Douglas Family Do Oz

2011-05-28T01:38:00.001+09:30

http://r6d0d4.evtekalis.com/?cid=thirteen

Day 144 28-02-2008

2008-02-28T17:17:00.001+09:30

Last few days - 422.79 kms
Total Distance - 17,153.97 kms

Not much today, this place is boring (Adelaide i mean). I did pack up the car and clean it out as tomorrow i am back off to Victoria and the golden triangle again. Bec is of next week to fly back to Brissy to get the kids, so i figure that looking for gold is better than sitting around here, it'll get me off my big ass for a while anyway.
I did get some bad news yesterday, a company called me to do some work for them, it's just some training and advising as they are opening up a new Truss plant (triangle things that hold up your roof) in April and need as much help as possible as no one there has done it before. I guess it's good to keep your hand in (damn).
Over the last couple of weeks we have mainly been trying to help out Cathy where we can, she is a single mother with a really busy job and i think she really appreciates the help, she would do anything for anyone so we are glad to help. Last weekend we went to a Sea-Horse museum, it was incredible to look at, also the males have the babies - 30 of them and within hours they are at it again, always knew that girls were complaining about nothing (i'm dead).
Late last week we went to the Clipsal 500, that was great to watch (heaps of minor crashes), i love the sound of the V8's going flat out.
I'll try and update this a bit more, it's hard when we aren't doing much at all.

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Day 134 18-02-2008

2008-02-28T16:46:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 76.65 kms
Total Distance - 16,731.18 kms

Today Bec wanted to go to Harbour Town, and knowing that it was going to be bloody hot, i could think of worse places to go than a nice air-conditioned shopping centre, sure it was boring and i spent a lot of time sitting around, but it was cool!
We were there for about 4 hours, on our way home we passed a big temperature display that said it reached 41 degrees, thats ordinary, tonight's minimum is supposed to be around 25 deg, so that should be nice to sleep in. I thought this place was supposed to be cool..........

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Day 133 17-02-2007

2008-02-28T16:28:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 470.47 kms
Total Distance - 16,654.53 kms

Today we went for a drive to Port Pirie. We went through the Claire wine region but Bec wasn't to keen on tasting them today. The country out here is so bare, they have less grass than western Queensland did. we saw about 50 Willy Willy's (tiny Tornadoes) ripping up all of the dirt around, but we couldn't get close enough to take any decent photo's. We had lunch at Port Pirie then headed down to Port Broughton then back to Adelaide.
We ended up driving 470k's today and with the 200 odd yesterday and 40 degree temps i am about stuffed.

Find it at www.seek.com.au Your Future Starts Here. Dream it? Then be it!

Day 132 16-02-2008

2008-02-28T16:22:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 210.63 kms
Total Distance - 16,184.06 kms

We set off at about 10 am and headed up to Barossa Valley so that the girls could sample a few wines (i use the term 'few' very loosely). we stopped at about 5 wineries before lunch at Tanunda where we ate in a little cafe down a back street, the food was beautiful.
Before lunch we stopped at a little winery where they tried port, and loving it they asked for a bottle, the guy there said that he only had it in 2 litre left and being alco's they said fine. He reached under the counter and pulled out a 2 litre plastic container with a handle, it looked like a thinners / turps bottle so that gave me some ammo for a while. After lunch we went to another 6 wineries and the girls ended up with about 12 bottles and 1 plastic bottle between them.

Find it at www.seek.com.au Your Future Starts Here. Dream it? Then be it!

Day 130 14-02-2008

2008-02-28T15:43:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 75.26 kms
Total Distance - 15,973.43 kms

We got up this morning and had a half-hearted effort at looking for work, the problem is that we don't really need the money (well we do, but we don't), and we don't want to stop the holiday either so we are thinking that will be the last of our job searching efforts as well. If we do get one, we'll take it, if not we are off again. HA HA goldfields here i come hmmmm.

Day 129 13-02-2008

Day Travelled - 10.11 kms

Not a lot today, we poked around Cathy's place for a while then did Bec's compulsory shopping centre visit.

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Day 128 12-02-2008

2008-02-28T15:38:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 140.25 kms
Total Distance - 15,883.20 kms

We had a fairly restless night last night with some of the local drunks using the caravan park as their main road home, nothing to exciting, just bloody loud. We left Tailem Bend and went to Murry Bridge for a look and to check out the old bridge there.
We then headed off to Adelaide via the Adelaide Hills, damn these were a pain to drive over with the camper on, a real strong headwind didn't help either.
We found a car park in the centre of Adelaide and went for a walk through town. Whilst we were there we stopped in at the parks office and got our desert parks pass because we will be going to Lake Ayre and across the Simpson in a few months.
I gave my friend Cathy a call and she is putting us up for a few days, it's great to catch up again. We had pizza for dinner and sat around chatting till late.

