Day 21-28

DAY 28 - Sat July 17

• We are looking at heading back to Port to see Ben & Sarah's baby and tie up a few loose ends. Problem is, it's roughly 2206km! That's a long way to tow a van too... thinking of heading back in a few days after we do the Barrier Reef tour on Monday (without the van hopefully). We've been really undecided about the best way to get home as flights are also really expensive and we want to drop a few things off that we wont need... mmmmm 
• Geoff put some ridiculously big, definately ugly mud flaps on the Car... (We already noticed a stone chip on the back of the car and we havnt even been on a dirt road with the van yet. All others we have talked too highly recommended something to protect the back of the car and the front of the caravan from rock damage).

• Tomorrow we are FINALLY leaving Cairns and heading to Wonga beach which is about 45km North of Port Douglas as we are doing the reef tour from Port Douglas on Monday. 

Bush Turkey blogging today's update

These photos below are of the fandangle boat motor box that Geoff made before we left Port... Its going great too...

DAY 27 - Fri July 16

• The "Dugong" and "Bush Turkey" went for their first run (for the purposes of exercise incase you were wondering). The Dugong's "jogging" speed was too fast for the Bush Turkey and her limbs were flopping around like spaghetti (or so it seemed).
• Still in Cairns organising... today we designed and made a fishing rod holder in the car. Awesome! although still needs some tweaking... 

The rods are held on with some velcro tabs which are screwed on. The rods used to live on the roof racks under the boat but then couldn't be accessed without removing the boat.

The hunter sharpening his new ax...

DAY 26 - Thurs July 15

• Cruiser had a 3rd battery installed for an in-car fridge for when we go to the holiday house (camping). 

• Rode bikes into the city and went to the movies, saw "Knight & Day". Adams Movie Rating (AMR) 16.5/20 "Quite entertaining"
• We LOVE riding our bikes around Cairns (and I only got horned once by a car). 

DAY 25 - Weds July 14

• Mr Mechanic fixed by bike. When we rode to Church my bike decided it was now an Auto and kept changing gears frequently... it made for an interesting ride.
• Today the car seat punched me in the face so hard it knocked my sunnies off! I went to 'upright' my seat after laying down and as it forcefully sprung forwards I turned to look at Geoff... he thought it was hilarious and laughed for a long time - no sympathy!
• The humble porta-loo (it's basically a bucket with a toilet seat lid) has become one of our most versatile items...     

1. Obviously porta-loo, 
2. Laddder, 
3. Bin with closing lid
4. fish bucket. Who knew!

DAY 24 - Tues July 13

• Still hanging in Cairns just getting ourselves organised for the rest of the trip.
• Used mixing bowls for dessert bowls tonight as we both didn't feel like washing up but desperately wanted dessert

DAY 23 - Mon July 12

• Mr Mechanic installed the new radiator and the car works!!! I'm impressed to say in the least (and absolutely relieved). For someone who knew nothing about cars this is quite an accomplishment.

DAY 22 - Sun July 11

• Really wanted to go to Church today but obviously the car wasn't an option - so we decided to ride the bikes the 4km into town. Ended up having to saw the bikes off the bike rack as the bike lock had seized up. We madly peddled (as we were now running late), to Living Waters Cairns and arrived sweaty and smelly (I may have forgotten deoderant that day). It was a great service. The msg was on making sure we are fertile soil so the seed (word of God) takes root and is not stolen by the birds (enemy).  And also the importance of tending to it and watering it etc. to avoid the weeds (cares of this world) choking it.
• After Church we rode along the Esplanade which runs along the coast. Cairns seems to be a very wealthy place! On the Esplanade there was the most amazing kids playground, massive skatepark, beach volleyball, heaps of nice BBQ areas and a large open pool with white sand edges (as you cant swim in the sea). There is such a diversity of people here; wealthy, 4WDrivers, backpackers, every race of people and language just about... it's an amazing place! The city is all flat too with bike lanes everywhere so getting around on a bike is great fun. 

Thats Cairns City across the massive mud flats... and the Marina below...

 

• We learnt that you can only buy wine in a Goon Sac here after 4pm!

DAY 21 - Sat July 10

• Happy birthday Danielle - miss you!
• 105,000 km Service on the Cruiser
• Geoff, now "Mr Mechanic" attempted to change the rear suspension airbag (as it had popped up at the Cape). After hours of pulling off the wheel, the suspension, handbreak cables etc. Mr Mechanic discovered the clowns had given him the wrong size replacement airbag and they were closed until Monday! Most people in this situation would probably say a few choice words, possibly throw some tools and take it out on the nearest unfortunate soul... but Mr Mechanic shrugged his shoulders and begun putting it all back together minus the airbag. 

• Mr Mechanic then informed me he was now going to replace the radiator. You have to understand this was coming from a guy who's idea of 'mechanics' on a car involved popping the bonnet and just making sure the engine was 'still in there'. But as all good wives do, I smiled and nodded but was inwardly FREAKING OUT! By dinner time there were bits of car spread around the lawn but he had managed to remove the damaged radiator - I sure hope he knows how to put it all back together again!

• We ate our freshly hunted fish from yesterday for dinner. Might need to practice cooking it a little more though.