Articles

2002 Off Centre Rally - The Big U
Submitted by David Drummond, 3:640/305

Day 11 - Wednesday 13th August (Mt Isa to Hughenden)

Bought Rick a few magazines and took them up to him. He hadn't slept well the night before and was now having trouble keeping his eyes open. We told him we were leaving Mt Isa today and wished him well.

Called in at the post office. No news of the parcel from Morgan & Wacker. Called in again at Mt Isa Motorcycles, in case it had turned up there. Still nothing. Suddenly the lady remembered that the Post Office had notified her of some parcels to be collected. She said she would go and collect them, in case mine is among them. We packed up our stuff from the caravan park, fuelled up (with Premium Unleaded Petrol ("PULP") - a real treat for my bike!) and went back to the bike shop. Lo and behold, she had the part! Note: If sending for parts, get them sent to me care of the Post Office - not care of a motorbike shop.

At last we were heading east again, through the Curry, stopped at a rest area for lunch, fuelling up again at Julia Creek. PULP again - but 10 cents a litre dearer than Mt Isa. On the road again to Richmond, then Hughenden - fighting a cold southerly all the way. Was that why my fuel economy was so bad today, or is it the type of fuel? Stayed in our usual place at our usual caravan park at Hughenden. Went into town for dinner at our usual Chinese Restaurant. It is the old-fashioned type of Australian Chinese restaurant - 10 pages of menu items (not numbered, though) and served with a fork and spoon - no offer of chopsticks. Run by a family - Mum is "head waitress", Dad out of the back cooking, and the two teenage boys also waiting at tables in between doing homework at one of the tables and watching Home and Away on the big TV in the restaurant. We had a mixed entree (1 dim sim, 1 spring roll and a prawn and ham toast, with a small container of red dipping sauce). Then we both had "Sizzling King Prawns with Garlic Sauce" and shared a small plate of fried rice. There was so much, I didn't manage to finish all mine, but of course David ate his all up.