Solos (Northern Rivers Robins) - Kyogle

This post will have to be a summary of our trip to Kyogle as so much has happened and with overseas visitors present I don't have much time to write.

Here goes:

On

Tuesday 2 April 2019

we left at approx 11 am for our trip to Kyogle and arrived 1 1/2 hour later at Tully Memorial Park near North Maclean. We had a bit of rain on the way, but nothing much to worry about.

On our way

Cooking in Kevin's coaster

Kevin's coaster at TM Park

Flood markers at Tully Memorial Park

The same markers after dark

Kevin reading the information

We rested and talked a bit and set up for the night.  I rang Stephen for a catch-up and Kevin rang his sister Fay, who was in hospital and also son Brett.

Wednesday 3 April 2019

Up at about 9 am I rang Suzanne to get some help with facebook and then we went in search of a nearby cache which was an easy find.

#2076 - Flooded (cache)

We left at nearly 10 am for a short trip to Beaudesert, where we stopped at the Visitors Information Centre to look around and walked to ...Bean to? for coffee and lunch.

Did some shopping at the chemist and Woollies after which we visited the Beaudesert historical Museum.

Back in the school benches

After all that we drove to Woodenbong where we had an overnight stay at Bob & Colleen's MSO (Member Stop Over).

A few pictures of our drive to Woodenbong which was rather scenic.

Mt Lindesay

Thursday 4 April 2019

In the meantime we are on NSW time (daylight saving) and are an hour ahead of Queensland.  We felt like sleeping in and after that we talked to Bob & Colleen.  The horses were walking free and were quite inquisitive.

Beautiful views

Kevin's bus

Kevin's enjoying his morning tea

Bob proudly showed Kevin his truck and caterpillar which he had built himself from scratch.

After this we went to the front yard to look for a geocache which we knew was hidden there.  Bob didn't give me a chance to search, but pointed out straightaway where the cache was.

#2077 - Old Collection (cache)

A few pictures of the front yard.

We said goodbye to Bob & Colleen and left at 11.30 am.  We stopped for coffee on the way at the Wiangaree store and arrived at Kyogle showground at 1.45 pm.  Once we'd parked and settled we walked to town and had coffee and a scone at The Espresso Edge.  In town we found a geocache at the Visitors Information Centre.

#2078 - Info for All

We were back in time for happy hour at the showground.

Friday 5 April 2019

We felt like sleeping in and had a late breakfast after which we paid for our accommodation and the sausage sizzle.  We walked into town again to find out where the CWA hall was.  We stopped again for coffee, this time at the Sugar Bowl. We stopped at two Op Shops and took a funny photo at the chemist, which displayed an appropriate title for the upcoming festival's Countries theme. 

"El Kyogle Drug Cartel"

We shopped at IGA and walked back to the showground for a brief afternoon nap after which we sat outside for a while, relaxing.

Happy Hour started at 4 pm and a large group played Finska.  I joined in too and we had a lot of fun.

Next we joined the sausage sizzle and then we (Kevin, Col and Laraine) played Bush Rummy.

Saturday 6 April 2019

On the day of the festival we walk to town to have morning tea at the CWA hall.  I take a picture of a mural on the wall.

Next we visit the local museum, which is only a month old and everything is well-presented.

Lunch was sushi at Dave's Bakehouse.  Back at the showgrounds we lie down briefly for an afternoon nap.  The weather is still great and we relax outside the camper until happy hour.  

Frank, who has built his own teardrop caravan, showed Denise and me around.  What a perfect little abode.  It even has a wine cabinet:

We met Jen P. with whom I had had morning tea a while ago to discuss our trip to join the tagalong in May.

Dinner was leftovers and at night we played cards with Col and Robyn.  

Saturday 7 April 2019

Daylight Saving ends today in NSW, so we have an hour extra.   On the way back from the showers I talk for a while met Ineke, a solo member who was born in the Netherlands.  It's a nice day, so we have breakfast outside after which we packed up to go home.

We left at approx. 10 am and stopped for a cache at the Ray Smith Memorial Lookout.  The views were excellent, but the cache was eluding us.

At Murwillumbah we stop for lunch at the Sugar Beat Cafe.  Kevin has raisin toast and I enjoy a date and walnut slice.  We walked back to the bus and left at 12:15 pm.

Part of our trip leads along the Tweed River:

Sugar Mill along the river

As there are very few (or rather no) free camps along the coast we book into a caravan park for the night, Ingenia Holidays, at Kingscliff.  We relax for a while before we walk to the beach where we sit down and watch the surf.

