Thanks for the replies guys, calmed down a bit now, this really has capped off a final few days of our trip.
I should probably give a brief summary of our trip here, even though it wasnt really camping.
We packed the V6 Prado on the 6/6 and left early on the 7th. Onboard were my inlaws and 4yr old Daughter, my Wife and older 2 flew up on the 10th.
Our first night was to be in Forbes, NSW, some 980kms via Mildura, Hay and
West Wyalong.
It was a great drive until i got 500m over the Victorian border, my God i cant believe how bad the regional roads are throughout the eastern seaboard. I had cramp in my hands from gripping the wheel so tight. The stretch between Mildura and Balranald was bearable but between Hay and West Wyalong it is like driving on a corrugated dirt road. I wont comment on the next 1500km...
The old Prado chewed up the K's all too easy and returned descent milage considering the baggage. We made Forbes by nightfall and booked into the caravan park.
The caravan park was interesting, we were only passing through for a few hours so accommodation wasnt really a priority, we booked the cheapest cabin, no ensuite. All good, only a short walk they said. I guess they were right, compared to how far we'd driven, the walk wasnt that far, although we werre the furthest most part of the park that you could care to be.
You get what you pay for...
Up bright and bushy tailed the next morning for the 1000km to my Brothers house.
We were going well, old mate Tom was leading the way, then he told us to turn left into some back road just short of Warwick, i swear it gave us the scenic route. We got into Brissy at 7ish.
I wont bore you with the finer details, but we did Wet N Wild twice, Movie World, hired a Bow rider and cruised the broadwater and Nerang river waterways, Munged out in Sizzler and at the Southport Sharks club, some hilarious amateur stand up comedy there on a Wednesday night.
Did some shopping at Harbour town Southport? and Pacific Fair, some real bargains to be had. Plus all the Bowls.
I gotta say, although housing appears more expensive up there, its offset by the cheaper fuel, food and clothing with the bonus of better wages.
But thats about where it ends, as drivers i cant believe how bad so many are, its no wonder your motorways are scarred with slide marks and littered with broken glass.
Dead set, we'd give a kidney to have motorways like you guys, yet you cant drive on them.
I cant understand how you mob get so many speeding fines as evident in the numerous threads that pop up on here, none of you drive at the speed limit. Its either 10k's under and stopping at every on ramp or 100 through roadworks, it blew me away to weave through the whitches hats only to be swamped by them when obeying the roadwork speed reductions time and time again.
Saw a few coppers, all in one night blitzing the motorway that heads over that big bridge towards the airport at Brisbane, apart from that i didnt think you had them.
Coming back from Coolangatta i saw the most rediculous thing i've ever witnessed on a road, some clown in front of me got nervouse at an on ramp in the dual lanes section of the motorway and actually stopped in the left lane 100k zone to let a car on, i just shook my head.
Moving on...
Coming home was interesting, we left Brisbane on Sunday at around 10.30am looking to make Narrabri by nightfall. It started raining around Ipswitch and didnt give up until we got just short of our destination, special mention to the lovely couple who offered us an umbrella at the HJ's in Warwick so we could get back to the car without drowning, it was torrential.
The accommodation in Narrabri was fantastic and the hosts were so easy to deal with, if your ever round that way give the Southern Cross a crack.
Steer clear of the KFC unless you want depression...lol
Up the next morning and on to Hay, another 700 odd k's and i have to say it was the most trecherous conditions i've ever driven in, the rain was unreal. I was mentally drained by Dubbo from staring through the wipers which couldnt keep up whilst trying to tip toe through the pools of water all over the road, and handed the reins to the mother inlaw who took us through to Parkes.
I jumped back behind the wheel and made for Hay, lucky to get there, much of the road between West Wyalong and Hay was underwater.
Then there was the Army. Must have been moving a whole regiment or whatever thery call them down to Adelaide, lines of army vehicles all doing 80-90k's. The father inlaw got cocky with one driver as we passed, the next bloke in line swung his trailer at us as we passed him and nearly put both of us into the tree's. Obviously radioed by the following vehicle and told to give us a scare, i think he **** himself and the next one we came up behind pulled over and flashed me past. A bit of PR there i think...
Some caravan park got washed out apparently and there were grey nomads everywhere looking for somewhere dry to set down, they had 'em parked in the driveways at Hay.
We made hay by 4.30, booked into the Big 4 and wondered over to the Pub for a well deserved Scotch Fillet. Compliments to the Chef and waitress.
Slept in this morning, got away around 9.30 headed home to Adelaide, ****ing down with rain again, like ground hog day...
Fairly uneventful except for the Landcruiser and XR Falcon Hwy car which came flying up behind me between Euston and Mildura, turns out someone in a VT/X had put it in the tree's, didnt look good, the Army had pulled up and were directing traffic as we passed.
And then we came home to find the place broken into.
The Wife flew home last night but as she got in late she didnt notice the damage to the shed until this afternoon when we went out the back for a coffee.
Sorry, that wasnt really brief was it.
