that time? How will they get there? What will happen on the way? Read on!

This is Dr Bob's travel log.

Dr Bob in Oz - December 2011

And so to our penultimate month in Australia and one which was, for the most part, pedestrian and, by and large, unexciting.

Leaving Jules & Amber at Paradise Point and arriving at Paul & Barbara's at North Maclean was a little like chalk and cheese. We swapped the nautical vistas for a rural panorama - in fact one of the many things that makes travelling by caravan or motorhome so attractive.

The 65 km journey was accomplished without difficulty and soon we arrived at Paul & Barb's extended bungalow at North Maclean. As we had surmised, we got a wonderful welcome and soon the caravan was parked to one side of Paul's immense shed, connected to power and uncoupled from the Land Rover. Paul & Barb have a lovely place - in effect 10 blocks - with 2 ponds, huge sweeping lawns, a separate cottage where Tania their niece lives, numerous outbuildings and workshops, a swimming pool, a wooded paddock and much else beside. All in all, everything one could need for a peaceful rural existence. Paul still works as a Lorry Driver (Truckie) and was in the process of obtaining employment in WA, where the rates of pay are higher and the road system better suited to him personally. Although invited to stay in the house we opted to stay in the caravan, which turned out to be the correct decision as Paul is a chronic insomniac and wanders the house and property at all hours, often working overnight in his shed/workshop if the fancy takes him.

We had lucked on 2 lovely people and over the course of the next 4 weeks Paul utilised his mechanical skills in showing me how to change the oil and filter on the Discovery, resprayed the external plate to the caravan's water heater and correctly re-affixed the repaired caravan spat. He also repaired and modified virtually all my extension cables, many of which had been chewed by the Wombat joeys at Ceduna.

However, Sandra and I were not idle! In that Paul & Barb had only just returned from working on a Mango Farm in NT, between Darwin and Katherine, there was much to catch up on at the property. So we tore out, thinned and then replanted flower beds, swept 500m of drive, repeatedly mowed and strimmed the acres of lawn (with a rather battered lawn tractor), sprayed weed-killer around the boundaries of the paddocks, cleared the boundary lines of overhanging boughs, and many other manual chores. We found it all really enjoyable and a bit like being at the cottage in Spain.

All this work took place over the course of the month, as we were there for less than a week before we needed to drive back to Paradise Point for an overnight babysitting assignment,  so that Jules & Amber could accompany their son Jackson to a school pageant. That might seem a little excessive but it enabled us, on our return journey to North Maclean, to stop and overnight with friends Maria & Trevor who we met at Dululu. A very pleasant and interesting evening, with us being taken to a Mongolian Restaurant where you chose and mixed the food and then presented it to be cooked before you on an inverted wok. Never seen the like before and, although the flavours weren't really strong enough or indeed subtle enough for my personal taste, you could go back as many times as you wished and therefore experiment with flavour combinations. Trevor runs a Marine engine repair workshop while Maria, who actually owns the house, is currently unemployed due to repetitive strain injury. Two lovely people who we intended to call in and see again on our way back from Sydney, had not 'the gremlin' struck!

So returning to North Maclean we settled back in to our chores and watched as day merged into day. Just after we arrived back, it was a Saturday, all 4 of us travelled to Ipswich to assist in a house-move. Undoubtedly you will have heard of the floods that ravaged the east coast of Australia and which, as it happens, have returned again this year (2011-12). Barbara's daughter lives on the outskirts of Ipswich with her South African husband and 2 children. Their home, together with the homes of all their neighbours, was inundated by the waters of the nearby river and they were forced to retreat before the floodwaters which totally covered their home. Luckily they had insurance and opted to stay in rented accommodation while their home was being rebuilt. So, literally a full year on, we were to assist in their move back to their original home.

In retrospect one has to say that if it hadn't been for the industry of Barb, Sandra and I the job most certainly wouldn't have been done. Possibly vainglorious but totally true. There are some people who will always depend on the kindness of others and then again those who will always tender their assistance. Barb had warned us that her daughter was one of the former and would have done absolutely nothing to prepare for the move; and so it turned out. Not a single thing packed, no organisation, no boxes, no packing materials; a total debacle. Still, we all pitched in and by dint of a 16 hour day had 95% of the move accomplished in 1 (one) day. Our reward was a plate of fish and chips, where we were joined by neighbours and friends who had done absolutely nothing and indeed had only turned up to be nosey! Ah well, reward in heaven! Gratefully we had done so well that we didn't have to return the next day but over the course of the following week there were numerous phone calls asking where certain items had been deposited.

