Charleville in a day

All these photos of a beautiful old pub in Charleville 

Barman’s RDO

As the sign says

The ford Everest is still causing us some grief so we head to DR FORDS office for a full body scan, we are soon to discover the BLUE GUM CAFE I settle on the big breakfast . With better conditions forecast for today, today is only expected to reach 35 with late afternoon showers . Tom has arranged for us to do a guided tour of the soldiers rest and retreat at a remote location out of town. Some people really care for these first responders and the effort they put in to help others is something special. With a clean bill of health the ford is ready for a big drive down to Louth , but with the management of SHINDYS HOTEL on the phone asking if we would like to change our plans. A very good chance of heavy rains approaching over the next two days could see us stranded, WADDA decides to detour via COBAR. More tomorrow……..WADDA

Betoota to Longreach

 As you smart people probably realise WADDA fell behind with his blog because of wi fi not being available deep in outback QLD. So now where back in civilisation things should be okay. After departing the lonely outpost of BETOOTA with food in our stomachs and relieved of a great chunk of money LONGREACH is our next destination some 550 ks to the.north. After taking on some refreshments in the small town of WINDORAH we start the next leg to LONGREACH planning to stop at JUNDAH for lunch. The vehicle decided to have a hissy fit on this lonely outback stretch of road in 38 degree heat, to avoid heat exhaustion we decided that by keeping up our fluids we should be fine. Limp mode is not funny just 30kph for 30 kilometres and the blazing sun was not helping our mood swings. I’m into the esky one more time only to find our water supply cactus the coke was also all gone, but we do have a generous supply of beer ,we aren’t going to perish just yet. The hissy fit problem fixes it self so after missing out on lunch at JUNDAH we head for STONEHENGE no food here either so we will now have to wait until our arrival in LONGREACH to curb our hunger . With a great meal and a few glasses of cheap wine under our belts the days troubles seem so far away. Sorry no photos today just to tired……….WADDA

Surplus photos

Men at work on a really hot day

at Mungrannie

B

The ballroom at Betoota

This is the pub ….again

Rainbow at BETOOTA

 

The long lonely highway

 Our time in Mungaranie is almost over and what a time it’s been, from the fabulous hosts to the wide open spaces and the sheer distance from anywhere. The size of our country is truly remarkable and to travel it with 3 great mate’s makes is more remarkable, and after watching a sound and light show performed by Mother Nature that night it starts to rain. Early next morning we are full of excitement as we depart this lonely location . Not far into our 600 k plus journey to we come across a road train loaded with cattle stuck on a wet and soggy jump up, not much further on down the the track we come across another traveler stuck in the mud, we push on .With another 300 ks to go along the famous Birdsville track we push hard for a lunch break in the famous BIRDSVILLE HOTEL,this place is like a ghost town everything shut down and the streets deserted…….you have seen the last of WADDA and his cronies .we cut east and make for the real desolated location of BETOOTA. The temperature is climbing into the high 30s and the old folk are fast looking for a shady spot, as the harsh terrain keeps unfolding before us our target is insight. We are greeted by a couple of dogs and the publican whose name is ROBBO or so he says . Fun begins with the storyteller taking centre stage, many hours later he decides to rustle up some fine food for the exhausted travelers and calls it rooshooters stew. Before dinner is to be served in the so called ballroom we must wash a very heavy layer of dust from the tables, temperature now hovering near 40c god it’s hot .I retire to the so called bedroom which is even hotter, by now it’s not funny anymore. I consider dragging my mattress outside to one of the many outside tables, but with the presence of dingoes and other scary shit WADDA stays indoors and suffers in silence. Showering at 4am brings some relief,as night turns to day more harrowing thoughts cross WADDAS mind, was it heat stress or did I hear mention of roo shooters stew for breakfast. Oh my god will I ever be the same again………..WADDA

Early mornings 

Just love this stuff

Oh yeah

Mother Nature at night

Mungarannie and surrounds

 The beautiful Mungarannie hotel 

Water feature and wetlands also the home of the straw necked ibis

The long term parking at Mungarannie

Sunrise 0630 am

Road train

This tree was reportedly used by the Afghan cameleers to tether their camels

Photo failure

 Until I remember how to post photos again you will just have to be patient …….WADDA  PS     I’m working on the problem as I speak

