Woke up yesterday and decided to have one final soak in the hot artesian pools before we leave - get our full money's worth. The weather was very crisp at seven o'clock in the morning, and the mist and haze from the heat of the water shrouded us as we soaked.

We went to town for the pecan tour and learnt that Moree has a huge pecan farm. It was started 50 years ago by a guy from the US as he had farms there, but wanted to produce all year around so needed a place in the southern hemisphere. Apparently the area around Moree is perfect - rich fertile soil, an abundance of water, and sunny days and frosty nights. Between his farms in the US and here, they produce 80% of the world's pecans.

It is a highly mechanised procedure with huge machines with savage looking blades trimming the trees from the sides and the top to let more sunshine in. It is now just after harvest, so time for pruning. But there were still a few nuts left on the trees so we got to try some, and to take some home to plant. It sounds like they may do well in Warracknabeal.

After the tour we went into town to the Indian restaurant for the 'Lunch special' and George told the owner his theory of putting a tandoori oven out the front to attract customers. He seemed interested, and said he was about to renovate - so it may actually achieve something this time.

We drove on to Goondiwindi (pronounced Gundiwindi, despite the double oo, and shortened to Gundy.) This is just over the border so we are now officially in Queensland. Although we have had glorious sunshine for two or three days now, there was a cool breeze. Today it finally started to get warm - Queensland, beautiful one day, perfect the next.

At the tourist info centre we found they did a tour of the cotton farms in the area. There had been one in Moree as well, but we had missed out as it was the day before the pecan tour. So we thought this would make up for it. Called the phone number to be told that it wasn't running tomorrow because they couldn't get a tour guide. Next one in four days time. Oh well.

However there was a market planned for Sunday, so we decided to stay two nights to catch that. We stayed at the Showgrounds, which resembled a refugee camp with the number of caravans. However with power, hot showers and good neighbours what more could you ask for?

Spent the day today looking around town. They take their art very seriously here. At the edge of town there is a whole avenue of weird sculptures made of old machinery parts. The town itself has various murals here and there, the best being the toilet block covered with native birds. We also checked out the local museum which told us of the various floods that had ravaged the town every ten years or so. The worst was in 1956 when it was flooded several times within a few weeks. After that they decided to build a levee around the banks of the river. Never been flooded again since. Engineers, not Greens.

Finished the town tour with a drink at the Victoria Hotel, then a relaxing afternoon. Should be a big day tomorrow.

Georgy's bit

Last soak in water artesian HOT pool and we are off to the Information centre to catch the bus for pecan nuts.

Pecan nuts have the exact structure of walnuts, only with thinner shells and elongated profile. Comparing wall nuts to pecan nuts is a typical 'before and after' Jenny Craig advertisment. The driver/guide knows a lot and gives plenty of information. Apparently Moree is more than hot pools - they plant cotton, canola, grains and legumes. The tour guide pointed out a green lush field and told us that it is a Fava bean plantation and started explaining what is fava beans/broad beans as large as your thunbnail. Being Egyptian, me, cotton and fava beans, we go back a long way. In showing off my great support to the cotton industry, I bought a 500 pack of cotton tips, just like that.

The caravan park in Moree is very close to the airport. While soaking, small planes configured for landing are on final approach above our heads. A sight to behold but missed the shot as water and cameras don't mix unless it is a GoPro. Got the next best thing from the pub next to the caravan park.

Goondiwindi is aboriginal for a resting place for birds and there are plenty to watch. And for the first time this trip, there are mosquitos to watch for, thrice bitten, Aeroguard covered.

As for floods, every few years, the regular photo op. comparing how high the water came closer to ruin their lives. Eventually the penny dropped and it was engineering at its best. Problem solved.