Biographical Log of Michael Furstner - Page 51
2008 : Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec ||
2009
Page :
Previous |
Next |
Most Recent -
Next -
Previous -
Page 1 -
Photos -
Index -
Topics -
MP3s -
Jazclass Links
Saturday & Sunday November 1 & 2, 2008
(diary, travel)
It is a long day today. I manage to leave Darwin at 5.30 AM and arrive
13 hours later safe and sound in Camoweal, a 1,400 km trip.
Nothing eventful happens during the day, except that the plastic
tape with which I secured the plastic cover over my rear window,
started to give away in the 40° C plus heat. So from time to time
I simply add more tape, being well prepared with 75 meters of it
with me. Fuel prices are as always my main concern and interest
during the trip.
Here is an outline of the diesel fuel price variations over the first
two days.
Place | Price | Action
|
Darwin
| $1.63
| Fill up tank plus 20 l jerrycan, and 4c discount ($1.59) per
litre from Woolworth
|
Katherine
| $1.70
| Top up. They are usually cheaper than Darwin !
|
Dunmarra
| $1.96
|
|
Elliot
| $1.90
| Top up
|
ThreeWays
| $1.94
|
|
Barkley Homestead
| $2.09
| no way !!
|
Camoweal
| $1.90
| Emptied jerrican into tank
|
Mount Isa
| $1.60
| Fill up tank plus jerrycan, Woolworth closed due to power failure
|
Cloncurry
| $1.57
| Surprised, they usually are more expensive than Mt.Isa
|
Kynuna
| $1.53
| Top up. Lots of trucks doing the same here.
|
Longreach
| $1.50
| Fill up tank. Usually not cheaper than Mt Isa
|
When I finally arrive (about 7pm Queensland time) at my planned
destination, Camoweal, the Post Office Hotel is jumping at the seems.
Saturday night they have a regular social here which is even more
special today as some people are having a farewell party. I
manage a couple of beers (scooner : $4.70) and for dinner their terrific Beef
sausages, but after that I am done in and asleep in my comfortable
bed in no time. Around midnight a girl is banging on my door, but when I open it she says : "Oh, so sorry ! I made a mistake." Obviously expecting someone else in my room.
Sunday morning I am up early, refreshed and roaring to go
again. I pick up an order online before I leave at about 6.30 AM. I never stop marvelling at modern technology, no matter how long this has been going on already. It
is a beautiful day and I make good progress, very relaxed now after I
did the long stretch yesterday. I fill up my tank and jerrycan in
Mount Isa and then onto Kynuna for my regular poached eggs
on toast with a mug of white coffee. All up $9.50. The diesel is
cheap too here, I see many trucks filling up here so I do the
same. As it happens, Longreach is cheaper still, most unusual,
but one does not know that beforehand of course. Just before 5 PM I arrive in
Barcaldine and book in at the Landsborough Lodge Motel. I have stayed here
many times over the years. It is hugely comfortable and well priced
and I am always made to feel at home here.
Most Recent -
Next -
Previous -
Top -
Page 1 -
Photos -
Index -
Topics -
MP3s -
Jazclass Links
Monday November 3 , 2008
(diary, travel)
Last night the Motel's dining room was closed (room service only) so I
check out a few place for dinner. There is a steakhouse across the
road and 5 pubs on the main street. After rejecting two as they have
only solid meat like rump, rib, T-bone, chops, I find the Artesian
Hotel which has both rissoles and sausages on the menu. As I
probably have related previously in this blog, I prefer meat to be
minced, sausages, rissoles, savoury mince, 'spaghetti bol', anything
like that. I decide to try the sausages again and boy I am not
disappointed. They are as good as the ones in Camoweal, real
beef sausages, not that soft fine textured pink stuff you get
everywhere along the coasts.
There is a drunken Kiwi (NZ) sheep shearer in the bar, walking up for a chat with
me. Been here all day (according to the barmaid) and is still
standing. He loved and greatly admired his Irish grandmother who
migrated to NZ, but his mother was an absolute waste of time he tells
me. After this information he gradually staggers away again.
There is also a somewhat elderly lady (60-70 you can never tell
with these wrinkly faced country people) floating around, wearing a
bright red straw cowboy hat with silvery specks glued all over it. She
loves dancing, "It is good for the Soul" she says, and I have no
argument with that. After rubbing herself against every male sitting
at the bar she asks me if she can have a sip of my beer to tie her over
until her own drink (she just ordered) arrives. "Certainly not!" I
reply, and that gets her of my back. Apart from anything else she
stinks of tobacco. Then my sausages arrive and I am lost to the
outside world.
At 7 AM in the morning I start my car, drive around to the Motel
office and let the engine idle while I pay my bill. When I return the
engine has stalled and no way can I get it started again. I call the
RACQ (Queensland Road service) which eventually arrives, tows me to
the garage and by pumping compressed air into my fuel tank gets the
car started again, well done. There are two fuel pumps in my car and one
of them is obviously broken. I don't want to stall again in some
place with no help at all, so, finally leaving Barcaldine at 9 AM, I drive only
non stop, except for a brief refuel at Roma, all the way the
final 1,200 km stretch to my daughter's place at the Sunshine Coast
where I arrive intact but of course very weary. After a few beers I am
in bed and in no time sound asleep.
Most Recent -
Next -
Previous -
Top -
Page 1 -
Photos -
Index -
Topics -
MP3s -
Jazclass Links
Tuesday & Wednesday November 4 & 5 , 2008
(diary)
A period of rest and recuperation after the previous three days
driving is in order. All Tuesday I sit with Doug on ThreePonds' new
hexagonal deck which has been completed since I was here last, and
we exchange experiences of the last 6 months. Doug has been back to
India again on a marketing trip and I too have of course much to
tell about my trip to Europe. I phone the garage and organise to get
the car looked at on Friday.
Wednesday it rains most of the day and I can't send or receive calls on my mobile phone at ThreePonds. I borrow Doug's car to do some errants, shopping and
have lunch at the Mooloolaba Surf Club. Many new staff there, but
there are still a few left I remember from earlier this year. In the
evening we watch Obama's historic victory. Will he be able to
change the USA around on a new course ? Everybody seems to hope so, we
will see.
Kiku, one of the two dogs on ThreePonds,
has got a caught poisonous tick on her body and Doug takes her to the
vet where she is kept and put on oxygen for the night. Hopefully she
will be OK again tomorrow.
Comments -
Most Recent -
Next Page -
Previous -
Top -
Page 1 -
Photos -
Index -
Topics -
Jazclass Links
Copyright © 2008 Michael Furstner
|