Now the tempo and character of our Wanderings change. We are now back on the coast, there is traffic, even traffic lights and a very grim set to Roscoe's jaw. We are back on the coast as we have a commitment to meet Tom in Cairns in several days, then to take him up to Port Douglas where his partner, Aisling (Ash), is holidaying with her parents who are out from Ireland. This is no chore, we look forward to meeting them for the first time, but, it puts "wandering" on hold as we have a destination planned further out than tomorrow!


 
The trip to Townsville is short and uneventful (did I mention the grim look on the drivers face). On recommendations from our great friends, Bert & Libby Pye (travelling in a circus bus), we go to a campsite run by the 7 Day Adventurers (Adventists) which proves to be a lovely large grassy paddock behind a school with basic but clean amenities, power and water for $20 per night. For a town it's pretty good. 

Townsville, wow, talk about a busy boom town. Driving the city (199,000 pop) is tourism, large Army, Navy and Airforce bases as well as Government offices, beef and a sugar port. From driving around this place it has any service, industry, retail outlet and entertainment which you would find in a capital city. It is considered the unofficial capital of North Queensland and so it should.

Briefly, we went for a walk up the Strand, the waterfront esplanade, watched Bob Katter give interviews to TV, radio and print media, drove out to find the Global Food & Wine depot (our old company). We found two of my old protege's at Global, Nino (Sales Manager Qld), and Morris (Manager) and they asked us to join them for a great dinner on the Strand. Good catch up!

The next day and evening we caught up with Robbie & Viv Pleass. Robbie worked with us in Austria in the early 1980's and we rarely see each other. We enjoyed the afternoon with Robbie at the Aquarium, then had dinner with Rob, Viv and their two boys that evening. Thanks the Pleass family.