Yeppoon with a full moon - Wednesday 4th July

Trish will probably correct me on the exact date of the full moon but it sounded good so who cares. Today was town explore day as we usually do first morning. A short walk to the beach revealed more of the area's fiery volcanic past. Black volcanic basalt along the shore line, islands formed by extinct volcanoes, Keppel and Great Keppel Islands visible off shore. My first sight of coconut palms growing along the shoreline, so the Asian Chef in me could only think about coconut milk and green Thai curries. So with a coconut tucked under my arm we continued our walk. I hope I never get stranded on a desert island with only coconuts to eat because I chopped, chopped, hacked, cursed and chopped some more with the small axe and managed to break a small hole through the fibrous exterior. I finally gave up after prizing out a few small pieces with the trusty Swiss army knife.

The pamphlets for the Poinciana caravan park boasted "The friendliest Caravan Park in town". It is always good to write your own publicity blurb because the writer makes up the truth despite the actual truth. The reception managers look up at you unsmiling from their chair, too lazy to stand up. The B-B-Q's need $1 coins to operate them thus no one was using them. The showers had stupid electronic timers on them so that you only got 4 minutes. Not a problem for me as I only have three max but many of the perfectly good showers were not working because of faulty timers. Three out of seven in the women's not working. Multiple roll toilet paper holders with nothing in them . . . . . . Enough of that, I'm doing this blog because Trish would have gone feral if she had written it.

The good bit was we rode to "Rocky" to drop off Trish's bike for a service. The draw back with a Moto Guzzi is finding someone to service it. After a few different recommendations from Bikers and various Bike Shops we finally ended up with Kev of Macycles. A short chat with Kev at his small but well set up workshop reassured us that he would do a good job. Anything would be better than our experience with the Moto Guzzi dealer in Strathalbyn SA.

Back to Yeppoon and an invitation to Tea and a sleepover with John and Maria Burchett. We arrived to find Maria busy in the kitchen and delightful smells tempting our taste buds. After a wonderful chat and meal, topped off by too much drink we retired to sleep in a real bed in a real house.

Exploring Rockhampton - Thursday 5th July

I am waiting for my new credit card to be sent through by Express Post so I made my first trip to the Caravan Park (Friendliest in town ) reception to inquire and tell them that I'm waiting on the Express Post. It is Ok because they said they will ring me when it comes in. Rest easy!

First stop was Mt Archer lookout, two upon the Honda. The walks and views over the surrounding country side were great. Then on into Rocky to check out the town while we wait for Kev to finish Trish's bike which we found out would not be until about 5 pm. After a bit of checking I managed to get a new back tyre on the Honda while we waited. Then back to Kev's to find Gracie Guzzi waiting ready to go. I thought I had better check my odometer and write down the kms for the new tire the only trouble was that I didn't turn off the key afterwards so when Trish spotted all the lights on later and brought the key in it was to turn out to be too late as we found out when we wanted to leave. EErrrrr! Errr! Er! No go! Kev helped out with a jump start. Finally heading home a bit later than planned and at dusk. We had seen dead roos on the road before but all was well and we arrived safe. A quick check with reception and still no Express Post.

After a bit of online internet work I finished and emailed the Treasurer's report through to Armadale Heritage Branch for the Ulysses meeting that night in WA.

Anxious in Yeppoon - Friday 6th July

A check of Australia Post's online tracking of mail I found out that at least the Express Post had arrived in Yeppoon at 12:33am so it should be delivered just in time as this was our last day in Yeppoon and there was a weekend and no delivery coming up. Rest easy! Famous last words. The Postie came and went and a check with reception but no Express Post according to them. Perhaps it is coming with the parcel contractor later in the day.

We thought we would get in some last sightseeing and headed for Double Head and the Bluff. Double head was very interesting, two volcanic plugs with one exposed so that you can see the core. As the molten lava came up and cooled slowly it cracked into hexagonal shapes and erosion by the ocean allows you to see right to the core. Fascinating for the two of us rock hounds. Feeling anxious about the Express Post we headed back early to check if it had been delivered by the contractor. Still nothing according to reception. Desperate times now meant I hopped on the bike and rode to the local Post Office and stood in the queue for 12 minutes, by now desperate enough to actually time it. Only to be told that the contractors had finished for the day and no they would not give me the address of the Delivery Centre nor would they ring to check. All I got was a Aust Post 1300 number to ring. Back to the caravan park and onto the Skype phone to ring Aust Post and after a long wait in the phone queue, finally spoke to a real person. She was at least trying to be helpful and rang the Post Office to check and gave me a second number to ring in case it had been dropped off at the wrong PO. All the while her online record was showing it had been delivered. I got Trish to ring reception ( friendliest in town ) to check again while I spoke to the helpful Aust Post woman. No definitely not there.

The prospect of spending three more days in the "friendliest caravan park" was starting to send us feral. We decided that we would move on and ring the bank to cancel the card and order a new one and face the challenge of getting another. With the words from Aust Post "it shows as delivered on our records" we headed one final time to the park office to have one final desperate check.

Still unmoved from her seat and unsmiling "No it is not here" "But Australia Post said it has been delivered!" "No it is not here". Turning in frustration to leave, the expressionless body on the chair casually says "you could check in there" and motions from her chair to a large plastic tub. As I opened the lid there in all its bright red and yellow glory was a very visible Express Post envelope clearly marked with our name and site number. The visions of placing my hands around her neck and squeezing tightly made me realize that I needed to leave without saying anything. Relieved but frustrated I retrieved my credit card from the envelope. Thank goodness cards only expire every 4 years.

Time to move on . . . . .

Dave

PS: We have seen our future while in Yeppoon. There were a couple of grey nomads opposite us, who for the four days we were there, just sat in comfy chairs under their caravan awning. They were there first thing in the morning, they were there if we came back during the day and they were there in the evening. This went on for four days. I use to crack up when I saw their hugely over weight dog, it either had no legs or was too fat to stand up as it even ate lying down. Trish said if we ever get like that we hope someone tells us.