We left home at about 9.45. We would have left earlier but half the neighbourhood came out to say goodbye. Traffic was pretty good and our first stop was a servo at Kalkallo at about 11.30 for a bottle of coke for Wayne (and some snacks.) Just north of Kalkallo we hit rain but, although heavy, didn't last long.

Next stop was another servo about 20km outside Shep where we bought some sandwiches for lunch and took them to a rest stop to eat. We boiled the kettle to make coffee and sat in the van to eat as there were no tables or seats at the rest stop. By the time we left it was about 1.30.

Another toilet stop at Tocumwal and then a petrol stop at Jerrilderi. I spent the time between Tocumwal and Jerrilderi looking at the clouds which looked like cotton wool in the sky. Saw one that was in the shape of a kangaroo.

Finally we made Narrandera at about 4:30pm and set up the van at the Lake Talbot Caravan Park. It's just a little park on the banks of Lake Talbot - very peaceful and serene. Not many vans here. Most of them are just here for the night as, like us, they haven't bothered to unhitch the van.

Fortunately we can get television reception so I could watch Neighbours and Big Brother.

7:10 am and the temperature outside is 2.7 degrees. Inside the caravan it is 10 degrees. Positively balmy! Oh well, Wayne got up and put the heater on and I just had to stay in bed till the caravan heated up.

We set off from Narrandera at 8:15. An hour later we're at West Wyalong and stopped for a cuppa and some breakky.

We set off for Forbes and got there about 11:50. Wandered around town and did some necessary shopping.

Petrol stop at Parkes and then we arrived at Peak Hill Caravan Park at 1:45 pm. Met Leighton, the manager and set up camp. Not many here at the moment. 4:00 pm.

We're off the the local RSL for tea and a bit of a flutter on the pokies. It's a lovely sunny day but very cold.

Post RSL. Well I didn't win enough money on the pokies for tea. They have a very weird system which they are trialling. You put cash in but cannot cash out. When you want to cash out you press a button on the machine and then go to the counter for your money. A real pain for someone like me who constantly cashes out so that I don't lose too much money. I won't be playing under that system again. Tea was lovely. Wayne had schnitzel and I had fish and chips. The meals in NSW clubs are so cheap as the pokies subsidise the meals. I wish they would do the same in Vic.

When we got back to the caravan park I purchased some internet time but can't get it working. What a pain!

Tomorrow we intend to go the Western Plains Zoo.

7:23 a.m. and the temperature outside is 0.2 degrees. Time to snuggle down and wait till the caravan heats up. When I finally arose from my bed and switched on the kettle, with the two heaters on, the safety switch was triggered. Well too much power being sucked at once.
NOTE: Don't turn on the electric kettle when you have the blow heater going.

Wayne had his shower in the park showers. He says they have heated floors. Now that's luxury! However it still will not get me to shower in the park showers.

We were going to the Dubbo Zoo, but after breakfast and tidying the caravan, we decided we just couldn't be bothered. I think our aim at the moment is to just rest at the moment.

So instead we decided to drive into Parkes and have a look around. The Big W there is huge and reminded us of the large warehouse places in San Diego. Was looking for a pair of Crocs as they're very convenient for camping and walking along the beach and over rocks. Unfortunately they had a sale on them yesterday - 50c a pair - and hence had none left in my size. Oh well I'm sure I will get a pair at Surfers.

Went off to see the Dish. Very impressive. Even though I've been there several times it still amazes me.

Back at the park Wayne decided to put on the decals we bought for the caravan. After some trial and error we got one on. Decide it really wasn't warm enough to put the major one on as the van is in the shade. Will do it when we get to Surfers.

The weather in the sun is magnificent.
T-shirt weather.

8:20am and the temperature outside is cold. This time we have to pack up camp and set off for Gundy Star CP at Goondiwindi.
Our biggest day to date - 577kms.

Marg and I had to empty the "shitter" - the first time that we have done it, so Leighton came around to supervise, but we had it under control.

The drive was uneventful, which is good, I still sat on the speed limit 110 and 100kph or a little over, consequently, the fuel usage was around 17l/100k. We had lunch at Narrabri just behind the Tourist Info centre in the main street. We wandered down to the river. There were some ducks but the river appeared to have stopped flowing. As we crossed the river in central Narrabri the riverbed was dry and the locals mow it but they had the sprinklers on the oval where we had lunch. Go figure.

Next rest stop was an oval in Moree, then finally into Gundy Star CP.

Approx 8:00am, we pulled out of Gundy Star CP and went 2 kms down the road to the Caltex.

Marg chatted up some 'gentleman' at Gundy star who suggested that we go via Toowoomba and not Warwick as it has flatter terrain. He was right. We stopped at Millmerran for our first stop. Coming out of Toowoomba there is a 10% descent, which I probably took too slow. I only passed 2 semis. At the bottom of the descent, we pulled over at a Big Dads pie shop (the best pies in the world). We then stopped a few kms later at a rest area and had lunch, my pie was yummy.

When we got to Logan Motorway and Pacific highway, Luke (Our youngest son) met us and led us to the Broadwater Tourist Park, Southport. We checked in and setup camp at our waterfront site. This park is fabulous.

We are booked in here until Tuesday 20th May.

So far, I have taken Luke's car to Holden Surfers for a service. I have driven to Brisbane to pick up Jay and the limo from Toll Transport, I drove to Archerfield, south of Brisbane to Camec, to buy a clothesline. I will actually relax soon, but probably on the Sunshine coast.

Sat 17th took Luke to the Cooly airport as he was going to Melbourne for a surprise party with his school mates. He will be back on Sunday at 2:30pm. We took Jay out for dinner at the Varsity Lakes Tavern, Jay and I had the usual Chicken Parma and Marg had a chilli prawn linguini. Very yummy.
Sun 18th went to Pacific Fair for lunch then picked Luke up from Cooly airport at 2:30pm. Today the weather was windy and a top of 20, a bit cool.
Mon 19th went to Centro Southport for lunch. Walked around the park, and saw GEORGE PELLican (in joke - Cardinal George Pell, pelican get it) see photos.