Sarahs Journal
Cairns
Cairns welcomed us with a fantastic stay at Coconut Palms BIG 4 Resort. The kids have had a chance to play with other holiday makers, relax and rest up ahead of the journey accross the Savannah Way towards Darwin. We were able to take the kids on the Sky Rail and Kuranda Scenic Rail. I really enjoyed sharing thier delight at the sights but alas, reality soon caught up and it was back on with the running shoes to face the hills to Kuranda on foot. The strecth to Mareeba was a welcome contrasting plateau. Atherton was next.
Townsville
Another humid 60km under the belt. Channel 7 and Win tv interviews done, it was time to hit the beach here in Townsville and let the kids play in the gentle surf. Woodlands BIG 4 Caravan Park let us stay for 2 nights. The support vehilcle shuttled a tired me back to there after the days running. Lack of road shoulders meant that the support car would let me run ahead for about 2 km, then catch me up, offering a drink of water before letting me run ahead again. I had to step off the road as 3 wide load trucks went by with demountables on them.... getting desperate for entertainment up here!!!
Day 29: Rockhampton
Rockhampton was full of friendly people. Robby from Ascot Stone Grill invited us all to a scrumptious meal at Ascot Backpackers, good hot showers all round were welcome. Then things started to go wrong mechanically, luckilly right in Rockhampton itself. Toyota took the car in for a quick new clutch. Thank goodness for warentee!
Day 24 Bundaberg
At last, nice flat terain, nice big town, Beaurepaires put 6 NEW wheels on the bus, THANKYOU!!!
Also a Huge thankyou to The COSY CORNER INTERNET CAFE who stayed open til nearly midnight so Kadi could update the website. I spoke on the radio later the next day after another flat 30km north out of Bundaberg.
Lovely seafood and farm fresh produce along the way... all makes for happy running. We were invited to a farm out near 1770 by a motorist who stopped to talk to us at a fuel station. We took a detour during the day. I soon forgot about my tiredness and enjoyed the short day break out to the beach at 1770, Agnes Water and their farm. Ajay and Susie made us feel at home, letting us camp up for the night and showed us around their property. They taught us some natural tie-dying methods form plant based dies around their farm. The team helped out Ajay that afternoon with some fencing in return for their lovely hospitality. We had roast pig for dinner, the whole pig, which was recently slaughtered rotated on a spit as we sat around the campfire and relaxed