Gin and Tannum

The Lifeline at Gin Gin turned out to have been open since 8.30. We wasted half an hour! Not big, but not bad, with a wonderful dressing room full of original art.  I found a game of Travel Monopoly, which I didn't know existed, for $2.  Not that Michael will play with me. He has only ever played Monopoly once in his life and didn't like it.  It is for refreshing my memory for such trivia questions as "What is the first railway station after you pass Go?"

Then I discovered a truly wonderful Halloween decoration, a framed photo of two Victorian women, who turn all Vampira  when looked at from another direction.  It was only $2.  Why didn't I buy it?  It was only when we were passing the Mount Perry turnoff - the same spot where Mike and I turned west twelve days earlier - that I realised it would have been the perfect Quirky Object.  I would have won for sure. I am still kicking myself.  But there was no way we were turning back.  Onward and northward!

My next task was to ring the dentist about my broken tooth.  No, I wouldn't be home till Saturday. No, I didn't want to see a different dentist. Yes, I could wait till Wednesday morning at 7.30am to see Fred, who understands what a total sook I am, and that I have absolutely no tolerance for dental pain.  Meanwhile, the sharp bit of tooth sticking up would magnetically attract my tongue and drive me crazy.

This section of the journey was over an hour and a half long. Why didn't we stop at the Lifeline at Miriam Vale, I wonder?  By the time we reached Tannum Sands, all our wounded bits made for some serious groaning after we found a park near the Salvos.  The last time I visited Tannum Sands was about forty years ago BTWC (before there were children) and my memory is of the caravan park where we camped, a shop and very little else.  There was nothing at Boyne Island.  Now, combined, they are a metropolis!

The Salvos had closed dressing rooms, but I snuck up the back and whipped off my top to try on another.  It was only when I saw movement  that I realised the side wall of the back of the shop was actually a window onto an arcade.  Jan found an awesome pair of studded suede boots that fit her perfectly, and I was consoled by finding another great Quirky Object: superhero toilet paper.  I was back in the contest.   We asked the staff where to find good coffee, and there was a cafe within easy walking distance, but it would be closing soon.

Blend has nice coffee and the girl who served us took our photo for the day.  The theme was either Dots and Dashes or Stars and Stripes.  With my star watch from Howard, and my black top from Bundaberg, I believe I satisfied ALL criteria!

On the road to Gladstone, we encountered roadworks - not for the first time - and while we sat at the red light for five minutes we discovered our theme for this trip.  Past themes have included vistas and high-viz.  Jo used the term "gabion wall".  Jan and I had never heard of this, so I did some googling.  It turns out to be the sort of construction that looks like rocks in a basket.  And it gets better; the rocks inside are called riprap!  There was actually some riprap right beside us.  Once alerted, we were on the lookout.  We discovered gabion walls and riprap are everywhere!