The month passed smoothly by with numerous shopping trips, Op-Shop visits, the cinema for Mission Impossible 3, and all the trivial normal things that fill the lives of most people. And very enjoyable it all turned out to be. In addition Sandra helped Barb with the housework and I accompanied Paul on his many and varied activities and visits.

And so to Xmas where Paul & Barb provided the Xmas lunch for Barb's family from Ipswich, son Josh, his partner and their 2 children, Tania the niece, and us - now apparently fully fledged members of the family. We even received presents, which we thought particularly heart-warming.

Boxing Day brought our departure for Sydney and the NYE Cruise on Sydney Harbour. Who would have thought that something we had so looked forward to would turn out to be so disappointing and end in disaster. But I get ahead of myself!

Leaving first thing Boxing Day morning, we started the 900 km trip to Sydney and Lane Cove Caravan Park situated on the outskirts of Lane Cove National Park. In order to stay in budget we only travel between 200 –300 km per day and so the trip was accomplished over 4 days with us arriving safely at lunchtime on 29 December. Paul, being a truckie, was able to highlight the best free-sites to stop at overnight and of course at one time they used to live at Kempsey, which is situated virtually midway between Brisbane and Sydney. On that journey one particular free-site stands out, the one at the servo at Halfway Creek which we reached on the first night after covering 300 km. We opted to stay on the Lorry Park where there was some shade from overhanging trees. A huge grassed area is set aside for caravans and by nightfall there must have been at least 2 dozen fellow travellers in situ. That evening as I took a stroll it was to find the local mob of Kangaroos leaving the nearby wooded area to overnight on the packed gravel of the parking area. The next morning they were still there until scattered by an arriving truck. Sandra just loved kangaroos, so numerous photos were taken.

The Lane Cove Caravan Park turned out to be fine and we were amazed that such an urban site and at New Year's Eve was only charging A$38/night including mains power. (We shall be paying €38 for Valencia this March when we attend the main Fiesta - The Fallas). Naturally the site was totally booked up and we met one unfortunate back-packer in a whizz-bang who, although booked in for 3 days, drove into town on the second day only to return and find his site had been given away to a newcomer on the misunderstanding that he had left! We saw him later, parked just outside the caravan park, and indeed this appeared to be a known free-site for travellers who then walked into the campsite and used the showers and other facilities. Seemed typically Australian to us.

This Caravan Park turned out to be really convenient, with a commuter train station just an easy 10 minute walk away. It's about a 30 min train ride into Sydney, where one can alight at several stations or make connections. We opted for the 7 days ticket which at A$40 pp offers excellent value, since for 7 days you have unlimited use of the local railway network, buses and ferries. Even better value when one considers that a normal return to Sydney was A$20 pp.

So the following day it was into Sydney so that we could locate Kings Wharf, from which our cruise boat would leave the following evening. Nothing could have been easier once we got our bearings. From Kings Street Wharf we then followed the walking path around the dock area to come out under Sydney Harbour Bridge and on to The Opera House. Now you will find this really strange but neither seemed as large as we had anticipated, nor as grand. On to Circular Quay where we had lunch and then took a series of ferries, including one which went up the Parramatta River to the town of the same name. All these journeys using the one all-inclusive ticket. And so back to the Caravan Park at the end of a very long and extremely full day.

NYE dawned rather grey and cloudy but as forecast the sky cleared by mid afternoon. We left the Caravan Park late afternoon, so as to be at Kings Street Wharf by 6 pm. The wharf was already teeming as myriads of people waited for their Cruise Boats. Ours, the good ship Bella Vista, was late, in fact virtually the last to arrive, and as it jockeyed for position we noticed that there were already passengers on board, quite distinct from the crew. Our observation proved correct and we embarked to find that what few seats there were (we reckoned no more than 40 for a vessel that can carry 800 people) were already full and the few tables bearing signs. The Cruise was to include unlimited food and alcohol but we determined the former to be of inferior quality and the latter either beer or a fruit punch that was being distributed as 'pink champagne'. And so off we went on a 6 hour cruise, where the only saving grace was that they had apparently only sold tickets for about 200-300 people. Luckily our 6 hour stand was saved by another middle-aged/elderly couple who offered us their seats each and every time they went downstairs to dance or get something to eat. Waiters circulated episodically with drinks.

The Fireworks that cost between 4 and 6 million dollars were another disappointment. Instead of the boat, and indeed all the boats, standing off sideways on to the Bridge, we faced the bridge and so what fireworks we saw were over the superstructure of the vessel, with us packed in like sardines and ignorant fellow passengers standing on chairs blocking the view of those behind. Oh, and inebriated individuals screaming and shrieking as though they had never seen a firework display before!

This Cruise cost us A$600 pp (£400 pp) and was a total disappointment, given the previous comments by fellow travellers and our own anticipation.

