Boulia Day1

Today was a day to relax and get over the previous two days of quite demanding driving. It is very tiring watching the road for sharp stones, bulldust, potholes, washouts from long ago, parts fallen from other vehicles, fragments of busted tyres and numerous other things.

First up this morning it was wash the clothes and try to get the red dust out of everything. Luckily, the Karavan had only a minute amount of dust in it especially after showering the Bravo and Karavan when I went through bulldust. The bravo also was only carrying a small amount inside.

While sitting having my breakfast, outside this morning, I was concerned about the angle of the Bravo’s door line compared to the top of the tray back. On close inspection, I have found a crease in the chassis but it is slightly different to the problem the Bravo had in the Bungle Bungle last year. Unfortunately, the result will be similar. I suspect again a failure with the suspension but definitely not the airbags this time as I have kept the pressure off them deliberately.

This will mean that my trip will take a completely different track home and in fact retrace my return from last year. I will leave here on Sunday and travel to Winton then to Longreach, probably Roma or Mitchell then St. George to Andrew and Lucy in Goondiwindi then home via Tenterfield. To say I am disappointed is an understatement.

So after a few phone calls in relation to the problem, I completed the washing and tidying around the Karavan. I unhitched my bike as I will be using it to go in and out of town rather than the Bravo as it is not too far at all.

My first stop was for a cappuccino and raisin toast at the Encounters Cafe right beside the Boulia Visitor Information Centre. It was most enjoyable after not having one for a few days.

Then Col and Colleen joined with me and we paid to go into the Min Min Encounter. It is a unique theatrical experience incorporating animatronics, fibre optics and other wizardry. It is a tribute to the art of bush yarns that in this case based on the Min Min phenomenon. It went for about 45 minutes and enlightened us a bit about the Min Min lights. I will pass the area on Sunday, but in daylight!

After that session, I cycled around the little far western Queensland town. I came across the Sports Centre which has been established in recent times at a cost of about 4 million dollars. It has a pool, gym and basketball courts. It is very nice. The school would get a lot of use from it as the oval also is lovely and green.

There are numerous facilities here that include a supermarket that has everything in it like a lot of old stores in small towns used to have. There is a fuel station, Police station, small hospital, council buildings and a museum for me to see tomorrow. Also a motel, pub, golf club and probably other things I have not seen, caravan park, I am in, and several churches.

Tonight, I went with Col and Colleen to the pub for a quite reasonable and pleasant evening of chatter. No red wine tonight. Just a break!