Another trip to the interior of our beautiful country

 With Covid fading fast in our rear view mirror it time to let some moths out of my wallet, with the seeds planted in my head by my good friend who will be known as Jack I ponder the problem . As this project gather legs rather quickly one Saturday afternoon about three months ago over a few cool drinks, at about this time we realise we are short of many of the ingredients to drive this dream further than my backyard. Firstly we don’t have clearance from the lovely ladies and next up we are short on transportation , one hour later we have solved everything that needed solving so let the planning begin . Fast forward 3 months later we depart the lovely Seymour heading for wycheproof to team up with a couple of other adventures, we are ready to go bush , we are headed for Peterborough in South Australia stopping in at Morgan to attend to some family affairs, Our arrival in at the motel is disappointing I thought we had stumbled on to a people smugglers half way house ,but no I was assured this was our accommodation for the next 12 hours. Crammed in with only inches between us I kept one eye open all night just to be safe than sorry, tomorrow we tackle the infamous Birdsville track some 620 kms to our north. Seating arrangements have changed as Jack is promoted to the front seat to navigate as he is the only South Australian on board we feel more in the hands of this military trained expert. We pass only one other vehicle on the road to Mungerannie and we arrive safely with nothing broken or bent . With the food ho and the beer cold I’m sure our stay at this extremely location will be memorable…………..WADDA

Times up

 The last 6 weeks we’ve spent in the UK have been let me just say special, , with daughter no 2 who managed and choreographed the whole program. With Cornwall pretty much covered including the EDEN PROJECT we shift our sights to stuff that was more localised. The museum at TRING certainly captured our attention, it has taken taxidermy to a whole new level. As we stay local for a few days plotting our trip  by train to WHITBY then on up to GLASGOW for a few days. What a beautiful city and the people so friendly we head on up to INVERNESS to ride the Harry Potter train from PORT WILLIAM to MALLIAG . The money shot was crossing over the GLENFINNAN VIADUCT well worth the effort ,and the SCOTTISH HIGHLANDS make this journey worthwhile. Our return journey is via CARLISLE to see parts of HAYDRIANS Wall and the castle.I’ve saved my last big events till last. Sunday saw us head to CAMBRIDGE the university town and I wasn’t disappointed this beautiful old city was beyond all my expectations .We bed down for the night in a place called ROYSTON because tomorrow it’s off to Duxford air museum to check out the fastest passenger plane ever built, yes one of the surviving CONCORDE’s and the American spy plane the SR 71 BLACKBIRD. Again not disappointed it just taken me from 1974 till today to get up close and personal with this beautiful piece of machinery to achieve my dream . My journey home begins tomorrow out of STANSTED and ends Wednesday night back in the country I love……..Wadda              PS ……Sorry no photos my storage is chock a block and I don’t know how to transfer then. ……NEWSFLASH …………Daughter no2 loved our company so much she has waived all accommodation costs

Saturday special

 With the road heading northward we are beginning a day with great enthusiasm where off to visit Issac Newtons house where he was born and lived for the majority of his life. On arrival at Woolsthorpe manor the crowd had already begun to arrive so we join the queue, Waddas

The tree

not really interested where this genius slept and ate I just wanted to see that apple tree right or wrong. For a tree it looked a bit messy but for 350 years old I just call it a survivor , and in another part of the orchard I found another interesting thing.

Interesting 

They reversed his original theory and shot an apple seed into space, anyway have had enough of this scientific stuff so we head for Royston . All of a sudden amid waving and pointing they have spotted Wimpole manor my heart sunk , when we pull in to the car park after a rapid exit off the A65 I nearly fainted the amount of people was unbelievable. I want to go for a look around but my exhausted body says  no and I find a shady spot and await the ladies return ……..Wadda 

