Yet another welcome to yet another month of 2017, this time the fourth month and guess what? You will just have to read on sorry. Nothing like being kept in suspenders is there? This is the March update though so I did to do a up... got ya Rocky :) Read on.

The start of March saw me still at Greens Lake and started off with a large group on the L/H side of the ramp with 2 generators set up and facing me just on the R/H side of the ramp. Thats OK I hear you say but these buggers had both Genies going from 8.00am until midnight every day for 4 days, thats NOT OK. I asked one of the ladies the first morning was there a need to have them going until midnight and was told the kids were hot and needed the aircon on, mmm, so was I and could not get to sleep due to the noise, get over it I was told. I know some would say get over it by cutting the cords or sugar in tanks etc but that would lower myself to their inconsiderate attitude so  I just had to put up with it knowing they would be gone soon. Yep, there are some very inconsiderate people out here in the playground and I tell you that for free.

After all that drama, serenity returned to Greens Lake and was lovely during week days with a few locals venturing out after early dinners for a quick run around in their boats etc as has been most of this season. All was good until.

Labour Day Weekend in VIC. Busy busy busy and yet another gene, this time all night. If people need power all night for a health reason, then do something about Solar Power and 12v set up. I know a few people that have a breathing machine for sleeping but have 12v set up so no problems for them or fellow campers. Maybe I am turning into a grumpy old man!? You might remember Mr Y from last month, well he was back with friends, all set up just on the left of the ramp as last time. Unfortunately, the generator was right next to his friends. They had enough after the second night and left. Mr Y got stressed due to lack of sleep but battled on as he loves his fishing for little Red Fin. Like me he survived. We did get a bit worried on the final day, Monday when the gene people didnt pack up and most campers had gone. Bugga, at least another night of noise ahead. Until, 8.00pm and they started to pack up and one hour later had gone. A yell of joy was heard throughout Greens Lake. Yeeeeh! 

Visitors as in previous months arrived and left throughout the month with some staying longer than planned. Two just called in, said hello and left a short time later on their journey. It is always nice to see people I have met before and equally nice to meet new people. Things are starting to slow down in that department though.

Time for the weather report and seeing the weather gods are busy as we speak I spose I better do it. Picture me standing in front of the weather map, mmmm, not a pretty picture hey? Well the weather was hot for most of the month really with little to not much rain, at Greens anyway. Some warm nights were hard to sleep but a dip in the lake before bed and a 12v fan at the end of the bed helps a lot.

Now, wait for it. Are you still waiting? Well, you will not guess. I HAVE LEFT GREENS LAKE! Wow I here you say. You thought I had become a permanent resident at Greens, didnt you? Soooorry.

I left mid month after a very nice farewell sunrise a couple of days after the gene weekend and stayed at Girgarre town park, not far too the east of Greens for 4 nights, spending time cleaning the van inside and out, away from the dust etc, ready for a van service on 20/3/17. After a busy day on the Sunday I was sitting at the table in the van and fell asleep when vroom, vroom, someone started up a gene, bugga I thought. Oh well. I decided to go empty my toot canister ready for departure early the next morning and on way back a lady came over and asked if I was Doug, yes I say. Always a worry when that happens :) I do have my name on the back of the van so cant hide I spose. Turns out it was GNs, Lynda and Paul, very nice couple and I tell you that for free, a happy hour was quickly arranged and a great chat took place. Oh! The gene didnt last long as they had trouble starting their fridge on gas but finally got it started.

Next morning, I was up just before first light and headed to Shepparton for the van to get a service. No problems with the brakes or Bearings and that was the main thing I wanted checked. They did have to replace the 7-pin round plug and one Anderson plug on the van that had both corroded, mmm, interesting, Ill work on that so it hopefully doesnt happen again. All good now and I was on my way. I spent the day while waiting doing things I had planned but ran out of time for a visit to a GN friend that lives in Shepparton. Sorry, next time Bob and Debbie.

I headed for the NSW boarder and settled in at Jugiong show ground, between Gundagai and Yass next to the Hume Highway, well its below the Hume really, in a little gully. It is a lovely place alongside the Murrumbidgee river and is a donation camp. The donation box is next to the main public toilet block out front. Water is also available and a dump point to empty toots along with bins for rubbish. Some towns just have it right and some dont really care. Great reports from many users can be found in Wikicamps. What is that I hear you ask, well its an App that has a lot of camping/van spots around Australia listed and is user friendly so has up to date information and pics, well worth the under $10 cost. Approximately 30 to 40 happy campers each night with one night at least 100 campers. I spent 5 nights at this lovely friendly place. That is what you call a real RV friendly town.

There is also a lovely pub and café on the other side of road. They also get mainly good reports. Just down the road is a little truckie café and a BP servo. I walked across to the pub Tuesday night for pizza night. One of two Pizza nights, the other is Saturday, Well, what can I say? I know, SPECTACULAR! I had probably the best pizza I have ever had out and downed with a lovely boutique beer, Three Sheets, Pale Ale from the Lord Nelson Brewery, well, 3 of those were the final score. The main menu at other times looks very expensive and some good and bad reports. Everyone is different and although tempted to go another night, I didnt.

