Bundaberg

We awoke to rain today.  Rick headed off early with Maxie to collect the camera so it gave Scarlett and I a chance to have a cuddle in bed as Zachie slept in until 8AM.  Go Zach!  First stop, the local Jayco dealer to buy some parts for running repairs on the van.  We’ve had a few minor hiccups along the way, but nothing “Mr Fix It” can’t handle, and boy has he let me know about it.  Then on to what made this place famous, the Bundaberg Rum Distillery.  Rick was pleased, but the kids weren’t, so we left him and headed to the Botanical Gardens for a scooter in search of turtles and eels.  We did find one lovely little fellow slowly plodding across the grass but sadly no eels.  The kids were eager to feed the ducks but we got so harassed by some scary Geese with red bubbly faces that we ran for our lives.  Scarlett was screaming, Maxie was in tears and I went running up the path with Zach under my arm and the other two in tow looking for reinforcement.  We found it in a lovely “elderly” couple happily sitting on the bench who had witnessed it all. They lived in the retirement village next door and were regulars at the park.  They even had names for some of their feathered friends. Anyway, that was short lived thankfully and it was time to collect Rick.  We headed out to a lovely sea side village about 10kms east of Bundaberg called Begara.  We had lunch on the beach and found a great kids park with slides and streams in a giant turtle and other sea creatures. The beach wasn’t great though as there are volcanic rocks everywhere along this part of the coast as a result of a volcano erupting a gazillion years ago.  Anyway there is considerable building going along the waterfront and its pretty snazzy for a country town.  After lunch we headed up to check out the port and marina. Boring. Then back into town for a walk through the main street.  I can’t say the shops were anything worth mentioning.  Home to cook lasagna while Rick did those repairs to the caravan.  The pace has slowed a little and we are feeling more like we are on holidays.  I forgot to mention the kangaroos we saw on the way home from town.  We turned off the main road out of town onto a street behind it to do a U-turn and there were 5 kanagroos bounding around in an empty paddock at back of these major shops, ie spotlight and the cinemas. Woolworths was across the road.  Unbelievable.  The kids were excited. So were the parents.