Shut the front gate, Knock me down with a feather and all that stuff. Where in the world did September go? Blowed if I know? Oh well, welcome to October but first a U turn to the start of September, sorry Rocky mate:)

The month started still in Gin Gin QLD but only just, just enough time to visit the Bundaberg Rum Distillery. I enjoyed the tour and Angus the tour guide was full of very good information with the odd bit of humour here and there, Angus was very passionate about the product/s he was talking about, or should that be selling? Mmmm. Still, a very enjoyable tour. I was a little disappointed because they take anything with a battery and lighters etc off you and are locked away due to the high fumes around the place, so was unable to get any pics from inside the distillery, I did get some from around the display and retail area though for my memory later down the track. I noticed on the channel 9 Today show this last week just gone that the weather presenter was at the Distillery doing her reports live and had camera in tow, so much for the fumes, hey. Would I recommend doing the tour? Yep, worth the $25 senior admission. Did I buy anything while there? Sorry, no, I am not a rum fan. I did sample a nice Liqueur though, Banana and Toffee, I was tempted but resisted.  I also caught up with a friend from Shepparton VIC while in Bundaberg and it was good to see Bob again but missed Deb due to her being a book worm at the local Library. She works there a few days each week. It was good to catch up with Bob again though.

Time to hit the frog and toad.

A quick visit to Byron Bay, where I did manage a visit to see some GNs that were camped in a free camp about 30mins south of Byron and good to see Garry and Karen again. I didn't know about the free camp but do now :) Next was a quick visit to Twelve Mile Creek, about 30km north of Newcastle NSW, where I did some quick exploring around that area including Newcastle that I had never been to but wasn't impressed, although I did like the Ocean baths, the temptation of a dip beat me and due to having shorts and towel in the Collie at all times I ended up in the water, coooold but very nice at the same time. After drying off and changing it was time for a round trip back to the creek and was via Nelson Bay area but again not my cuppa tea, sorry, very commercialised, more so than Byron Bay, that I can put up with.

Back to Byron Bay for a minute, while I was there I had to keep an eye out for fires, yes you heard right, fires. There were a few burning around areas I would be heading nearby so it was crucial to keep eyes and ears alert. The same time last year I was keeping an eye on floods.

Keep up with me here as I am all over the place :)

OH! Nearly forgot. After leaving Byron Bay I travelled through Grafton where I noticed an overhead sign warning of a four-truck, accident further along the M1 at Telegraph Point just north of Port Macquarie. Not only that but as well even another truck accident just south of Grafton caused a detour around the back road to Coffs Harbour. All went well and memories came back from same time last year where the same detour occurred. As I approached about 30 minutes north of Port Macquarie the traffic was at a standstill, yep I had come across that four-truck accident at Telegraph Point, not good either, two drivers taken to hospital for observation but one taken with serious injuries to most of his body. Traffic was getting through via one lane only so north and south lanes taking it in turns to get through with the help of traffic controllers. I chose to stay in the cue and take my turn. As I approached the scene I, as others, couldn't believe how the driver that ran into the back of stationary trucks while stopped at some overnight road works, actually survived? The accident happened at 2.00am that morning and at 2.00pm as I went past, no sign of clearing. I finally reached my destination at Twelve Mile Creek 3 hours later than planned. I couldn't actually think of where Telegraph Point was when I first saw the warning so a lesson yet again learnt, stop and look up where a place is if not sure or cant remember. Maybe a better idea of location could have been added to the sign. No excuse for me though. The joys of travelling I spose.

Have you kept up with me? Good, lets move on then.

I left the creek, then via Pennant Hills (Sydney) and onto the Hume Freeway down to the Yass area NSW approx 60km West of Canberra then onto Shepparton, northern VIC, to get the hot water service changed over. For those that don't know, I had a continuous flow HWS that didn't know what hot water was, no matter what got done to it so I was changing over the a Suburban HWS, a smaller version of your house one with a storage chamber for the hot water. I spent a day making sure the Aluminium Tent was clean and cupboard empty so the people doing the HWS could easily access the rear of the HWS area.

I dropped off the Aluminium Tent to get the HWS fitted and while that was being done headed to Bacchus Marsh to visit the people I was doing the house sit for. It was good to see them and we chatted and they showed me around going through various things for my information. The time came to head back to Shepparton and the Aluminium Tent.

