Vinnies was next but no eggbeater. I remember buying the handbeater that lives in out camper there last time from their kitchen section, which since then had disappeared. There were a few saucepans out the back, but not much else. Jan then had a deep and meaningful discussion outside with a young man about the intricacies of laying concrete.
We crossed the road to the shopping centre and bought lunch, but we weren't allowed to sit on the seats to eat it, because of COVID, so ate while we walked. Jo had promised us a Lifeline on the north side of town but took a wrong turning. By the time we found our way back to the correct road, we had either missed it, or it had ceased to exist. The Gladstone-Mount Larcom Road was an eye-opener to me, as I found even more giant industrial complexes out there than the ones I already had seen south of the city. Looking at my camera and phone reveals not a single photo taken in Gladstone this time.
But then there were the trains. Seeing trains passing when we are travelling is always very exciting for me, because it is a rarity in the south-east. We saw a train in the distance after we left Gin Gin and I was very excited. Now, however, we were in coal country. We saw so many trains that I lost count. They were hard to photograph from a moving car, but I did my best. There was even a track repair vehicle! No, I am not a train nerd, just an excited observer.
Our next excitement was driving over the new elevated road over the flood plain south of Rocky. None of us had seen this before and it was certainly impressive. Must have cost a bomb. Next came the traditional welcome from Rockhampton's bulls. One was entire; the other wasn't. We crossed the Tropic of Capricorn for the first time on our travels and stopped at South Rocky's giant Vinnies.
Talk about impressive! It even has a bridal section, which I have only ever seen in one oppy before, at Ipswich. I found the missing top to complete my outfit, the second time I had done that at the last shop of the day, plus a nice hand beater (still not what I was looking for, but too nice to leave behind) and my first entry in the Quirky Book competition. It was Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, with an appropriately gruesome cover.
I then decided I needed to photograph this mightiest of oppies, and over the highway seemed the best spot to stand. I pressed the button, crossed to the garden bed halfway across, and decided it was perfect for photography. I took my pic and looked for the button to press to take me back from whence I came, but no dice. They weren't expecting people to stop in the middle. I guess it is what I am used to in Brissie. I had to watch the light sequence and the traffic and take my chances.
Finally we were all opped out and headed for Jan's old home on North Street to see how it was looking. It was looking mighty fine. She and John had modified it extensively when they lived in Rocky and pretty much everything was the same except for the front fence and a hedge. Even John's finial was still on the roof. If the owners were home, they must have been wondering who these mad women were, running up and down the lane photographing their home.
We headed back through the city centre towards the old bridge over the Fitzroy
and what did we encounter? A train!
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