Townsville to Brisbane

From Townsville to...
When I left Townsville I had bad weather for 2 weeks; allmost continues rain and a lot of small floods. I dont mind the bad weather, it is still warm enough to be comfortable and even seeing places and walking in the rain isnt that bad in these temperatures. Also, it is really a lot of fun to race through deep puddles of water with 80k`s an hour with my car. I can`t say that I try to avoid those pools of laughter. A lot of times it felt like driving over a big long dyke: both sides of the road being underwater. Which, funnily enough, was abused by aussies parking at the sides of the highway and fishing from the road...

And surely... 60 k`s after Townsville I encountered a lot of cars... the road was flooded.
After making myself comfortable in my car; a nice book, King Crimson as background music and sitting here for about 4 hours the road was cleared. When I started my car, no wait; when i tried to start my car it didnt work! After trying every trick I know as mechanic (I turned the key 90 degrees mostly) some other stranded people helped me push my car to the side of the road where I had a good night sleep. (seriously, no sleeping problems here)

After waking up (not before) I pondered allready about the possible costs... towing truck, mechanic, parts needing to be replaced... but after I tried to start it, it worked! To be sure it won`t happen again I went to a mechanic who asked me if I had driven through water. Me: "Not through deep water, I might have catched some spray here and there though, cough".

After that I drove to Mackay without any problems.

Mackay revisited
Seeing the people I lived close to for two months was really fun. I spent a whole morning listening to storm stories, cyclones, floods, people dont giving a fuck about the environment, plans of living in a van and in New Zealand... still fun.

In Mackay I enquired about floods around; there being none I decided to travel inland. I traveled to Nebo (Couldn`t camp here because the road was flooded)

Mackay to Brisbane
Mackay to:
--> Clermont (Dam camping)
--> Emerald
--> Springsure
--> Rollestone (I better fuel up here...)
--> Carnavon National Park - picture 2
--> Injune
--> Roma (With the windmill being the only tourist attraction - because I made a picture of it)
--> Miles
--> Chinchilla
--> Dalby
--> Bell
--> Bunya National Park
--> Maidenhill
--> Nanango
--> Goomeri
--> Gympie (Being on familiar ground from here)
--> Pomona (Revisited the Vipassana centre for 2 days)
--> Brisbane... covering about 2000k`s in a little more then a week.

The driving was terrific, having finally good weather again. I can imagine it being boring if you are a trucky going along the same road continuesly, but I didn`t mind driving at all. You can drive for 50 k`s without having to steer; one long road with little greenery on both sides of it. Only a lot of green-yellow grass and patches of trees.

Photo album of above linked pictures: CLICK

Pics

Sweet!

I`m in Townsville now, and leaving it today.
Traveling South goes a lot faster for me then north so far...

And... I got my camera back!
That tattoo on my forehead was going to be a surprise when I get back to the Netherlands, but now i might upload some pics before that time... ;-)

Bai