Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig (Days 18 & 19)

The last two days of our holiday slipped quickly by.  From Mackay we were headed to Townsville where we were staying with friends (ex Julia Creek) for our last night.  The road from Mackay to Townsville is always busy but it doesn't worry us with our slower speed.  It does take a lot of stress out of the journey when you slow it down.
Our lunch stop today was at a little place called Guthalungra.  Blink and you would miss the place but it had a really lovely picnic area with one of the prettiest and cleanest toilet blocks I have seen in our travels.  We lunched and then lay down in the camper for a little nanny nap before continuing on our journey.

We stopped at Bowen at a roadside fruit stall to pick up a box of mangoes for $10 and a bag of tomatoes - about a dozen -for $5.  Bargain.

South of Bowen we made a detour into Brisk Bay.  The people who were camped beside us in Mackay said that this is where they lived and that we should go and check it out.  It is another hidden secret, and I can understand why they love living there.  As we drove slowly through there little township, if you can call it that because there were no shops of any description, the residents in their backyard watched us carefully as we drove down the streets.  They have a very strong neighbourhood watch!

Brisk Bay

Brisk Bay

Crossing the Burdekin River

We arrived into Townsville around 4.30 pm and it was great to catch up with Kevin and Karen.  They have only just moved into their home and it is truly like something out of Home Beautiful magazine.  Karen has impeccable taste in furnishings.
Kevin cooked us steaks on the BBQ while Karen prepped the vegetables.  It was a delicious meal.  We talked until well into the night and our yawning finally saw us heading off to bed.
We left them the next morning after a light breakfast as we had an appointment at 9.00 am but we will certainly catch up with each other now that we live relatively close to each other again (they were our next door neighbours in Julia Creek)
The clouds in the sky looked ominous as we drove north but didn't eventuate into anything serious, however it made for pleasant driving conditions.  We commented how lovely it is to be back in the tropics with all the vivid greens.  We ain't never going to leave the north!
We decided to take the turnoff to Mission Beach for lunch.  I had found a nice picnic spot at South Mission Beach on the Wikicamps app and it didn't disappoint.  We were parked right beside the beach and looking  out over the ocean was magnificent Dunk Island.  I wanted to go for a swim in the stinger net where we were parked but Philip was anxious to get home.   I must admit I was dragging my feet as it's been a really relaxing holiday and I know that as soon as I get home it will be work, work, work!
It was surprising and wonderful to arrive home to find that the gardener had mowed all the lawns (that isn't in her job description) and the cleaner had worked her magic and given the house a spring clean.  We are very lucky to have two such lovely women on our life!
Now, as I sit on the verandah writing this blog I wonder why I was sad at arriving home.  We live in one of the most gorgeous places in the world.  It just takes a holiday away to appreciate it.