Townsville – Part 2

Farewell to Family and Friends

We rolled out of Townsville this morning and despite being closer to Brisbane than we’ve been in a very long time, we pointed the car north, not south, with intentions of eventually reaching Cooktown.

We’d been in Townsville for 11 days.

Eleven days of family, and food, and friends, and food, and fun, and food, and . . . did I mention food?

It feels like all we did after arriving in Townsville was eat.  We enjoyed meals with family, attended breakfasts, backyard barbecues, dined with friends at restaurants that were once our own ‘go to’ places and then backed that up with brunches.  I’d forgotten the important role food plays when it comes to catching up with our family and friends.  We sat and reminisced over coffee and hot cross buns more than once, ok, more than twice, but at least I can honestly say I only ate one chocolate Easter egg.

We had eaten so much that when we decided we were past due for a time out at the movies, Dean actually declined a bucket of popcorn.  I nearly fell over.  It’s the first time in more than 30 years he’s watch a movie without munching away – Wow!

I’m not complaining and wouldn’t have wanted the last 11 days to have been anything less than what they were, but I have to admit, both of us are already glad to get back to our normal eating habits.  And beyond the return to our own brand of dietary approach, it will be good to get back to our own brand of daily exercise.  I can see a lot of bushwalking just around the corner.

Final Thoughts on Location No 92

I know I’ve had plenty to say and share during our time in a city that Dean and I once called home.  (See Castle Hill, and Townsville – Part 1).  During our stay we spent ever ounce of energy out and about, driving from one side of the city to the next, not only visiting family and friends, but also landmarks connected to childhood memories or other significant stages of what was once our life in Townsville.

Trips up Castle Hill and Mount Stuart, walks along The Strand (the city’s beach front), walks through Queens Gardens and Anzac Park, drives through old neighbourhoods and past house we used to live in.  We both enjoyed seeing the city looking so pretty following recent rain that turned everything green.  Like a lot of other places we’ve been across the top of Australia over the last month or so, it seems we arrived at just the right time.

But I’m exhausted!  Dean’s exhausted!  And neither of us would have it any other way.

We stayed with my brother and his wife, camped out in their back yard, in our mini home, in our own little oasis.  It’s not the first time we’ve stayed with them, but it is the first time we arrived with our own bed in tow (ha ha).

Townsville’s Eclectic Shots

I think this might be a Scarlet Percher

Castle Hill photographed from Queens Park

The Fountain on The Strand

Townsville from the lookout atop Mount Stuart

Northern Golden Orb Weaver – Queens Park

A male Olive-Backed Sunbird showing off his blue throat- Mount Stuart

Another night time shot

A Brahminy kite seeking fish along The Strand

There’s no swimming at the city beach front – The Strand

I love the colour of the full Moon on March 26

Shot of The Strand

We arrived in Cardwell a few hours ago and are really looking forward to a couple of days of rest and relaxation following the chaotic, calamity that was our visit to our home away from home.