Wednesday 19th June 2013 – It was a very uncertain start to our trip because on that Wednesday morning I awoke with severe vertigo, nausea, finding it impossible to stand and spinning in my own world thinking – this cannot be happening! Added to this uncertainty over Keith and Marg, who were to accompany us, with Keith in Prince Charles Hospital awaiting a triple bypass and Marg staying with Graeme awaiting the outcome. With packing up for the six weeks on the road and only a couple of weeks after having a cholecystectomy for very toxic gallbladder disease, I guess it was only natural to think that maybe we shouldn’t be taking this rather large trip at this point in time. Too late to rearrange plans, Rob and I headed off on that Wednesday morning after Rob obtained some Stemetil-type over the counter drugs for me, and I had a post-op check with my surgeon in Maryborough.
Following the grey ribbon of seemingly never-ending Bruce Highway with innumerable road works, driving Cameron’s practically brand new Land Rover “MARLOO” with the roof top tent proudly placed on top and towing our 20ft caravan, we looked every bit the well experienced travellers. How looks can be deceiving!
A week went by where Rob and I enjoyed the Atherton Tableland, catching up with my long forgotten cousin Gary and his wife in Yungaburra and generally being tourists in the area. Then on Wednesday, 26th June, one week after our departure from Hervey Bay and leaving our Caravan at Mt Carbine storage facility, we met our fellow Cape travellers at the Palmer River Roadhouse, 31k’s south of the Lakeland turnoff.
Our companions of course were Kent and Kathy, Leanne and Gary and the Anderson family of Lizzy, Ando (Anthony), Halle and Lucas all with one goal in mind – making it to the Top. Palmer River Roadhouse was more or less the first night stopover of our Cape trip and the first time I had slept in the dreaded roof top tent (RTT). Although the ladder was rather scary, the bed was comfortable enough and both Rob and I had no trouble sleeping.
I must pause here because this particular Wednesday had some very interesting occurrences. Firstly, Keith had his Triple Bypass surgery however doing well in ICU. Secondly, State of Origin night, so we all filed into the Palmer River Roadhouse for a $10 per head all you can eat BBQ + dessert and watch the match. WOW what a feed! Then low and behold to top it all off on TV we heard that Julia Gillard had been deposed by – you guessed it – Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister!! What is the place coming to? Anyway the end result was that QLD flogged NSW, our $10 meal was the best for money I’ve ever had, the first night in the RTT was a success, finally we’re all rid of Julia, and most important of all brother Keith is OK – so all is right in my world!!