I Smell a Rat!!!

Sunday 16th September

The plan today is for a pretty easy day. We have a short train ride booked for this morning in a 1940s style train which has been restored ( the carriages were old Indian Pacific ones). Its just a short 1 hour ride, out past the Richmond RAAF airport and the vintage machinery show to Mulgrave and return. A great little ride on a beautiful morning (complete with Champagne, Scones, Jam and Cream! After the train ride we walked back to pick up our car and drive out to Costco and IKEA and then the Lindt Chocolate Factory Store. When we arrived at Costco the car park was so full and there were so many people about we decided to give it a miss and go in to Ikea, this was pretty much the same and decided that we would visit these stores when in Melbourne in a few of days time and not on a Sunday when everyone is doing the same thing. Just as well the Lindt Shop was nowhere as busy. We decided that we would buy a box of “pick your own” to fill the box. Didn’t say how many you could put in the box as long as the lid closed to the specified line. Well Philip likes a challenge and was in his element, determined to see how many chocolates he could get in the box. Finally when we checked out he had 1.8 kg of Chocolate in a box that most would get less than a kilo in. He was so impressed that he went back for a second box. Guess what everyone is getting for Christmas!!! (P-don’t rely on them as a Christmas Gift as all that may be left are the pretty wrappers!)

(P- if they end up as gifts they may be unique Lindt chocolates as there was a slight compression to get them to fit in the box!! At least square instead of round Lindt’s won’t roll off the table!)

Philip now decides that as it’s very early afternoon We would go and hook up the van and instead of driving down the Hume Highway to Melbourne we would go up over the Blue Mountains towards Bathurst and then south through Cowra and Wagga Wagga. By now I’m getting a little suspicious! Why the big change of direction? Why leave this afternoon instead of tomorrow? Think I need to do some questioning and maybe Googling! Once we are packed up an on the road I pose the question, what’s out this way to see and what towns will we pass through heading south? After listing a few towns he mentions Henty!!! Now I have been around a bit and visited many field days over my time and I know that there is a huge Agricultural Field day held in Henty each year! You guessed it, guess what’s on as we pass through this little town in a couple of days? That’s right, the opening day of the Henty Field Days. I knew there had to be a reason for the change of plans.

That being said, the drive over the mountains was spectacular, even though photography was limited. As we neared Bathurst we could see Mount Panorama off to the side. Philip contemplated doing a lap of the race track but would have been a bit limited with the van in tow, so we will have to do that another time. We found a nice little overnight camp not far past Bathurst and stopped for the night. A very easy dinner tonight of mushrooms on toast (we had a big lunch before leaving Richmond so didn’t need much.

Monday

Today’s drive has been lovely. Rain 3 weeks ago has given everything a nice green tinge and the Canola crops are a vibrant yellow, almost glowing on the hillsides. There are some quaint little villages and some impressive old homesteads and railway cottages along our route. First stop for the day today was at Cowra Japanese Garden and the prisoner of war sites. The garden was great but would be beautiful in several weeks when all the blossoms are in full bloom. It’s a lovely spot to wander around and break our trip. Back on the road we continue towards Henty where we find the show ground and our camp spot for the next two nights. We will certainly revisit this area again to have more time to soak up some history. The drive down the Olympic Highway has been great and worth taking some time to explore.

(P- Judith mentioned the green fields! Yes they were green and the canola was yellow BUT it’s a green drought. The green is the result of a small rain in the area approx. 3 weeks ago, just enough to brighten things up. The wheat is ankle high at best. The Canola just a little higher whereas it should be waist high at a minimum! The word around is most of the crops won’t make grain harvest and some of the better ones may be cut for Hay. It’s going to be an incredibly tough year for a large number of Farmers and rural towns and a struggle to recover before the next natural disaster strikes!)(With the drought fools gold this year!!!)

Tuesday

Philip is chaffing at the bit this morning ready to head out to the Field Day site.

(P- Untrue, Judith omitted to mention that she was served a cup of tea, Hash Browns, Grilled Smoked Bacon, Grilled Tomato and scrambled eggs in BED!! If I was in a real rush it would have been a donut at the Field day!)

In all his travels he has never been to this Field Day. We are in the car and on the road just before 8am. Then in a line of traffic 10 k long, sneaking long at 2 k an hour until we reach the car park. I will leave the rest to Philip and he can tell you about the Field Day.

(P-It is amazing how “lucky” we were to stumble across this Rural event! It was a well organised Field Day with mainly Broad Acre and Grain equipment. A vast variety of good food and the usual stalls selling “everything but the Mother In Law”. A great day was had by both of us, I am sure Judith has already mentioned the new 1/2 wardrobe of clothes she purchased! A fun day and back at van at 3pm with an enormous headache, so drugs and a siesta for me!)