Benhams go Walkabaout - WEEK 2 HAT HEAD & CYCLONE DEBBIE

Benhams go Walkabaout - WEEK 2 HAT HEAD & CYCLONE DEBBIE

Injury Report

1 x eyebrow bruise where Duke sneezed and hit his tea cup. Ouch!

3 x grazed toes from riding bikes barefoot

1 x bruised chin from Eddie slipping off an ice cream cabinet and smacking his chin on the glass. Bang!

2 x fat lips for Duke from a bike crash and a wrestle with Eddie at Maccas.

50+ mozzie bites for Eddie. “I want God to make me less tasty to mozzies” Poor thing.

             

THE HIGHS - BABY BROTHER SMILES (L).......THE LOWS - TIMEOUT WHEN THERE'S NO HALLWAY (R)

This was a nostalgic stop for me. Thankfully we had some beautiful clear hot days. I just didn’t get to enjoy them what with sleeping and feeding babies. I didn’t realise what I had missed until Angus showed me a photo he took one day. I get the feeling the way I will enjoy this trip will be very different to previous camping trips.

THE DAY THAT GOT AWAY....

One morning a big jetski came in from a morning of fishing. They proceeded to unload a massive, but apparently baby, marlin. So exciting for me and the boys but unfortunately Angus missed it. We three gawked as they proceeded to gut and fillet the mega fish (honestly about 1.6m long) and Dukey kept repeating just loud enough “some meat for us?” Not surprisingly Old Eddie the fisherman gave us a big slab of fresh marlin which we grilled for lunch. (no phone or camera with us at the beach that morning.....boo).

Yummo! Why do my travel highlights always involve food…?? Hopefully I don’t return from this trip the size of a house.

TRIP PLANNING WITH A NEWBORN

We headed to Broomshead to trial a one night “soft setup”. Quick set up and fast getaway in the morning was the aim. That was until Cyclone Debbie decided this was the night is would hit the coast. Sure we were only going to get the edge of it but it was enough to force water into the boy’s bed part of the camper and blow and rain all night long. Not so quick getaway. As we approached the NSW/Qld border we heard rumours of the motorway being completely closed. We found the rumours to be true and made camp at Hastings Pt. The next morning we waited for news of the motorway opening, listening intently to ABC like a couple of retirees.The shops were out of bread, all milk and running low on fruit and vege. It was very reminiscent of the cyclone we experienced in Maroochydore on the campervanning adventures of 2011.

  

CYCLONE CAR SANDWICHES (L).......WHAT FLOODING??? (R)

Throwing caution to the wind, we packed up and drove towards the border and Pacific Motorway despite reports it was still closed. Tentatively we drove onto the motorway amid scenes of a minor alien invasion with cars abandoned haphazardly along the sides of the road yet there were remnants of cases of drinking water where travellers had supposedly waited for the water to subside before giving up and walking to dry ground. Aaaaahh...the relief to make to it our intended destination of the Gold Coast a whole 24 hours late. First World problems hey?

         

PASSING TIME DURING FLOODS - BUG HUNTING (L), THE FARM BYRON BAY (R)

Quote of the Week

Whilst driving through countryside, Eddie “I didn’t know the world could have this many things!”. Aaah city kids…..

> Go to Week 3

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