Listen now! New music from the Rogue Traders.

Day 127 11-02-2008

2008-02-15T14:52:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 520.84 kms
Total Distance - 15,742.95 kms

We set off fairly early this morning, having no kids with us makes a massive difference with the room used and the amount of stuff pulled out (Taylor).
We headed off to Arrarat and had a coffee on our way through, the amount of churned up ground we passed was incredible, the old miners must have really got stuck into it .
We ended up stopping at Tailam Bend in South Australia after covering more than 500 kms, today i am stuffed. Pasta and sauce for dinner then into the sack, i could sleep on a bed on nails tonight.

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Day 126 10-02-2008

2008-02-15T14:42:00.001+09:30

4 Days Travelled - 201.08 kms
Total Distance - 15,222,11 kms

Well i'm gonna be slack today and do one entry for the last 4 days, all i have been doing is looking for gold and poor Bec has been stuck at the caravan park with occasional walks into town. I did get lucky and find 1 piece with the massive weight of 0.4 grams, i have a feeling that this hobby isn't paying for itself just yet. Anyhow i'll keep trying.
Tomorrow we are off to South Australia in the hope of finding some work. Because the kids won't be back for a while and we don't want them to miss anything we figured that we might as well do some work since we will be sitting around for a while, the money always comes in handy.

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D-122 6-02-2008

2008-02-15T14:35:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 94.62 kms
Total Distance - 15,021.03 kms

After our slack night last night we were on the road by about 9.30 am. We didn't go far, we went into Bendigo for a look around. The old buildings here are incredible, they are huge.
We left Bendigo at about 11.30 and headed off to Maryborough and set-up the camper at the caravan park (yes in the camper), setting up took a bit longer today as the weather is crappy and we will be staying here for at least 4 nights so we put up the annex as well.
At about 2.30 pm i went out metal detecting, again the exercise was great but i only found a few bullets and shells, some old nails and a horse shoe - i spose the horse shoe was something different, but geez, 1 piece of gold will keep me happy....maybe tomorrow.

Find it at www.seek.com.au Your Future Starts Here. Dream it? Then be it!

Day 121 5-02-2008

2008-02-15T14:19:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 225.91 kms
Total Distance - 14,926.41 kms

We were ready to leave Dawn and Gene's at about 10am (thanks heaps for having us) and on our way to the airport to drop off mum and the kids, well, the kids anyway, mum couldn't fit in so she caught the bus. Though being a gentleman i did offer her the roof rack.
We had lunch at the airport and sent them packing, Bec bawled like a baby with the kids going home for probably 6 weeks (i cheered! is that wrong? Nah kids i'll miss ya). We left the airport and headed off to Bendigo.
When we got there it was pouring rain, so we thought stuff this and stayed in a cabin for the night.

Listen now! New music from the Rogue Traders.

Day 120 4-02-2008

2008-02-15T14:13:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 138.58 kms
Total Distance - 14,700.50 kms

We were up fairly early and on our way to science-works in near Melbourne. Once i hit the tram lines in near Footscray i was hoping like heck that no trams would come along, it was all good, they avoided me.
We got to science works at about 11am and found that it was $6 each for adults and free for kids to get in. Science works is like a big science museum for kids, and they had a ball, we were there for about 3 hours.
When we left we headed off to the shopping centre so that i could get a shirt and a couple of pairs of good shorts because some of my gear is getting a bit tatty, so i need some more to wreck.
We then headed back to Dawn and Gene's place where i took Taylor for a game of golf, to say that she sucked was an understatement, she had 28 on the first hole and it didn't get any better. Luckily it looked like rain so we went home after 7 holes where there was a nice warm dinner waiting.

Find it at www.seek.com.au Your Future Starts Here. Dream it? Then be it!

Day 119 3-02-2008

2008-02-15T13:38:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 29.15 kms
total Distance - 14,561.92 kms

Not a lot happened today, Bec and i went and got some laundry done (4 loads), Kai went and played golf with Dawn and Taylor and Blake stuffed around at Dawn and Gene's place making the most of the television.

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Day 118 2-02-2008

2008-02-15T13:36:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 0 kms
Total Distance - 14,532.77 kms

We had an early morning this morning, Kai, Gene and i went and played Golf whilst Bec, Mum and Dawn and the kids went into Melbourne for the day. We had great fun at golf and really enjoyed the piece and quiet. The girls and kids got home about 4 hours later.
When the girls got home we did a bit of cleaning up in the camper and just sat around for the afternoon.

