Marg wanted to leave the Broadwater TP about 10am, because it was only a 2 hour trip to the Sunshine coast. As I was raising the front legs, we struck a 'challenge'. The rod that connects the left front leg, snapped. I was slightly devastated to say the least, but after an extensive investigation by me and Dave(from the next site) we decided that the shaft on the motor had sheared off. A quick phone call to Phil at Trailblazers confirmed that the leg can still be used but manually. A pain but it still works.

So Marg got her way, we didn't leave until 10am. We drove down the Smith St connection to the Pacific Motorway, then onto the Gateway Motorway. Paid $2.60 and over the very high bridge. We stopped at a Service Centre about 30kms from Caloundra for a break. Meanwhile our TomTom has now decided to die, well sort of. It will not go past the first screen, but the voice keeps telling you where to go and then it resets and starts all over again. We may have to buy another TomTom. Finally I got to the Tourist park and had a choice of 3 sites. The one near the Dump point I gave a miss.

After setting up camp at Dicky Beach Family Park (www.dicky.com.au), I went to Bunnings and bought 7 pieces of timber 300 x 200 x 50mm plus at Repco I bought a 4 tonne bottle jack, and this now helps support the front left leg, so all is good. Takes a bit of buggering about setting it up, but once it is setup, it is strong as an ox.

First thing this morning, about 9am, I erected the clothesline and set up the Sat Dish as the normal TV is a bit snowy. Marg is a little disappointed that Sat TV have dropped ch 10 as most of our shows are on 10, but at least, the normal TV ch 10 is the best of a bad bunch.

Marg and I went for stroll along the beach.

Dicky Beach would have to be very underrated. The beach and scenery is absolutely beautiful. After our stroll, we wandered over to the shopping strip, which probably consists of 10 shops (3 that sell fish and chips and burgers, a BWS bottle shop (VB 30x375ml for $40 a bargain, I may have to buy one, just to do a taste test.), a convenience store, newsagent, hairdresser, a couple of cafes.) A nice little strip and as it is over the road from camp, it's close.

Currently, it's 1:40pm and Marg is at the Surf club, playing the pokies and I am having a ball playing with our website.

We left camp about 10am and drove to the Australia Zoo. Poor Tom Tom has well and truly lost the plot. The weather was promising to rain but it didn't.

After the initial shock of $52 per adult, and then a 10% discount for being a RACV member, we entered. First attraction was feeding the 3 elephants, then we went to the Crocoseum to watch the Wildlife warriors show, which included birds, snakes and crocs. Very impressive! After the show, we had a pie for lunch.
The roo heaven was next on our agenda and we walked through the roos. Marg commented how friendly they were, which they were. Wetlands was next but nothing too special, followed by the emus. The elephants were next as we walked along the path, through another a shop where I purchased a t shirt of the tigers. very nice. Next attraction was a highlight of the zoo, watching the tiger cubs playing. The shuttle bus was there, so we took it back to the main entry. Off to the bird aviary and wombats. Then we saw the highlight of the zoo - the Fierce Snake, one mean snake. To finish off we saw the turtles.

Back to camp about 3:30pm, after visiting JB HiFi and bought a new Tom Tom for $283.

Dinner was the Dicky Beach Surf Club. We had the roast of the day, which was yumma. Marg broke even on the pokies.

So a great day was had. Tomorrow is at present is a rest day, but we will see what eventuates.

A restful day. Woke up to rain and cloud and cool - probably 20. I used the park's WiFi to update the new TomTom, who is now alive and kicking.
Late morning the sun came out and Marg and I drove to Caloundra checking out Moffat Beach and other suburbs of Caloundra, as well as looking at the Hibiscus CP. We made a good decision to stay at Dicky Beach compared to Hibiscus. We found a small shopping centre with a Coles and Kmart, we bought a small pelican for the van, which we naturally named "George". Ask Luke for an explanation of the "George" story. He created it.
Dinner was leftover vegie pancakes that Marg made for the previous night's dinner. Yumma.

Big drama at approx 5:30pm, Marg had run out of West Coast Cooler, so I walked over the road and bought her half a dozen. Gee I'm good to her.
Rest of the night, I planned our trip to Cairns, Karumba, Mt Isa and back to Southport. I know that I shouldn't plan anything, but at present, I must.

Sat 24th May

Rang Tin Can Bay Tourist Park (Top Tourist) and booked in for 3 nights arriving next Tues 27th and leaving Fri 30th May.
Weather is mostly sunny with a few rogue clouds coming across, so it is washing day.
Luke rang and is coming for a drive to see us. I wonder when we are in Cairns if Luke decides to come for a drive to Cairns. I don't think so.
He arrived about 11:30am, Marg made him lunch, we walked along the beach and he left us about 2:15pm. Marg went to the pokies and I sat outside in the sun and actually started reading John Grisham - A Time to Kill. It has only taken me 3 weeks to start reading.
The built in BBQ was christened tonight, it worked well and tasted even better.

