Yamba 8th Oct

Wed: 8^th Oct 2014

We took a passenger ferry to Yamba situated at the mouth of the Clarence on the southern side of the river. I think the Clarence must be one of the biggest river systems at least in NSW it looks huge even on a map, the ferry trip travelling diagonally across between Iluka and Yamba takes 45 minutes each way and all of $7 return. Yamba is well known for its seafood and supplies both Sydney and Brisbane fish markets. Yamba is tucked behind a high steep bluff that protects it from the relentless Pacific Ocean. Obviously prime real-estate it must have a view from top that would be sensational, but after looking at the trees bending over in the strong south easterly blast we were copping we chose not to walk up the steep road to have a look. It’s a tidy little town that is growing rapidly as it becomes increasingly popular as a holiday destination. Arriving around 11.00am we wandered around the town centre checking all the shops making a few light purchases keeping in mind we had to carry everything, had coffee and lunch and even went for a walk along the river to the entrance and back. By then we had seen enough but the next ferry back to Iluka wasn’t due until 3.15pm and it was only 1.00pm, it was a long couple of hours.

Souther Trip NSW 2014

Wednesday 8^th October 2014

Our first night on the road was spent at the Anchorage Holiday Park Iluka, a quiet venue adjacent to the Clarence River norther NSW. The trip down yesterday was easy driving without any major issues certainly nothing with the caravan at least. However at one point on the highway we were passed by a large motorised horse transporter, we were travelling at about 95 kph at the time. As the transporter proceeded to pull back to the left hand side of he highway something that looked like a window frame flew off the truck and started cartwheeling along the road. At our speed it appeared as if it was hurtling back down the highway towards us all and although everyone was madly braking none of us had a chance of pulling up in time to avoid it. As it cartwheeled in the right hand lane I watched expecting it to clobber the nearest car then it must have seen our outfit and suddenly it leapt into the air just missing the bonnet of the nearest car and we watched it as if in slow motion, cartwheel across the road and impact the front of our vehicle. By the time we pulled up the transporter and any witnesses were long gone, but whatever it was that hit us fortunately hit the bull bar and although there was a bit of damage it really was minor thank goodness.    

Sunday 9th Feb 2014

Sun 9^th Feb 2014

Nancy’s cataract operation was very successful she was aware of something going on but never felt a thing and to all accounts the next day the specialist was very pleased with the post op inspection. For a couple of days Nancy had a gritty feeling in her eye and it is still very susceptible to bright light so really dark sunnies outside and we watch TV at night with lights of, other than that all good. Two lots of drops 4 times a day, surprising how quickly that seems to come around and at night when she goes to bed she looks like Captain Hook with a patch on the eye to stop her from accidentally rubbing it in her sleep (only for a few nights). Four weeks of drops and then she will be like new. In the meantime she has the other eye done on the 26^th Feb and then it will be a repeat performance although in the meantime she is inclined to be a bit one eyed!!

The specialist was talking about setting one eye for long sight and the next will be set for closer things so Nancy will only have to wear glasses for reading. Amazing what they can do these days and we think it is all such big deal but when you go to the clinic it is carried out like an assembly line. I guess the more they do the better they become.

Apparently my dear old mum who is in her mid 90’s is starting to fade rapidly so I just hope she hangs on until all this eye business with Nancy is over, whatever will be, will be though and at 95 she is just tired and entitled to go when she pleases.

that's all for now

Nigel

27th January 2014

Hi just a quick update regards Nancy's visit to the specialist re-the nasty looking growth on her leg.
The Friday visit became a following Tuesday visit whereby the specialist declared "It must come out", but then reassured Nancy it wasn't cancer. However to have it operated on we have to go to his chambers in the city and she will need some skin graft afterwards. This was to be in a couple of weeks time and within 24hrs it had been pushed out to nearly the end of March  thankfully it is not the dreaded rust.

This coming Wednesday she has a pre-op visit to the eye specialist and the following wednesday 5th Feb she has the first cataract operation.




I'll keep you posted

Cheers for now


Nigel

by the way we had a really good Australia Day at a friends house down the Gold Coast, a good bunch of people plenty of laughs and no hangover - I was driving.