I ventured to Young NSW not far up the road one day to visit friends and spent a few hours there. I went to show Garry what I had done in the back of the Collie and, not again, the stupid rear canopy lock wouldnt unlock again, I had hoped that was all behind me. Nope it wasnt. On my way out of Young I noticed a Police car flashing his lights at me from other direction then on went the blue and red lights, waved me to the side of the road. I pulled over as he did a u turn (over double white lines) and he came up to me and I asked what had I done wrong, nothing yet just a breath test and licence check please. Talk into this, I did and he checked my licence and all was good so off I went. Still nothing. He probably saw my VIC plates and thought he had me. Nup, sorry officer:)

I got back to the van and tried to open the canopy again but no go. The next morning arrived and still no go. After relocating the van to a different spot as I wasnt happy where I was I looked up Locksmiths and found one in Wagga Wagga. I wanted to whip across there at some stage to check the place out so off I headed. Got to the Locksmith and went to get my wallet out. BUGGA, left it back at van, while in my annoyed state. Doubly annoyed now I went in and explained calmly my lock problem plus my stupidity. He came out with a spray of some sort and what looked like a little pick thing. He sprayed and played with his little pick for about 30 seconds then turned with key. BINGO, unlocked. Phew! He charged me $15.00 and worth every cent. Just as well I have gold coins in the Collie for laundry and parking if needed. Im blaming Uncle Al. Gotta blame someone.

I didnt bother looking around due to the number of police that seem to be around, must have been a blitz on. So I decided to head back to Jugiong and hope I didnt get pulled over for a breath test and licence check as I noticed a few on the side of the road heading to Wagga. Luck was finally on my side and made it back without any checks. I have since put a note in front of me on the windscreen to remind meGET YOUR BLOODY WALLET! Sorry, excuse my French, that word just slipped out. 

Sunday  arrived and time to move on to my next destination to visit friends, Alan and Adele who live on the mid Nth NSW coast. Due to storms, all through areas I am heading I had to keep an eye on the weather, even more so than normal. There was also a nasty looking Cyclone, Debbie, brewing and building up steam just off the Nth QLD coast so kept an eye on that as well, well both eyes on that beast actually. I had a good run up the Hume and Pacific Highways without any problems at all although I was driving in fog until just south of Sydney then rain for quite a few KMs. A couple of cars aquaplaned as they were going to fast on wet roads and a bend, all OK though and I was far enough back not to be a problem to me as gave me plenty of time to slow down even more than I was already. I finally arrived at my destination, Mid Nth NSW Coast around 3.45pm all safe. I wasnt sure at that stage if I will get stuck on that part of the coast yet.

I enjoyed a couple of days catching up with good friends, thankyou Alan and Adele. While I was there Cyclone Debbie hit further North and caused havoc then as she moved inland decided to hang a left turn and head south. I did manage to get away and left on the Wednesday and decided to prop at Byron Bay but Debbie, by then downgraded to a tropical low and her tail lashing violently as she moved south east letting us know she was powerful and causing havoc arrived. She came to Byron as well with gale force winds and heavy rain so grounded all there for a couple of days. Flooding was around the NSW/QLD boarder, further in land and the Lismore area, a little further south west from me. I have been in strong winds and heavy rains before but these were something else. Debbies tail was very powerful indeed. As I do this all is good with my van and myself and have managed to keep dry and safe. That all said, I hope to make a run for it early Sunday morning and get to the Sunshine Coast/Glasshouse Mountains for the month of April but you will have to wait until next month to find out if I made it safely I spose. I might send out a quick message to say if I made it though.

Thats all for this month so keep safe out there everyone. Ill try very hard myself.

Some pics below as usual.

Stop the press!

It looked like my departure might be held up as the Pacific Hwy that I need to get into QLD by is now flooded and blocked south of Tweed River, so I decided to hold back with this update until I got into QLD and settled. I also decided to leave some comments above to help tell the story so to speak.

How am I finding out information about road closures etc? Well, I am using two apps of my mobile phone, Live Traffic NSW and QLD Traffic. Both are up to date information and I have found them excellent. I also have their web sites on my Laptop. I do find the QLD one not quite as user friendly as the NSW one though.  Im sure each State and Territory will have similar. DONT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT THEM.

Obviously, I made it through into QLD as I am writing this and all set up ready to spend April doing a house sit in the Glasshouse Mountains area, yeh I know, but someone has to do it. I noticed on my way through from Byron Bay, all the areas effected by flooding and looked a horrible dark brown colour. Rubbish up against fences on side of road and cars just left on side of road too. More than likely the owners got caught in the floods and had to just leave the cars there. Im sure over the next few days they will slowly be moved away. The affected areas looked disaster areas and they are. It will take months, years maybe to get back to the way it was. My thoughts go out to the families that lost loved ones.

So here I am now housesitting and ready to explore, bring it on.

Ok, thats it now, so take care out there everyone.

DOUG

Final Greens sunrise

Mr Y fishing for his little Redfin

I found these two training in Shepparton but think they wer from Moo roopna

Jugiong Show Ground

The donation box at Jugiong

Pub at Jugiong