The boat berthed at 1 am and we wended our way back to the Railway Station, only to find a 'riot' on the street outside. As it transpired the authorities had seen fit to close all but one entrance in order to better control access to the station and this scrum was the result. We finally managed to gain access and board our train, which seemed to be full of fellow revellers returning after the midnight fireworks and already extremely hung-over. Obviously others had had their hopes dashed, although unlike several we weren't publicly tearful.

And so back to the caravan, having decided to pull out the next day and start our journey back to Queensland for our final 10 days with all the arrangements and farewells. Well, that was the plan!

Sorry this update has been so mediocre. Hopefully January will prove more riveting.

Dr Bob in Oz - January 2012

What a disastrous start to 2012! Mid-morning we were reversing the 4x4 towards the caravan when the clutch failed. There we were half way across and almost blocking one of the Caravan Park access roads. We got on the 'phone to RACQ (Roadside Assist) and a mobile mechanic arrived within the hour. He confirmed a clutch failure of some sort but wasn't able to confirm the magnitude. Gratefully Tony in the caravan next to us used to work on Land Rovers and confirmed a total clutch failure, which would require a replacement clutch at some time.

So, with only 10 days remaining until our flight to Bangkok from Brisbane Airport and with a requirement to return to North Maclean prior to our departure, we referred to RACQ, NRMA (the NSW counterpart) and APIA, our Insurance Company. All absolutely useless and we have in consequence cancelled our RACQ membership and have a formal complaint pending against an APIA operator.

Gratefully we had friends to refer to and, whilst Paul was ready to jump in his Ute and barrel down to Sydney to collect the caravan, that would still leave the 4x4 abandoned at the Caravan Park. Having said that, the Caravan Park staff were really excellent and agreed to put the combination into storage pending collection.

Jules at Paradise Point provided our salvation, speaking to and then putting us in contact with the Haulage Company that moves their yachts. So arrangements were made to collect and transport both vehicles for a total fee of A$1500 (£1000) - a lot better than the A$5000 we were quoted by a Sydney Company or even the A$2000 offered by a truckie friend of Paul's, who didn't even have a winch on his low loader and queried me as to how he would manage to load the caravan and 4x4!

And so it was back to Brisbane by train on The Coast Express (train tickets 2nd Class Economy A$65pp). Not really sure about the nomenclature, as for most of the journey the line is nowhere near the coastline and with an average speed of 70 km/hour one would hardly apply the term 'express'. Actually, although we weren't able to leave until 4 January, we were extremely lucky to obtain a ticket with the New Year exodus from the city. The 950 km journey takes 13 hours and even then we arrived an hour late. Our fellow caravanners on the site were excellent, in particular a young family from Melbourne with 3 children. Given that we weren't using our local train tickets, we loaned them so they could reduce their transport costs.

In addition they received most of the food still in the caravan, particularly the contents of the 'fridge. In exchange they dropped us to the local train station so that we could make the connection for the Coast Express.

The train journey was actually something of a nightmare, with Sandra and I separated and both having less than quiescent adjacent travellers. Sandra had a hypo-manic woman with a cerebral (brain) aneurysm who insisted on regaling her with her medical history, while I ended up with a smelly and garrulous pseudo-tramp. I was really grateful when he drifted off to sleep, not that Sandra or I found sleep even remotely possible as we bounced and jerked through the darkened countryside. Eventually the 13 hour journey came to an end in Brisbane, where we caught a local commuter train back to North Maclean.

What a relief to get back to Paul & Barb's, where the remaining 4 days just drifted away in packing and final shopping. All too soon it was 10 January and that morning we bade a fond farewell to Barb, who was not accompanying Paul to the Airport. An hour later it was goodbye to Paul as we pushed a loaded baggage trolley towards the Qantas desk for our flight to Sydney. Excellent Qantas ground staff passed us straight through once they realised we had an International connection. A 2-hour lay-over in Sydney and then time to board our flight to Bangkok. What a disappointment when we realised it was a BA flight and not a Qantas. The subsequent letter of complaint regarding shoddy customer care covered 2 sides of A4 but then we would never travel voluntarily on BA.

And so the end of our third year in Australia. So many new friends and so many new experiences. Looking back, the only negatives proved to be the sociopaths at Wombat Rescue in Ceduna, the collision with the Kangaroo at Hawker and the clutch failure in Sydney. However we have now lost Helen & Morris as friends, since they not only refused to help us in Sydney but tendered the most nonsensical of excuses. Friends are friends not just when it's convenient, and acquaintances we form by the bushelful. Ah well, as my grandfather used to say; “everyone makes one true friend in their life and, if you're really lucky, two”.

(continued at: Dr Bob in Thailand 2012)