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Day 117 1-02-2008

2008-02-15T13:26:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 141.61 kms
Total Distance - 14,532.77 kms

We weren't really quick getting ready this morning, but we finally moved and got to Sovereign Hill at about 11am. We saw a few things today that we missed yesterday, but mainly we just had another look at the things we saw yesterday.
We got home at about 4pm and went out to the local club for dinner, we had $6.50 fish and chips, makes it hardly worthwhile cooking. After this we came back and watched 20/20 cricket on the television and sat around all night.

Listen now! New music from the Rogue Traders.

Day 116 31-01-2008

2008-02-15T13:15:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 125.38 kms
Total Distance - 14,391.16 kms

We were up and off by about 9am this morning and on our way to Sovereign Hill. It rained all the way to Ballarat, but cleared as soon as we got there, thankfully.
Sovereign Hill was brilliant, and fairly reasonably priced as well at $105 for a family pass for 2 days.
There were a couple of guys dressed in period police uniforms picking on the kids, but by the end of it they were wishing they hadn't as Taylor had well and truly put them in their place, Bec and i walked off and pretended that we didn't know them.
When we left we went to the Eureka Centre which had a bit of memorabilia from the Eureka Stockade revolt and some stories and videos of the same. We then went to the Gold Museum which had gold of every shape and size on display, i was incredibly jealous.

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Day 115 30-01-2008

2008-02-15T13:03:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 86.77 kms
Total Distance - 14,265.78 kms

We packed up quickly this morning and were on our way to Bacchus Marsh to meet Mum and Blake who had flown down from Brisbane for a visit, and to pick up Kai and Taylor who are flying home for a month or so next week.
It was great to see my little boy as we haven't seen him since we were in Brisbane (November), and we hadn't seen Mum since chrissy so that was good as well.
We are staying in Dawn and Gene's (friends of Mum's) backyard for the next week so that is very much appreciated.
Not much happened this arvo, we just sat around and talked whilst the kids ran amok.

Listen now! New music from the Rogue Traders.

Day 114 29-01-2008

2008-02-15T12:58:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 243.54 kms
Total Distance - 14,179.01 kms

We were up and moving early this morning and on our way to Dunolly, on our way we passed through Maryborough who just happened to have a mining shop open, i eventually came out with a new coil for my metal detector so that i can now find all of the deeper rubbish and dig that up (ohhh gawd).
We went through Dunolly and stopped at Moliogul at the place where they had found the 'Welcome Stranger' nugget. This was found in 1860 and at about 100 kgs is still the biggest nugget ever recorded, so this was something that interested us. We rang Dad from here and wished him a happy birthday.
After we left here we went and found the guys grave in the local cemetery and took photo's of it, for such a major find the guy has a pretty simple gravestone.
When we left we went back through Maryborough and had a look at the caravan park as we will spend a few days here in a couple of weeks so that i can go and find my fortune (sic).
We then came back to the camper and had a swim (so much for being heated, it was freezing), had dinner and hit the sack.

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Day 113 28-01-2008

2008-02-15T12:49:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 149.94 kms
Total Distance - 13,935.47 kms

We left Camperdown at about 10.10 this morning, we were under a tree with a nice cool breeze so we all slept in, well it is the last day of school holidays.
When we finally got on the road, we headed off to Ballarat for a look see. We stopped at the Eureka Centre (info centre) and had a look at all of the 'Eureka' gear for sale. We found a caravan park close by with a 50m pool attached, they recon it is heated, and by god it should be.
We eventually set up the camper and took the kids for a swim where they had fun on the water slide. Whilst we were there, there was a guy there who wouldn't stop perving on every girl that walked past, no matter how old. There are some sick people around, when we went and told the girl next to us about it, we pointed him out and he saw us pointing and took off.
After this we took the kids to putt-putt then came back to the camper and cooked fish and vegies for dinner.

Find it at www.seek.com.au Your Future Starts Here. Dream it? Then be it!

Day 112 27-01-2008

2008-02-15T11:47:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 122.32 kms
Total Distance - 13,785.53 kms

We were fairly slow packing up this morning as we weren't in a real rush to leave, we ended up leaving at about 10am. We got to the 12 apostles not long after and it was one of the nicest things we have seen since we left. We had a ball walking up all of the different tracks and looking at the different formations.
We had lunch at Port Campbell at about 2pm and had a look there before heading off again. When we finally arrived at Camperdown we set up camp and Bec and i sat around as we were stuffed from all of the walking, as usual the kids went out and played even though they said they were buggered also. We had baked beans and spaghetti for dinner as we couldn't be stuffed making anything else.

Sell your car for just $30 at CarPoint.com.au. It's simple!

