Townsville

Well we have officially started our decent and I am in mourning.  After much discussion and consultation with some locals we decided to give Charters Towers a miss and head back to Townsville via the coastal road.  And so marked the beginning of the end.  We stopped at the Malanda markets 15 minutes down the road and picked up some awesome Indian samosas, mango chilli chutney, spring rolls and spinach fried dumplings called bahl or something like that.  They were delicious and I think I ate about 10 myself.  Porky.  The kids had a play on a jumping castle and drank a cup full of crushed pineapple juice that Maxie suggested I start making for them when we return to Sydney.  No problem. Back in the car and onwards to Townsville for a five hour straight drive, probably the longest we've done yet.  The kids were excellent despite the broken DVD player.  Bloody Zachie has destroyed this one too damaging the socket where the power chord is plugged in.  So there was lots of colouring in and listening to Triple J but no sleeping sadly.  We arrived around 3PM back at the Rowes Bay Caravan Park.  We set up and went for a stroll along the foreshore.  It was really windy but that didn't stop the hordes of people walking, exercising and frolicking everywhere.  There was also an international festival on with food stalls, rides, and bands playing.  There were loads of people and lots of dodgy looking types around so I think we might head back during the day tomorrow.  Chicken and veg for dinner, a dose of Nemo on TV and the kids finally hit the sack at 8.30PM.  A chat on the phone to my mum while Rick watched Apocalypse Now and the day was done.