After a quick demo the next morning of how the HWS works it was time to hook up and head back to Bacchus Marsh and start the house sit. After they left it was time to familiarise myself with power points, light switches and all that stuff.

I had the use of a quad bike to get around the property as well, thats the outside not inside :) Although going from my Aluminium Tent to the house felt like I needed the quad to get around inside. Not only all that but as well even, mmm, said that before didn't I, there was a wood heater in the house, one of those Coonara like beasts. Now being one that doesnt or cant sit around open fires because the smoke affects me, I also obviously don't light fires. Being a closed in beast I was able to give it a go but had trouble keeping it going, I would set it up and light but soon after, out it goes. This lasted two days before I tried fire lighters instead of paper to get it going. Much better and I was keeping warm at last. There was a wall heater though. Now dont laugh but a major bush fire can start by a small lit match but I couldn't keep a small fire going. I told ya not to laugh! All good now though and you never stop learning.

So far, I haven't done a real lot to be honest, just enjoying the views from the property and checking out the town etc but I did get a visit in to see my daughter, grandson Max and meet my new grandson Flynn, south of Melbourne. Flynn was only 6 weeks old when I met him and he was still clingy and only interested in mum but thats pretty normal so all good. It was probably the best visit I have had with Max though so happy there.

That all said and after about five days of strong winds and some rain the sun came out and no wind so decided to go for a trip down memory lane and went hunting for a house I built with my ex father in-law around 32 years ago, I first thought 40 years but when I sat down and gave it serious thought and tried to think of how old my kids were at the time, it was closer to 32 I think. Being that far back and no info at hand I sat down and studied Majorca in central VIC and just south of Maryborough on Google maps. I zoomed in and found a road that sounded familiar so set the auto pilot in the car for that address.

Uncle Al, I got up way before you that day as it was the right road but I was at the wrong end of it. A short drive further along and BINGO there it was, pretty much as I remembered too. It felt a bit strange standing there looking over the field to the house and I tell you that for free. Even though it felt strange it also felt good as I have good memories and yes, some ordinary ones too. Like, I towed a large caravan to the block long before the house was built for my father in-law to stay in while building was taking place. I was the builder due to my qualifications at the time, well, still have and he was the labourer. The van gave him something to stay in while I went back to the real world for 2 weeks, leaving a long list of things that needed doing. Due to accumulated leave I spent 2 weeks at work then 9 days at the house build (2 weekends plus 5 weekdays).

My then wife, me and three kids decided to have a break prior to the start of the build and were away in Ballarat staying in a caravan park in our new tent set up, when I got a message to ring the father in-law who at that time was at home base not the van asking if I could race to the block as a fire had gone through, he was about 4 hours away. I left within the hour as it was only about one hour away and to my horror the van had gone. I drove down the driveway to find a pile of melted aluminium on the ground and that was it. The fire had destroyed it and anything else in its long and narrow path. The neighbour told me a large ball of fire went through leaving nothing in its path. For memory I think we built a shed and he stayed in that until the house was at lock up stage. Yes, some good and not so good memories.

Over all I had a great day down memory lane.

One thing I have noticed with Bacchus Marsh is for a town that was going to fade away to nothing when the Western Freeway bypassed the town it certainly is booming. No ghosts in this town. Heaps of shops including a small shopping complex and the golden arch is even in town along with KFC. Now they don't set up in small towns. The traffic is busy, busy, busy most of the day but there is also a peak hour morning and afternoon. Yep, surprisingly busy, is Bacchus Marsh. 

Weather? Yep heaps of that too. The month started with warm days, T shirt, shorts and thongs stuff, very little to no rain, very little wind and cooler nights. As I moved further down south the days got cooler and the nights cold but surprisingly, I have managed very well and still in shorts most days, even as you read this I am trying to invite the warmer weather for everyone down south to enjoy by having the shorts on. Wind picked up and so did the rain since starting the house sit though so it would be good for that to go away but I'm sure the locals want the rain. Overall, weather has been kind.

All that excitement over, the month came to a close and that brings this update to a close as well, so until next time, take care out there everyone.

Some pics below as usual.