Paws and Reflect

  G'Day, Kia Ora and Hello from the Tropics. I am sat underneath (above photo) this tropical scene hoping no stray coconuts knock me unconscious as, let's face it, there are only so many animals that can kill me so why not an inanimate object too! We have lingered longer in Port Douglas as, once you're here, it's very hard to leave....in fact it's hard to do very much so some self-motivation has been required to blog this morning. This is our 4th visit to PD as it had been our Winter holiday of choice from NZ; being only a short flight across the Tasman. So, a bit like the Brits heading off to Spain for the winter but without the English Pubs, wall to wall sun loungers, and cafes selling a "full English"! Mmm probably not the best analogy......nothing like going to Spain for winter hehe. We normally stay at a great little motel called the Pink Flamingo which, as it turns out, is dog friendly but due to having accommodation already (on wheels) we checked in...

  A Von Blog...(you have been warned) Yes, a blog in quick succession to Shazza's offering the other day but we are behind in our musings and so I thought I would take the opportunity, whilst parked up in the low cost ($2) camp site in Mount Molloy, to bring us all up to speed. We were definitely enjoying our time in Karumba but on the Thursday I started to feel a bit, shall we say, dodgy.  My sinus' felt blocked and irritated which could have been the water in the swimming pool (too many children germs)(and yes Mum, I certainly should not have put my head under the water) or, if not the pool, then perhaps a decidedly hot pickled chilli which I ate whole (and yes Mum, again, perhaps not a wise idea).  By Friday the possible sinus irritation had become a definite 'cold' with some symptoms inline with Covid symptoms.   What to do?  A moral conundrum if ever there was one.  If we ignored the symptoms and then it did transpire to be Cov...

A slightly surreal scenario at this moment, as I am typing the latest overdue blog from a poolside patio table in Tropical Queensland surrounded by palm trees and greenery. I feel like one of those author types who sit looking for inspiration in a wifi friendly cafe....close but no cigar! I am also confined to barracks having contracted Von's stinking non-covid cold. Von is currently in her happy place hoovering and cleaning the inside of the van with the occasional foray into the pool for a cool down. We are very fortunate to have been gifted a long weekend in Cairns (Trinity Park) at the abode of Les & Julie Crawford who we hope to actually see when they return from their weekend away. So the surreal bit is the absolute overdose of verdant foliage and abundant GREEN everywhere having ventured back East from the West of Queensland. It was, initially, quite overpowering particularly as it felt like someone had drawn a line over the road and we went from DUSTY BROWN to GREEN in ...