Day 111 26-01-2008

2008-02-15T10:42:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 0 kms
Total Distance - 13,663.21 kms

Not a lot done today, the kids did a couple of hours of school work in the morning then we took them down for a swim for an hour or so. Whilst we were down there, there was a japanese fella fishing of the rocks so we had to sit there for 1/2 an hour watching him and waiting for a wave to smash him, but to our sheer disappointment and his incredible luck he didn't fall in.
We then had lunch and i went fishing for a while and the kids went swimming again for a while. When we got back the kids were playing cricket with half of the park and Bec and i were chatting to Mick and Jo whilst we had dinner cooking.

Sell your car for just $30 at CarPoint.com.au. It's simple!

Day 110 25-01-2008

2008-02-15T10:23:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 259.65 kms
Total Distance - 13,663.21 kms

We packed up and left right on 10 am this morning. It took us about an hour to get through to Geelong, this was a nice tidy looking place. We then headed on to Torquay to have a look at Bells Beach. Bells is spectacular and no wonder it is called the home of surfing in Australia. We then went to Anglesea and had lunch there, this was nice to, although judging by the prices in the real estate window - very expensive.
We then headed along the Great Ocean Road to Cape Otway. The scenery here is sensational, every one should drive this road, it's no wonder this road is advertised so much, it's brilliant.
We missed the first couple of places that we were going to stop at, then we found somewhere in Cape Otway National Park. We set up camp and then went for a walk down to the beach. Man the surf is wild down here, the waves are huge and break about 100m out. I have been swimming in surf for as long as i can remember and there is no way i would go out past my waist in this place, besides it is way to bloody cold.

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Day 109 24-01-2008

2008-02-15T09:48:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 36.69 kms
Total Distance - 13,403.56 kms

We were ready and on the rain to Melbourne by about 10am this morning. It was only about 20 mins to get in there, which was nice, as i hate trains. We got off at central and were surprised at how dirty this area of town was. We walked to the Queen Victoria markets, this joint is monstrous though a bit ordinary to look at.
We left town a bit disappointed at about 2 pm and gave my sister a call as she has been down here working and was leaving today. We caught up with her at about 3pm at the airport and chatted till about 4.30 when she had to board her plane. It was great to catch up as we haven't seen her since November and the kids loved seeing aunty again.
After we left the airport we headed back to the caravan park and Bec did some washing as we are heading off again tomorrow.

Find it at www.seek.com.au Your Future Starts Here. Dream it? Then be it!

Day 108 23-01-2008

2008-01-23T16:34:00.001+09:30

Day Travelled - 60.47 kms,
Total Distance - 13,366.87 kms

The troops had a sleep in this morning, but when they woke up we headed off to look at my old primary school. I went to school here from kindy to halfway through year 3. First we stopped at my old house to get some pics, we were here when Dad was in the air force, we then went to my old primary school. hmmmmmm the area seems to have changed a bit since, the school now has a 10 foot chain wire fence around it, thanks for sending us there Mum it looks real safe. We then drove by my old kindy, same deal with the fence, apparently we were lucky to leave the area alive (mum you should have made me go to high school here, these fences would have kept even me in). I would like to thank Mum and Dad for trying to get rid of me and my sister at such a young age. Geeeeez
Needless to say, we didn't get out of the car here!!! On our way back to the caravan park Bec spotted a Westfields (i was driving too slow, my fault) so we were walking around there for a couple of hours, after we left there we just happened to find Australia's biggest lolly shop, so the kids stocked up and Bec got an armful for Blake, as Mum and him are flying down here next week for a visit.
By this time it was about 2pm so we headed back to inflict some more pain on the kids (haha more school work)

Find it at www.seek.com.au Your Future Starts Here. Dream it? Then be it!

Day 107 22-01-2008

2008-01-23T16:22:00.001+09:30

We were packed and gone by 9.30 am and our first stop was at Glenrowan to look at some of the Ned Kelly memorabilia. We wanted to see the film that they had made, but at $60 per family and it only went for about 40 mins, it was a bit much for us, so we gave it a miss. The kids were a bit dissapointed. There ended up being a heap of free stuff to look at anyway.
We then had a look at Winton Racetrack where they have the V8 Supercars, this is a dry dirty looking place and pretty ordinary to look at as well. Next stop was Benella, where we had a bit of a walk down the street, had lunch and bought some more school books for the kids for this year, they were happy and excited to get these, though later on they weren't to impressed. Benella was quite a nice plase, and heaps bigger than we expected.
We piled back into the truck and headed into Melbourne, and it wasn't untill we got about 30 k's out of town that we began to see some houses, we saw the smog over the city before we saw anything else. We ended up finding a caravan park near the airport which was handy, it's a nice enough place, but i'll be glad to be back in the bush again.

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