Maroochydore and Nanango

After spending a couple of lovely days with Peter and Di, (Philips Cousin and wife) we drove back to Maroochydore Beach Holiday Park, right on the beach front. We have an internal site here and quite a few spectators as Philip backed the van in. The people next to us even suggested we would need to get the tractor to back us in. We didn’t and he was quite amazed that Philip did it with only a couple of adjustments. Initially we thought it might not be a good site but it turned out to be very good. Lots of room and lots of vehicle parking space.

We spent the next three days relaxing, riding our bikes and eating fish and prawns etc. it’s always a good excuse to have a nice feed of fish and chips if you have ridden 6 kilometres to get them and then have to ride back to the van again.

Philip had the “DobCob” ( as we call Philip’s heat bead BBQ/oven camp cooker) out today to cook some turkey drumsticks for dinner. This always creates a great conversation piece. Either the smell of meat cooking or how unusual it is causes people to stop and chat. Today as the drumsticks are sizzling, a lady stops to chat and asks what it is. Philip tells here it’s our dinner cooking, just some CHICKEN drumsticks and lifts the lid for her to see. Her comment, “wow, I have never seen chicken drumsticks that big. It must have been a massive chicken.” Luckily I was out of view because it was very difficult to keep a straight face and not laugh out loud. She was deadly serious and never even cracked a smile. All this makes camping fun and makes great memories.

Thursday morning we packed up and headed out to Nanango to the Country Music Festival. We were here several years ago and are really looking forward to some good music again. By the time we arrived we were the 610 th van on site. Each van is given a number as it arrives. Some have been here since Monday when the walk up talent shows start. Today will be early enough for us with Friday and Saturday being the main days. The guy who shows us where to park the van (locally known a Brownie) is quite a character and has all the vans organised and placed where he wants them. For those who aren’t real good at backing he yells instructions at the top of his lungs and guides them in with a 6ft Long stick. Could be a real put off for some.

Thursday afternoon we just set up and relax, go for a bike ride and cook roast lamb for dinner. While the lamb is cooking, Philip decides to fix our umbrella just in case it rains. This is a $10 umbrella and it has a broken spoke. Two hours later and after many interesting words, glue on fingers and the umbrella, and quite a few laughs the umbrella now works beautifully. I don’t think I would be so determined but it kept him amused and busy.

After dinner we went up to the main stage to listen to the 16 best walk up performers from the last 3 days. Some of them were quite good and the evening was clear with no wind and a beautiful starry sky. Even a falling star. Now we are looking forward to the serious stuff tomorrow.

A TOUCH OF NOSTALGIA, TRIVIA OR SOMETHING

(P- I awoke this morning to the news that Actor Burt Reynolds had passed away. I just had to wake Judith and break the news and remind her how lucky she is!

WHY you may well ask? Well some 41 years ago Judith and I (and a couple of others) went to the Drive in Theatre. The Movie showing was “Smokey and the Bandit”, starring Burt Reynolds and Sally Field. Judith was lucky (my opinion) enough to sit in the front (next to me). The rest you may say is history!! Wow time flies and in my opinion. The old “Smokey” is a damn special movie! How lucky am I and how lucky are we.

HOWEVER in hindsight maybe we should have named Mark, “Burt” and Joanne, “Sally” given the First time out together with “Smokey and the Bandit”.)