January 2014

15^th January 2014

We have our caravan back from the builder at long last so now I have a list of jobs to attend to, the least of which is to re-stow all of our gear. At least it gives us a chance to sort out what we really need to keep in the van and what we haven’t used for a while can remain at home.

Looking under the van it is obvious the complete running gear has been replaced that includes the four suspension units, torsion arms and shock absorbers, stub axles, brake drums and bearings and according to the builder all new brakes, I’ll have to take his word for the brakes. The important thing is he guarantees we won’t have any more problems with the running gear. Happy caravanning!!!

In the meantime we are having overhauls ourselves. I have new glasses and have had a couple of visits to the dentist, well into the four-figure mark.

Nancy will be having cataracts removed in February one eye to be done in early Feb and the other towards the end, whether she will need new glasses is anyone’s guess at this stage and then of course she needs a visit to the dentist also.

Now a growth on her leg has decided to triple in size over the past two weeks and doesn’t look very nice at all. She has managed to get into a specialist Friday morning at 9.00 am in the city, hopefully it isn’t anything really serious.

We had a good Christmas day, having a hot meal in the evening to avoid the heat. A total of fifteen sat down to enough food to feed an army and included North Atlantic Salmon, pork roasted in the Weber, Baked and glazed ham (we had prawns at lunchtime), and a variety of deserts to whack the kilos on. It all went down very nicely with a few cold beers and some nicely chilled wines in moderation.

I spent most of Boxing Day at the Redlands hospital. Several days before Xmas I was out in the bay crabbing and during a lapse in concentration a crab latched onto my right hand causing quite a laceration. Although I treated the wound carefully, by Boxing Day my right hand was the size of a boxing glove and I obviously needed some treatment. So after several hours waiting at the hospital and having to repeat the embarrassing story of getting nipped by a crab, large doses of anti-biotics were intravenously pumped into my system and I was eventually sent on my way with a fist full of tablets to take. It took a couple of weeks but eventually went down and no ill effects, unless I’m now allergic to crabs that would be dreadful. 

Like everywhere in Australia it has been quite hot lately but luckily we get a beautiful cooling breeze across the bay and fortunately we haven’t had many severe storms yet but it’s early days I guess. I certainly feel sorry for those people in areas that are experiencing temperatures well up into the forties. Even if it is a dry heat as opposed to our humidity, 40+ is getting hot.

We have had very little rain since being home, this is our wet season. Is it going to suddenly let loose on us and then rain for months?

Some things are just out of our control.

I will keep you posted as to our activities and the results of Nancy’s specialist visit.

     

cheers for now 

Brief up-date 30th Nov 2013

Here we are the 30^th November already we have been home 6 weeks how time flies when you are having fun.

The caravan has been at the builders factory for 5 weeks now so I imagine we will get a call soon to collect it and hopefully no more problems or I may slit someone’s throat (probably my own).

Suncorp Insurance made arrangements for the car to be repaired following that incident in WA with the flying caravan awning. It looks like they did a good job and it’s all back looking new again. I drove to the designated repair centre and they arranged and paid for a cab to take me home and when they notified me it was finished they paid for the cab back and all up I probably sat in a reception waiting room for less than 10minutes. I don’t know if this is the norm these days but I thought it was pretty good service all round.

By the time we got home from our trip I was looking forward to getting back on the bike again for a bit of exercise. Eventually after organising the caravan I got it out of the garden shed and gave it a good cleaning, pumped the tyres up and adjusted all sorts of things then sat it in the garage for two weeks while I talked myself into riding it. I have started now and I’m building up the distance gradually each day, already can feel the benefit even if you can’t see it.

I have started painting again at long last, tackling photos of our trip I have started in watercolours to try and master this difficult medium. I have done a couple of pen and wash paintings and a straight out painting that surprisingly turned out acceptable, but I am looking forward to the aroma of pine turps and messy paint to be started shortly.

that's all for now

Main street Historical Beechworth

David hiking the Pound Walk Ormiston Gorge West MacDonnel Range west of Alice Springs

Nancy at Cope Hut Vic Alps this hut was built in 1929 for hikers and skiers to shelter from  mountain storms
has 8 bunks a large wood fired stove a permanent spring at the back and a large annexed woodshed attached.
Still useable today for shelter.