HAPPY MAN!

No more dealing with squeaky old wheels??

Jon's on holidays! He walked out of QAL for the last time in '09 yesterday to start 2 weeks holiday and then 12 months leave. Looks like this weekend may be our last in Gladstone as we head south late next week to pick up the camper before coming back here to do the final pack. Then it's out to Biloela to do the camper set up and perhaps a trial run to Carnarvon Gorge...how hot will that be?? Looking to be headed off officially by mid-Feb. Very close now:) Looks like we have a house renter too. And the house itself is looking pretty good after Mum and Dad's working bee. They got so much done....and we are so grateful!

Thanks Mum & Dad

Kirsty's folks are visiting for a few days on their way further north for work. It's great to have them here and not just because they have such a willingness to help us out. As we speak, Mum is busy pruning and tidying the front garden. Brave lady considering how hot it is up here! And Dad is painting one of the rooms...smells delightful! It's easier to work when there's a few of you sharing the load, so I have gotten on with a job that I hate and have been putting off for a while - cleaning the blinds. Have just finished the 5th and final set...hooray! So, we keep plugging away at what needs to be done here, while Jon finishes off out at QAL - 2.5 days to go!

COUNTDOWN!

Jon has just 5.835 days of work left at QAL before 2 weeks holiday (ha ha - like it really WON'T be!) leave then his 12 months leave without pay kicks in in early Feb. For those looking for a departure date....can't provide one just yet. It all hinges on when the camper gets to Brisbane for pick-up - due the last week of January. Then we have to kit it out with kitchen set-up and pack it with the rest of our goodies. I have a feeling we're NOT going to fit. But then again, my husband has an amazingly systematic brain and is an awesomely good packer. Anyway, as we know dates and details I will publish them. In the meantime, it's back to packing, cleaning, sweating, renovating and praying we get a house renter soon:) P.S. 5.796 days of work left now!

The New Toys!

Here's a couple of the cool Christmas presents we received to take on our trip!

Jon can have a shave now that he has his axe. He used it yesterday and "argh arr argh!" He says he feels like a real man. I like that it is such a versatile tool - chops wood, bangs in tent pegs, protection in the night, weapon to use against crocodiles.

The Totem Tennis set will come in handy for fitness and venting frustration over navigational errors!

ZZZzzzzzzzzz! The whole idea of being ready to go in less than a month now (aahhhh!) is a little overwhelming. Or perhaps J is just exhausted from his 4 hour epic setting up Wireless Broadband. 

We spent a good deal of time and $$$ at the camping shop yesterday buying all sorts of 'essential' Round Oz Trip goodies.

A washing-up tub....

Self explanatory I think...but try saying 'Porta Potti' out loud in public. Hmmmm.

Oh yeah, and we bought an Engel 40l fridge/freezer. But that's not even out of the box yet, and unlike the PP, it comes with a picture of a semi trailer (???) on the box. Very helpful for showing you what you've just spent the big bucks on:)

What happened in the shed on Boxing Day?

The men went to work! They modified the fuel caps and pipes...so now we CAN fill up at the servo. And even more exciting, they fitted Digby.

Digby is our Ironman 12000lb winch!

The trial run. Worked a treat...only 1 minor hiccup but then.....purred like a kitten....or like a tiger???? 

Uncle Stu made sure the boys didn't run the Navara into the barbed wire fence. Check out the finished tray...looks great hey?

Success! Thanks to all the supervisors and TAs. And that's how you get a ute ready for a big drive. She looks TUFF! All done now, just waiting on the Carry Me Camper (due in Brisbane at the end of January) and maybe a set of roof racks.