Sept 6

Well I have given up trying to be clever with chapters and am now just going to go by the date, much easier to keep track of.  I have a full tummy, big bowl of carbonara is the culprit, wish I had not eaten so much <g>.

Today we said good by to Skippy and Will along with half their family and set off on our long haul drive back to Brisbane.  Sticking to our rule of 'no plans' we drove up the Pacific Highway, crossed the Tweed River at Tweed Heads then the border from New South Wales and into Queensland.  You could see the countryside changing from the mountains, wide open space, plantations etc into 3 lane highways, embankments and all the usual as one nears a city.  Brisbane is not that bad, don't get the wrong idea, it is just a city (not my favourite type of place).  It is amazingly clean, the UK could learn something from the Aussies I am thinking, the sky is amazingly blue but tonight no stars - too much light pollution.

It did not take us long to find a motel to stay in, we pulled into one but changed our minds, it was a bit iffy.  Ten minutes more driving and a vacancy sign to investigate, yep this will do us.  We are staying in the Riverview Motel, in the Hamilton area.  As the name suggests it it on the river with an added benefit of it being a short drive to the airport.  It did not look great from the outside so we set a bench mark - if we could have a downstairs room then we would stay here - luck on our side, room downstairs available and it is perfect. One double bed and two singles so if Alan and I fall out tonight we can sleep in a different bed <g>, TV, fridge, kettle, tea, coffee and biscuits along with shower etc.  It went up in my estimation even more when I found the toilet (tissue) paper had been folder at the end to a nice wee triangle, just like I did for the new hires arriving back home.  Yep, well worth the money and will do us just fine.  Sitting outside our room, watching the traffic go by we set to work on our next days plans, flights to Darwin, motel to stay in sorted in no time at all.  We fly from here at lunchtime tomorrow (2am UK time just to keep you on track), and arrive in Darwin around 3:45pm.  We have booked into a motel there for three nights so we can get everything sorted, 4x4 vehicle, equipment, walking boots, food, medical bits we need, tea and coffee <g> (can't forget those) and find somewhere to get the washing done and up to date again.  The adventure of a lifetime is about to start and I am once again like a kid on Christmas Eve.

I think that has brought you up to date for today.  I am told Darwin has decent net access so will post something tomorrow night, with a bit of luck a picture or two will accompany my chatter.

Good night folks, time to watch a film and relax before we tackle flying again - queues, uncomfortable seats, lots of people, noise, yep you know what I am on about lol will require all our energy and patients.