We have happy hour back at the caravan park and later an easy dinner.  We played cards together till 9:30 pm, followed with a shower and then it's time for bed.

Sunday 8 April 2019

We left the caravan park at 9:30 am and stopped at the Yatala Pie Shop for a pie.  I search for a geocache as well, but it was too busy and I didn't have a lot of time, so this was a DNF.

Crossing the Tweed

Yatala Pie Shop

We were at Alexandra Hills at 12 pm.  Kevin switched over to his car so we could pick up son Kevin's Xtrail at Albany Creek, which I needed since my own car was being repaired.  On the way home I stopped off at the chemist at Burpengary and was home at 3 pm.

Solos - Kingaroy (and more)

Sunday 10 March 2019

It's our last day at Clifton and I am going on to Kingaroy via Toowoomba, so I pack my camper early and will be able to leave straight after the club's meeting at 10 am.  Before I leave I have to remove a little visitor from my step:

My plan is to visit Patricia while I am passing through Toowoomba and I make good time.  I arrive at approx 11 am.  Patricia has invited me to the Sunday BBQ at her village, so we make our way to the hall after a cup of coffee.  There I meet a few old acquaintances and am introduced to a few new 'faces'...  The BBQ and dessert are great, but I didn't win anything in the raffle. :-(  ;-)

Patricia had placed a new geocache in the vicinity of her house, so we went out to 'find' it.

#2073 - Whirlygig (cache)

At 2 pm it's time to leave as I need to get fuel and the trip to Kingaroy will take approx. 2 hours.

I arrive at 4 pm.  Bruce is the lonely 'parkologist' as Garry has more important matters to attend to.  He's met up with one of the Solo ladies and they are apparently having a good time elsewhere.... :-)

I am in luck, because I have briefly use of power and can charge my laptop.  Also, Bruce is very helpful with opening the jammed hatch in my camper.  I am very happy with that as it is very hot and probably not going to improve very soon.

People are slowly arriving and I chat with Bruce, Elaine, Maz, Kevin, Sandy and Corrie.  Upon his arrival I get a big hug from Kevin, as Solos do, and ask him how his cruise to Singapore went.  Soon it's dinner time and a few of us sit around my camper under the awning to eat their meal in the shade.  All of us chat till late in the evening.  Knowing that Kevin always joins the morning walks I ask him if he'll be going the following morning, but since nothing has been organised yet he tells me that he prefers to sleep in after his long 8 hour trip of today.

Monday 11 March 2019

After last night's response from Kevin I was surprised to be woken up by a voice asking me if  I still wanted to go for a walk.  It was Kevin!  As I am always in for walking I quickly got dressed and we were on our way.  I had promised Bruce to be back in time to turn the urn on, but Kevin asked me if I wanted coffee at an airconditioned service station and we were so comfortable talking to each other that I quite forgot about my promise.  We stayed for 2 hours!  

Next we had morning tea and after lunch disc bowls was on.  As I can't play because of my shoulder problem Kevin taught me how to keep the scores.  That kept me busy all afternoon, but I enjoyed it.

Soon it was happy hour, but son Kevin rang and we talked a while on the phone.  I am not a happy hour person per se, so I didn't really miss it.  I was back in time though to chat a bit with American John as I call him, to distinguish him from the other Johns.

As Kevin (not son Kevin) had been to Copmanhurst where he'd joined the Robins, he had a left-over meal from the Dreampot cooking they did and offered me to join him, which I did.  Later I played cards with Lorraine, Maz and Patricia.  Not for very long, because the heat was still so oppressive that I preferred to have an early night.

Tuesday 12 March 2019

We had our regular walks organised by now, so the group went for a stroll through Kingaroy and someone wanted to take a group picture:

I also took a few pictures in town.

The silos; a real landmark

Next we had coffee at Jamaica Blue.  On the way back I got some money from an ATM as I had to pay the camp fees and sausage sizzle for that night.  When back home I played canasta with Sandy, Lorraine and Josephine until lunchtime.

Disc bowls was on at 1pm and, as nobody had arrived yet, Kevin and Josephine tried to get me to play right-handed.  I did alright, but didn't feel I was good enough for a competition so opted to keep the scores again.

I wanted some quiet time afterwards and didn't go to happy hour.  It was still so very hot!

Sausage sizzle was on a 6 pm and Kevin and I took our meal to my camper where we sat under the awning and talked the evening away.  Our chat took a surprising direction and I was more than happy with that! :-)

Wednesday 13 March 2019

At 7 am we were all ready for our morning walk again and we finished our walk with a cuppa. This time at the Muffin Break. 

