It was my birthday last weekend. And while you might be expecting (if those chick lit books are any kind of guide) for me to be all sad about the marching on of time and the accumulation of years and wrinkles, I’ll have to disappoint you. I decided two years ago that my thirties were going to be awesome, and so far they have been. Completely.Hayden took me up to the Atherton Tablelands for the weekend, to stay at our favourite B&B in Ravenshoe (pronounced Ravens-Hoe not Raven-Shoe). We spent Saturday hooning around the Tablelands, tasting the local cheeses and visiting the bogan-infested Tinaroo Dam to watch them race each other on waterskis and jetskis. Hilarious. Later in the afternoon we met the charmingly kooky celebrant who is going to marry us in April next year. That is, if she turns up on the right day.
On Sunday morning we weren’t feeling ready to go home just yet, so we decided to visit the markets at Archer Creek – just down the road from where we were staying.
There were a couple of stalls that really caught my attention. I loved this one selling watermelons:
Unfortunately I was a bit perplexed by this one: the guy just seemed to be selling things out of his campervan. Things he might possibly be needing later – like the spare tyre? And how long has he been hoarding that thigh-master for?
Since we had never been down that road before, we decided (I can’t remember who’s idea it was) to drive home on the inland route. And it got pretty outbacky pretty quickly. This is the view from the truckstop where we had lunch:
Please note: I did not request to have lunch at a truck stop in the final hours of my special birthday weekend. It was just that it was the last place to get fuel or food for the next 256km. (And yes they did have a sign out the front that said just that.)
Before getting back in the car I went to the loo and I saw this sign advertising showers for $3. That’s per person, just to be clear.
Do you want to see what a $3 shower looks like in inland North Queensland?
Ewwww.
Do you want to see what a $3 shower looks like in inland North Queensland?
Ewwww.
I am definitely not as tough as I used to be when it comes to the places where I'd shower, you know, expecting to come out cleaner than when I went in.
I suppose that would be the old age catching up with me.
10 comments:
eeewwww is right, i don't think you have to be used to the high life to see that shower as dis-gust-ing. i hope you enjoyed your special day and glad you liked the card, a lovely picture done by a great australian female artist. claire
xxx
Oh, gross! I don't know if I'm sort of proud to say I live in North Queensland, or just relieved to say I live in North Queensland but am not from North Queensland. It's amazing what a person can put up with (but I'd never put up with a shower like that)!!
Wow - what a rambling, convoluted comment. Sorry....
Come on nai, the Rowley Road shower got to that state quite regularly!
Great seeing you and Hayden in Melb the other week!!
Iain
Did they have a nicer shower that went for like $5.50?
thanks for coming down to mel.
glad to see you celebrated your birthday exploring NQ. We're off to explore some more of the ME next weekend because we're finally getting a public holiday!
but most importantly.. how did mr mint survive?
and second most important.. have your rejected rome?
on the shower topic, i lived in a share house where the shower base was broken and flooded the living room everytime someone had a shower.. oh and let's not forget the share house with iain that magda and i had to pick out the fungi growing in the shower tray.. and in our bedroom because the shower was on the adjacent wall.
OK, I think that's just about enough about gross showers! Especially the gross sharehouse showers .. none of us needs to remember them, do we?
Drue, I'm glad you asked about my mint plant. The truth is that when I got home ALL of my plants were looking better than when I left, except for one. My watercress was completely dead. That watercress really needed me - the others not so much, seems.
And about Rome ... well, we haven't watched another episode yet. But we really need to get through Dr Who first I think. (It was Ed's fault that we got into Dr Who in the first place .. the telly was on in the background one night, Hayden glanced at it and said "Who's that guy who looks like Ed?" we started watching and...we were hooked from then on.)
Iain, it was really ace to see you in Melbs. Keep us posted about your big move in the new year, and we'll see you in Brissie soon!
HAPPIEST (belated) BIRTHDAY!!!!
Thirties are awesome!
~bluepoppy
Glad you had good birthday, but I don't look like googly-eyed David Tennant. Do I?
Still, if you've got to look like one of the Doctors, its best to be that one. Better than Tom Baker.
Um, Ed? When I read your comment, in my head I heard it in David Tennant's voice ...
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