Strange with Wanna arriving I though I'd find lots to write about. And indeed there is but...

I collected her from the airport and then a few days going round to see stuff! We covered a lot of ground. Gladstone, surrounding towns and coast lines and yesterday even added in Rockhampton which is 110 kilometers up the coast.

Her arrival also coincided with the last few days of the Gladstone Festival, so a trip on the ghost train, then ANZAC day on Monday so parades etc. So for this entry I decided to just 'cut and paste' some of Wanna's photos and not get involved with lots of descriptions. So this is what she saw!!!

Bridge Up

More for me that you. Outside our Condo at the river there is a road bridge. It has a lifting centre section at allow passage of boats. Not sure how the timing of this works but I happened to have a chance to see it today. Impressive to say the least.

Busy Few Days Museums And Races

Its the Easter weekend and the work is closed down for Friday through Tuesday inclusive. What to do? Wanna is arriving on Saturday evening but between Thursday evening and then Bob and I decided to follow up on a few things. We both had concluded we had some work to complete and that's best done in the quiet of an empty office so that took care of a lot of our time. Then we visited the local Maritime Museum which turned out to be a lot better than we had expected. I had envisages a dusty old shed complete with a few 'old salts' who would bash on about the good old days. But no. it was run by, yes 'old salts' but they did not bash on, but covered some interesting stuff with a lot of local interest and knowledge. Us coming here to work also provided them with some questions for us as well. Good two way stuff. The LNG terminal we are building had received a mixed reception here in Gladstone. Some think it is a potentially dangerous industry and others worry about the short and longer term changes it is bringing to the community. Long term is probably OK but short term influx of workers maybe not such a good sight!!!! But all then discussion was good natured and for us a chance to meet and chat with locals. Lots of stuff including boats, flags, memorabellia and model boats. One chap was busy making them. My photos do not do justice to the place. I do need to go back again.

Easter Weekend in Gladstone is famous for its Festival. Music, dancing, eating, and of course bumper cars, ghost rides etc. Highlight being fire work displays and a parade. ( I covered this in my last Blog. I had a quick look round one evening but decided to wait till Wanna arrived and enjopy it with her.

Apart from that we, Bob and I, managed to get in our shopping. Not so easy over this weekend as everywhere wanted to close for Easter!!! That said we managed and followed it up by going to the Gladstone horse racing. We watched a couple of races. (No camera!!!). I lot my money on 2 straight races. The favourite did not do well enough. There is always next time.

Anyway that was than and so Saturday afternoon arrived and I went to meet Wanna at the airport.

Festival weekend in Gladstone. The Gladstone Harbour Festival is the biggest annual event to hit Gladstone. It had a yacht race from Brisbane to Gladstone with over 90 participants, various fates, music and talent shows and a street parade. Add in fire work displays and it is a fun and action packed week.

All this is available to me looking out from my Condo balcony. Makes me very lazy. But come Saturday I will get down to the music stage and listen into all the sounds!!!!!

Mr Gladstone

Went back to the Museum last week. Finally got round to taking a picture of Mr Gladstone. Quite a status which is kept inside for safe keeping, not from vandalism but for environmental reasons. Sort of good to follow on the history of the place. They also had a photographic display taken of 100 prominent women in the town. Think I mentioned this a few posts back. Bob and I had another look and were still impressed with the quality of the shots. Seemed somehow to capture their personalities , so much so that after looking at one for a few minutes you felt that should you meet her in the street you could just start a conversation as if you had know them for ages.

So Gladstone, it does so remind me of Thetford and my time of growing up there as a young boy. There we had Thomas Paine as a status and here Gladstone. Similarities and extreme views on how things should be done. One Royalist and one a Republican.

All Happening In Gladstone

Watched a large load go by the house with police escort. Looking out from my place it is easy to forget you are in an industrial town. Lovely views of the river and greenery all round. So to suddenly see a large silo passing by on a load loader comes with a bit of a jolt. Makes you think about where you are and why!!

Cooking, Sea Gulls And Ironing...........

Been a busy time, what with cooking, sight seeing and then coffee shops followed by generally just driving around the area. Last weekend started with me doing some shopping and then sitting on a small beach. Saa gulls seemed very friendly especially when seeing me sitting alone eating what appeared to be bread or similar goodies. They all had to come and have a look and hope they got lucky. All this domestic stuff is getting to me. But today I saw in the Guardian newspaper a great article. Extreme Sports. What’s the connection to shopping and domestic stuff.... Well the extreme sport is Ironing, yes Ironing. Check out www.Extremeironing.com Really cool site!!!!!!