helping keep hungry backpackers fed:

Thursday 9 February 2012

Epic Aussie Adventure: Day 3

Today's Scenery:
Beautiful Beaches and the Capricorn Coast

Current Location
Free campsite right on the beach. Score.

Today's Travelling Track:
Blink 182- The Party Song


Sooooo, turns out entry to the crocodile farm was $25 each so we decided to give that one a miss. Instead we spent the morning visiting Emu Park (not a park and there is no emus...do not be fooled!) and Yepoon (nice beach, apparently a good place to get sunburnt...) We then drove down the most boring stretch of highway ever- Bruce Highway from Rockhampton to Mackay. I particularly liked the signs on the road which read things like "No kids, you aren't nearly there yet!" and enjoyed the entrepunurial spirit of the few buisnesses that existed along the highway. They had used handmade signs to start teaser campaigns, starting with just a tempting "Nice cold ice cream" and then giving you more and more information every 100m or so until you realised their shop was actually 15km away, making you really want cold ice cream. Unfortunately not enough of these buisnesses supplied the most important of commodities- fuel. We spent a slightly nerve-wracking 20 minutes driving with the tank almost empty until we reached the first petrol station for 140km. The Lady inside cheerfully informed me that they weren't even open 24 hours, and if we'd arrived after 6 we would have been screwed!


We have this awesome camping book which came free with Turk. It's been very helpful so far and I'd reccomend everyone travelling oz should get one. It notes down all the free camping spots in australia, lists them by road and marks them on maps. The book is responsible for us spending 2 of the last 3 nights in entirely free accomodation and relative comfort. Thankyou free book and thankyou previous owners...

realisations of today:

1. Australians aren't very inventive when naming creeks. We have seen countless signs for __mile creek. Try harder guys.

2. The easiest way to save money when road tripping is to buy all supplies in normal supermarkets. That way you avoid eating at expensive roadside services or finding yourself caught without food in the middle of nowhere. we find bakery items are good, as well as nuts and fruit.

3. See above regarding the camping book.

4. Maybe we should plan our fuel stops better. We may have laughed at and mocked the BFs brother when he told us we would need to do this.

Not to break all of your hearts, but tomorrow we will return to Hamilton island for the final month of our employment there and Installments of The Epic Aussie Adventure™ will be put on hold for a while. No need to worry though, I promise I will keep posting Hungry Backpacker insights and we will get right back to these blogs when The Epic Aussie Adventure™ resumes.
Turk Visits.... The Beach (episode 3)
Even Turk needs chill out time, so when he found this picture perfect beach, and a small friend, he thought he'd stay put for a couple of hours and enjoy the scenery. A well deserved break if you ask me.

3 comments:

  1. It looks beautiful! Maybe Luke does know best lol! Get a sat nav they show petrol stations - at least mine does!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. they may show petrol stations..but they dont show what time they shut..or that they might be shut in the midle of the day for no apparent reason..or that they may be open ..but not have fuel..lol this is Australia

      Delete
  2. I am not saying anything ....nearly ran out of fuel.....mmm so do we have fuel in at least one of the jerry cans now??? Maybe 10 lires in the 20 ltr one would be a good idea...room for expansion..
    We have in our past...yes we were young once... spent the night sleeping in the car/van waiting for a petrol station to open or hitching up the road to the nearest (100km away)town with fuel... but then again you have to learn for yourself...Sam you should have remembered the many nights that i came out to fill up your car with fuel.

    ReplyDelete