After the walk Kevin and I couldn't help but enjoy each other's company a bit more, but after lunch we tried to be a bit more social and went to attend disc bowls.  Or rather, Kevin is responsible for it and gets everything ready and keeps it going for the duration.  I couldn't keep the scores, because Maureen and Bev from Wondai came to visit the Rainbow Lorikeets and me, so I spent the rest of the afternoon talking to them.

At the end of the afternoon the courtesy bus arrived to take us to the local RSL for dinner.  We enjoyed the meal and the company and had a good night altogether.  After dinner I told Kevin that I'd rather walk back home instead of taking the bus and he joined me.  Kevin grabbed my hand and that's how we walked back to the campground.  That's when our lives changed forever! ;-)

Obviously quite noticeable for the others, as we sat near the camper, talking, holding hands as well.  All of a sudden the group next to us all needed to walk to the toilets! Past us! Yeah right.....  I don't quite believe the need was that great... ;-)  It suffices to say that the next morning we received a number of congratulations....  They all understood.

Thursday 14 March 2019

I know, the story becomes a it repetitive, but there is another morning walk with a stop at the Muffin Break for coffee.  This time a special occasion, because it's Val's birthday.  We repeat it later at morning tea with a birthday cake.

Our plan to go on to Imbil for a weekend with the BSW comes to nothing as it is too hot to bother with more camping.  Kevin suggests we go home and invites me to his home at Alexandra Hills.  To my surprise I agree and we leave at 11 am, just after morning tea.

We travel via Blackbutt where we stop for a short break and have lunch at the Burpengary BP along the motorway.

At 'home' I ring son Kevin to tell him the news and where I'll be for the next few days.  Just as well we were finished with our camping as that night we had a big storm.

Friday 15 March 2019 and onwards

Ordinarily my blog is about geocaching and travelling, but for once I would like to extend the updates a little bit, as I am still not at home! ;-)

We start the day with coffee and are paid a visit by one of Kevin's friends.  After that we head out to Cleveland and have coffee with Chris, one of Kevin's other friends, with whom he regularly has a coffee at Brown's Bakery.

Kevin wants to show me around the area a bit, and, although I have lived in the Redlands for 27 years I have been away long enough to appreciate the 'sightseeing'.  As always there are many changes.  We visit Redland Bay and Capalaba Park Shopping Centre.

After lunch and a much needed afternoon nap we get ready to have dinner with Chris and wife Jackie, Fay (Kevin's sister) and her husband John at Kam Fay Chinese Restaurant. I would have thought it a bit overwhelming to meet all these new people, but I feel quite comfortable, so it proved to have been a great day.

Oh, and we had a proper storm again at 5 pm.  Much needed rain as well, but the mugginess is back in full force.

The next few days we spent a bit more time in the area. On Saturday Kevin took me to Sirromet Wineries at Mt. Cotton and we had a bit of a look around Wellington Point.  Near the water we had a good view of an approaching storm from the west.

They were apparently setting up for a big concert at Sirromet

Wellington Point with the storm approaching

The next day we met up with Stephen, Tori and James at Tanja's, Wellington Point, and from there we made a quick dash to Cleveland Point, where we had fish and chips for dinner.  I also met Kevin's son Brett and his daughter Kerry.  Life is moving in the fast lane all of a sudden.... ;-)

As we both had appointments to attend to I went home and got my hand checked at Queensland Diagnostic Imaging (inconclusive results unfortunately), met up with the  'old' tennis group for coffee and lunch and went on my usual bike ride and beach walk.

The settings on my phone were out of kilter again, hence the elongated pictures

lots of bluebottles on the beach, so no swimming for me!

Later in the week Kevin came to stay at my place for a few days and met with everyone on Bribie Island.  The bike group had organised a fish and chips dinner while watching the full moon rise over the ocean at Woorim, which I saw together with Kevin.

The following day we decided to have a nice glass of red while watching the sun set over the mainland at Bongaree.

We also went for a morning walk with the walking group and I managed to have a little accident in my car.  No personal injuries, but two badly damaged cars and thus I will be without mine for a least a month, because I can't get it to the garage within the next fortnight.

We spent the rest of the days having coffee and dinner here and there and meeting with son Kevin.  Unfortunately Adele and the children were in New Zealand, but we will meet with them soon as well.

I am back in Alexandra Hills right now and we are preparing to leave tomorrow for another trip.  Will keep you posted....  And if you have read the story this far you'll know that I am a very happy girl!