Sun 25th May

After a late start - Marg slept in - we drove to Maroochydore.
Parked opposite the beach and about 50m from the Cotton Tree CP. There was a street market opposite Cotton Tree CP, which finished about noon. I have wanted a folding lounge, so on the way home we visited several shops, but no one has it. We definitely need a Ray's Outdoors store up here.
Marg and Andrew are our new neighbours and they live at Scorseby.
Marg cooked a roast for dinner. As usual it was yumma. It took a little longer than usual as it was cooked in the convection microwave, but it was worth it.

Mon 26th May

A bugger of a day, we drove all over the Sunshine Coast looking for a USB analogue-digital TV receiver for Marg's laptop. After visiting approx 6 computer shops we finally found one near Maroochydore.
In our travels I noticed a Jaycar store and as the F connector on my Sat dish was loose, I went back to camp, picked up the wire and off to Jaycar for the new F connector. Back to camp and setup the Sat TV again, up came an error "LNBF" I didn't have a clue what it meant, but the Sat TV didn't work. With the advice from Andrew and John, I decided another trip was warranted to get Jaycar to test their new F connector. Back to Jaycar. You guessed it, everything tested OK. Derek the owner told me that the new F connector was a screw in type and not a crimp one. At my insistance, he put on a new crimp one. This again tested Ok, so back to camp. Connected everything up and got the same error. Shit......
After opening a beer and contemplating what to do next, I realise that the TV aerial is not plugged into the back of the TV. Plugged it in and everything works beautifully.

Moral of this story - "Shit happens".

Tue 27th May

Left Dicky Beach approx 9:30am.
An easy 150kms to Tin Can Bay. Another uneventful drive and I like uneventful drives. Stopped for a break at Matilda Service centre, only a few kms south of Gympie. Around noon, got to Tin Can Bay Tourist Park and setup camp. No dramas. Laid out the new green matting on the grass. It feels soft to walk on. I gave the Office a $20 deposit for their TV cable. Now we have good quality TV, so Marg is happy. She can watch Big Brother clearly. Our Sat Tv is digital quality, but Imparja decided to drop channel 10, so we are without ch 10 and not very happy about it.

During the afternoon, did a drive around Tin Can Bay, a lovely town, but small. Tomorrow we plan to drive to Rainbow Beach.

Wed 28th May

Woke up to the sound of rain on the roof, a bit of a bugger, as we now couldn't be stuffed driving to Rainbow Beach. Oh well, maybe tomorrow. We worked out immediate plans, where we are going. Decided to go to Bundaberg - Glen Lodge, then to Yeppoon, then a big drive to Airlie Beach. I spent most of my time on the PC and Marg had a 'nanna nap'.
Dominic our new neighbour, who Marg met while they were both outside smoking, invited us to a 4pm happy Hour drinks. We must do what we must do.
Hic, I'm home after our first happy hour. It was great fun. In attendance was Dominic and Anna (Toukley), Ray and Pauline (SA-Ray is retired Bank of SA) and Marg and I. 3 VBs later, I cooked spag bowl for dinner.
Tomorrow, we hope to see the dolphins being fed at 7:30am near the Tin Can Bay yacht club. The weather report for the next 7 days is not good (rain for 7 days with strong breeze).

Thur 29th May

Today, what do we do when it is raining steadily at Tin Can Bay and we do not want to stay in the fiver?
I know we will visit Pelbo at Gympie Gold Mining and Historical Museum. But first, we go into Tin Can Bay to take some photos, then proceed to find 'Pelbo'. So we arrive at 11:55am, have lunch in the cafe before going into the museum. Asked the cafe lady if she knows Pelbo. No, she has only been here a week or so, but the president is having a coffee over there. So I ask him if he knows Pelbo. Apparently, he is in the museum, probably upstairs. Great!

We have lunch and the rain stops for the 2 hours that it took us to see the museum, I was very impressed with the displays. The gem display was our favourite.
I go upstairs against the 'no entry' sign and stick my head in the door and no one there. Checked the staff room, no one there. When we were finished I asked the cafe lady if the president was still here but he was now home doing the books. We didn't meet Pelbo.

It rained all day and night. At times, it was so loud that it woke us. Consequently, I slept badly. As I tossed and turned, trying to get back to sleep, I decided that tomorrow I would drive from Tin Can Bay to Yeppoon to beat the rain, I am over it.