Hobart to Bairnsdale

Monday, 22 May 2017

Making the most of a knee.

Farewell dinner with family.

Just what every spare wheel should have - a hand crocheted cover!

Once again, the time has come to follow the sun and warmth to Far North Queensland.

After a very soggy Saturday night, the sun shone for us to hitch up yesterday morning, give Jezza (our adopted cat after he was abandoned by a neighbour) a last cuddle, plus more cuddles for the boys who came to make sure we left on time and drive north to Devonport and the Spirit of Tasmania for the overnight sailing to Melbourne.  Cat thought he was rather special to be travelling with us once again while the other black cat had to stay behind with a neighbour or two looking after him.  Before boarding, we enjoyed an earlier dinner with family.  The actual boarding process this year was very quick and smooth, and after going through security, we drove straight on board.  Unfortunately, we were directed to the final spot on the starboard side of the ship and the staff member doing the directing quickly realised that the caravan actually hung over the back!  Not a good idea, so we had to reverse back down the ramp (without meaningful directions most of the time) and reboard via the port ramp.  We soon joined Denise and Barry in a lounge area but didn’t last all that long as once underway, the ship quickly started to roll with a most unpleasant motion – time to retire to the cabin!

We were very quickly off the ship this morning, within ten minutes, and heading east as the sky started to lighten.  The drive via CityLink and the M1 was very smooth and without holdups and we were able to watch the sun rise into a clear, blue sky.  Our first stop was at Churchill, just south of Morwell, having been invited to breakfast by a very nice couple we met last year in Cairns.  The two hour break was very enjoyable before we continued to Bairnsdale.  The countryside is very green, so obviously there has been plenty of rain.

It was 1.00 pm before we arrived at the Bairnsdale Holiday Park and by the time we were set up, the afternoon seemed to be disappearing fast.  This is a very nice park, very neat and well maintained grounds, sealed roads and kerbs, double slab on a large site, clean amenities and close to Patties Bakeries.  Patties is a large industrial bakery which specialised in pies, pasties, party snacks, etc, and the odour of cooking pies is just divine!!!