Fun and surprises

 Well as I said in my last post our last weekend in the UK would have a few surprises, yes we heading to Woolsthorpe manor house about 60 miles northeast from where I’m currently staying. You say what’s famous about this place, just in case you don’t know it’s where the apple lobbed on poor old Issac Newtons head . The tree is now 350 years old so I’m going to check to see if it needs pruning and maybe nick an apple or 2 . Then a family pilgrimage to a little place called Yelling and on to Royston for a couple of nights , and then off to Cambridge for a look around. And Monday it’s off to Duxford air museum to see the concord should be good till the next blog see ya……….Wadda 

Carlisle to DEANSHANGER

 Nothing to say today but some more photos and a very quiet week ahead , getting ready for a fun filled weekend full of surprises and dreams……….Wadda 

Bad weather coming 

Carlisle cathedral 

Our hotel in Carlisle 

The rocket 

Some left over photos

I’ll never smoke again

But I still have the urge

A dog on the train to Edinburgh 

Station poster

Scottish commando monument 

Front seat driver and tour leader

 

Inverness to Carlisle

 The 7.55 Inverness to Carlisle awaits us on platform 1 at Inverness station ,after all the beautiful weather we’ve had today dawns very cool and overcast. Top temperature expected about 9 c and with the cloud cover very low ,but as we are heading south hopefully things improve.. Daughter number 2 informs we are only 60 miles from Haydrians wall but i told her we are still no going . Where 2 hrs into our journey and not very far out of Perth the clouds have lifted and we are in brilliant sunshine, and the temperature has maxed out at a beautiful 13 c. The fickle weather has turned again this time on the approach to Edinburgh it’s overcast and it’s heading for 9 c , I just love it. The train to Carlisle is not running today so we have to catch a coach, as we push our way through the crowds not knowing where the bus is we spot the bus in the distance. When everyone is aboard we set sail for Carlisle,as the bus clears the streets of Edinburgh the rain begins to fall. on and off all the way to Carlisle. That’s enough for one day………Wadda 

Some more photos

The viaduct by 3

Malliag pub

Port

Waiting for a train 

Also waiting for a train 

Window shot

 

Our big day to Malliag

 With a 730 bus to catch we were up early, with an on time departure we head from Fort William about 70 miles away. We are catching the HARRY POTTER train to Malliag as part of a 12 hour trip through the rugged Scottish highlands, the highlight will crossing the GLENFINNAN BRIDGE . After stopping on the bridge for a photo shot we made our way to the Glenfinnan railway station for some more happy snaps. We continue on to Malliag for a look around and some lunch, the bus arrives to transport us back to Inverness via the Glenfinnan viaduct but at ground level, and we weren’t disappointed. More driving and stopping and we eventually arrived back in Inverness at 730 pm tired but happy, that’s all folks……Wadda 

Some rough shots around lnverness

It was far to cold to be taking any notice of the commentary so my apologies 

 

Glasgow to Inverness

 What a great day to be travelling the sun is out no wind and we have Inverness in our sights, after waiting 30 minutes out the front the cab eventually arrived and we head off to QUEENS station for a1007 departure. My worries about snail rail are soon forgotten as we take off like a dog shot in the a..e and pretty soon we are starting to climb upwards towards the Scottish highlands .This is not the prettiest country you would imagine it to be but it’s okay, climbing even higher the vegetation starts to look somewhat stressed and treeless. As we keep going up the remnants of winter start to appear yes folks it’s snow not much i might add but it’s still snow. 3hrs after we departed Glasgow we arrive in Inverness not a cloud in the sky but a heafty drop in temperature ,with no access to the Graphite apartments till 4pm we decide to do another lap on the big red bus. The conditions were not ideal but we had a lovely time being chilled to the bone and thinking why did I waste 10 quid on this crazy bus in the highlands of Scotland, we are a bit silly at times. The ladies have hit the shops again and left Wadda home alone to tidy up and do the washing ,I’m now so used to doing all these things I think my job description might change when i return home, early start tomorrow where off to ride the Hogwart express at FORT WILLIAM should be fun catch ya tomorrow…….Wadda 

Museum photos only

 Z

Just me on the Glenlee

The Clyde river 

Steering Wheel 

The new captain 

Entrance 

Very old tractor 

Wooden van

Dennys new wheels 

Early motor bike

Fantastic display of old transportation stuff