Well today started eventfully!

Having had a great night's sleep in the Orchid Guest House in Townsville, our second and final one here, we started packing to check out.

Then we couldn't find the car keys. Eep! With the old lady who helps runs the place kicking us out promptly at 10, saying that there was someone waiting to check in (who checks in at 10 in the morning anyway?!), our stress levels began to rise.

Having packed, unpacked and packed in the room, the old lady kicked us out onto the floor in the foyer. Here we were convinced we had lost the keys... Time to call Hertz and take the financial hit?

Oh yes, and it was already 30 degrees.

But before we admitted defeat, we unpacked and packed just one more time.

...and then we found keys! Hidden inside a brochure of Magnetic Island we obtained yesterday. Panic over. Phew!!

So now a couple of hours later than we had intended, we drove off to Woolworths to buy brekkie stuff. Then having grabbed a coffee on The Strand (the main drag here), we then had our third BBQ of the tour. A full English by the beach, with a particularly aggressive seagull.

Following a quick paddle in the stinger free area of the beach, we set off on a wholly unremarkable drive to Bowen (missing Ayr on the way - silly sat nav).

Arriving a little early to our Airbnb, we decided to pootle around town first and to check out the Information Centre, which was closed. Obviously.

...but there was a big mango too! Probably because they grow mangos here??

To the airbnb, and it was lovely. A horse-riding place in the middle of nowhere, yet we share the lower floor of a house with the permanent stable hand. She was grumpy, but the cats were friendly to Alice!

After pasta and pesto, back out to Bowen to watch a film in an old stylee cinema - Hunger Games, To Kill A Mockingjay II. The cinema was adorably old, and we had some comedy local adverts on show... We're defo in the sticks.

Film was alright.

Drive home, and then to bed in a huuuuuge bed. This is light years nicer than a youth hostel, and only £30 for the night!!

AF