An ill wind...Carmila Beach to Bowen

April 11:  We drove up the A1 along the dreaded "Malborough Stretch" and Keith went like a dream.  100km/hr...too easy.  We eventually stopped at Carmila Beach, (100km South of Mackay), for some free camping  right on the beachfront. 
A waterspout formed nearby, but never made it into the ocean.  I helped Danny give Keith a service...well, I held the cut off drink bottles for the old oil.
The wind was blowing a gale, so late that arvo, we decided that Keith might get too much sand-blasting and moved a few kms to outside the Carmila Pub. 
We ended up listening to a slightly intoxicated but highly amusing storyteller who had been a Ringer.  And had the $10 specials:  Bangers & Mash for Danny, the meatballs for me.

April 12:  We bypassed Mackay and went on to Bowen, where we had a couple of friends to visit who live on a yatcht.   We tried them on the mobile, but no answer.    We had a couple of negative experiences during the day in town with an impatient driver and a not-so-friendly Librarian, and then parked on the esplande at Front Beach.  It was still very windy, so we had dinner inside and had an early night. 

10pm:  "Bang, Bang, Bang"  on the door and Indigo's barking, Sammy nearly put her neck out and Danny got up...he knew who it would be.

A Regional Council worker gave us a warning and this notice to move on or be fined!  Bloody bastards!  There is no free camping spots in Bowen, or on the highway north or south, so with not many options, we rang a couple of pubs / backpackers and a caravan park.  No answer. 
So after driving around 30mins looking for a spot, we settled on the footpath in front of a car yard in a back street.  A lady nearby was having a loud, verbal fight with someone, but we didn't care.  As long as we didn't get evicted again! 

April 13:  We hung out at Queens Beach in the day, and found out from Dazza's mum (Yvonne) after lunch, that he and Ruth were out of town working and the mobile doesn't work.  So around 2:30pm we made the decision to say farewell to Bowen.  We just missed them, but that's life on the road.  Sometimes the timing just isn't right.  So, catch you next time Dazza & Ruth!

But Danny said something good was waiting up ahead for us...and it was!