Arrived in Oz

Left Nicky's on Monday 25th for London, Singapore, Brisbane then Rockhampton with our life in 2 rucsacks.  The weather obligingly beautiful as we hope it will continue over the winter. Then two days recovering on the beach east of Rocky at Yeppoon (or Cooee Bay to be precise) as you can see a thoroughly relaxing time (not sure about the model!). 

Then the 700km drive west to Longreach which we hit Saturday evening.  Decided to stay over to avoid hitting roos in the dark. The highlight of Longreach is eating huge steaks and drinking beer in the RSL club. Drove the remaining 215km south to Jundah in time for Sunday lunch with Donna.  Saw 10 cars on the way!  Maybe that's because Barcoo Shire has a population of 462 and covers an area of 62,000 sq kms.  Last time we were here (May 2009) everywhere was brown and dry.  This time there's been loads of rain and everything is green - what a difference!

Donna is leaving her job in charge of parks and gardens in Jundah and moving back to the coast at Mackay to start a new job next week so we have hired a big ute to help her move - will be towing a trailer (complete with 3 piece suite, table and chairs and sundry boxes) the 1000kms back while Donna and Jacko tow the boat ... hmmm.

And it's just about cool enough at night to sleep without the air-con!  Today's job is cleaning the cooker - my favourite!  Might take a break and walk the dog (huge hound more like) then go for a swim in Jundah's pool.  What a hard life.  Although - what is the point of flies???

The travels begin

Arrived back in UK just before the troubles started in France.  Spent some time trying to sort our life and help Nicky in North Wales.  Then down to Devon to run a workshop at University of Exeter and celebrate a friend's 60th birthday and retirement.  We leave tomorrow for the grand tour, starting with a visit to Donna in Queensland.  Return booked Bangkok to Heathrow on 13th April, so lots of time to visit places.  Will try and update when we can.  Thanks to everyone who has housed and fed us while we've been homeless in the UK.

End week 2

OK, so it does rain in France.  Last Monday was a wash-out with storms, even put the extra straps on the awning!  Today it's raining too, but we've had 5 days of fabulous weather in between.

The access to the plot is complete but we have a pause.  The engineer doing the calcs for the foundations decided at the last minute that he needed more info - very irritating.  If he'd told us in August we could have sorted it.

We've been working on stopping the leaks in the barn roof.

White van man drove into the back of us at a roundabout in Agen, so some damage to repair when we get back - another irritation.

Leaving here Weds, arriving UK Thurs.

End of week 1

Four days of earth moving by Philippe and team.  Now have a big hole in the ground and a platform for the house.  The wall at the bottom is partly demolished.  A quick shower on Thursday but otherwise warm and mostly sunny.

Spent Sunday pm and eve with a bunch of very nice ladies from Condom - lunch, a slightly tipsy dash across the countryside to a concert in a private chateau:  very interesting.

Some photos including our view and a couple of the town attached.

Today Monday 4 Oct it's raining heavily!