After a whirlwind trip through the centre of Queensland and into NSW, we’re now in Newcastle awaiting repairs to our rig on Monday. Central Qld was an interesting experience. Drought stricken for sure, and different altogether to being on the coast. We love the coast, but seeing the interior was enjoyable  all the same. We most likely wouldn’t have chosen to go there if it hadn’t been for our needed repairs. So, I’m reminded once again that clouds tend to have a silver lining if you look for it.

We arrived on Friday and are staying at a lovely caravan park, with our van backed right up to the lake. We lay in bed this morning watching the horizon turn red as the sun rose over beautiful Lake Macquarie. Believe me, tucked up warm and snug in bed was the best place to be watching it from. It’s freezing. The sky’s blue and clear and the sun’s shining. But the wind cuts right through you.

We can’t take the van off the car until we’ve had the legs replaced. The manufacturers had loads of trouble with the legs we currently have on the van, so we’re getting them to replace them with the type they use now. While they’re doing the legs, we’re thinking of getting them to add a storage box to the undercarriage. These are now standard on all their caravans, and it’ll mean we can store our outdoor table and chairs there for travelling, instead of laying them on our bed. Until the repairs are completed, we’re travelling on foot. So, we’re having a few enforced, ‘Life of Riley’ rest days.

Paul washed the outside of the van today, while I gave the inside a good clean. Amazing how much red dust has found itself into every little crack. We think we have it all clean, but then when we travel the bouncing down the roads shakes more out. The joys of the nomadic lifestyle!

We’ve just been for a lovely, bracing walk on the banks of the lake. We both had beanies on, and I had trackies on along with a tee shirt and two polar fleeces. It took about half an hour of walking before I’d warmed up enough to unzip my top fleece. It was worth it though. There’s loads of black swans and mallard ducks, as well as other bird life on the lake, so really pretty. Even though we enjoyed it,  Paul says he ‘didn’t sign up for this’. I agree, our plan has been to follow nice weather. But as we’re finding out, our plans are fluid, extremely fluid. It won’t be long till we’re heading north again to find warmer weather.