Since my last post we took a drive to Bowen but it was pretty wet so we just had a drive around then came back to the van.   The site got quite busy that night and we eventually realised it was because it was a long weekend.  We had a family with only a gazebo and a tent next to us with a baby, a little girl of about 3 and two pups.  That night was really wild and windy and the next morning the tent was collapsed and half of their gear had blown across the park.  Not sure they'd be in a hurry to camp again.

We got packed up on the Saturday and headed off to Townsville and reached Sharon's around 2pm.   She was standing in the middle of the street filming our arrival - so I have a picture of her taking a picture of us.

We spent the next few days doing a lot of talking, reminiscing, laughing, drinking coffee, drinking wine and eating delicious food.  We've been out for coffee just like we always used to, had a visit to Bunnings, and checked out the local shopping centre.  On Monday night Sharon's brother John and his wife Ruth came over for dinner and we had a lovely night with them.  They'd just come back from a weekend on Magnetic Island and John said why didn't we do a day trip while we were here.  Neither of us realised that Magnetic was so close to the mainland and that you can catch the passenger ferry across which only takes 20min. 

So yesterday we were up bright and early and caught the ferry around 9.30am across to the island.  What a fabulous day we had.  We caught the island bus around to Horseshoe Bay and had a delicious brunch at a cafe there.  We had a wander along the beach - what a beautiful peaceful sandy beach.  We hopped on the bus again and came round to another bay - Picnic Bay.  This wasn't nearly as sheltered as Horseshoe and the tide was well out.  There was a pretty little jetty which we walked out to the end of then we came back to the shore and adjourned to the Picnic Bay pub and enjoyed a couple of refreshments while we waited for the next bus. While there we saw a helicopter with four or five people all dressed in black hovering back and forward along the shore.  They were flying really low but we have no idea what they were looking for or checking out.  

We got the bus back to Nelly Bay and hopped on the ferry back to Townsville.  I saw this couple sitting at the table next to us on the ferry and said to Craig I'm sure that's Lyn (can't remember her surname) who used to be my ironing lady.  Sure enough when they came back to the table she recognised me.  She and her husband Duncan have been travelling around Queensland in their van and are just about to start the trip back down the coast to Boyne.    Such a small world.

We'd decided that fish and chips would be the way to finish off our day, so we went down to The Strand and got fish and chips, brought them home to Sharon's and enjoyed them out on the patio.  We were all pretty whacked - a big day with lots of sea air - so we all headed off to bed really early.

Today is getting organised day - I've changed the beds and been able to get the sheets and towels washed in Sharon's machine.  Craig's helped Sharon do a bit of pruning and this afternoon we'll do a dump point run, get some fresh veggies, fruit etc for the van and be ready to head off first thing in the morning.  The adventure continues.