The Bundaberg Region is incredibly flat. Our courtesy bus trip into the city, took us past field after field after field of sugar canes, crisscrossed with railway tracks and long trains, carrying the cut sugar to the refinery. Molasses is a by-product of the refining process and it is this that makes the Bundaberg Rum. There is so much sky here…as there are no hills or high rise buildings, just a vast blue hemisphere, with a hot, hot sun.
The Rum tour was a laugh. Think dour distillery visit meets Hi De Hi. The two girl tour guides had us all shouting “Huzza’ at anything good and “poppycock” at anything bad. It was very hot, both inside and outside, especially as we walked over 5.000.000 litres of hot molasses! The process was interesting, as was the history, but everyone was happy to head to the bar for the tastings. Our entry fee gave us two free drinks. The drink driving laws are strict here, so several drivers must have thought that we looked like two old soaks and offered us their second drink. 3 rums each in 29 degrees and just after breakfast and we tottered our way to the bus back and a bit of a snoozy in the midday heat!
We have also walked a fair bit of the area. To Mon Repos (O’s – The 2 Ronnies!!) where there is a beach where turtles come to nest. Unfortunately we were a month early for this, but there was information to read, a lovely coastal walkway and gorgeous sandy beach. Having read about the sharks, dingoes, crocs, jellyfish, snakes, spiders and shells that can attack, maim or even kill you in Oz, I was attacked repeatedly by a magpie. Very defensive of their nests, it took a dislike to my hat/sunnies/person and swooped down on me again and again, clipping the peak of my cap. While discussing this with a local, we were told that they normally go for cyclists. These cyclists have taken to wearing cable ties tied to their helmets, which wave around as they pedal along. We laughed when we heard this, as we had seen a few of these and decided that they were either nutters or aliens (Men in Black).
We also walked to a swimming beach and stayed between the flags under the watchful eye of a young female lifeguard as we frolicked in the surf. It was great fun, especially as the water was 24 degrees. The Australians certainly make going to the beach easy with beach showers, changing rooms, toilets, barbecues and shaded seating areas the norm.
We have also done more repairs – another water pump fitted, sail repairs, various bits of string replaced and cleaned and washed everything, including our extreme jackets which had gone a bit mouldy having been shoved in the bottom of the locker for 6 months. Also we have stocked up on food. We got the courtesy bus to a Sunday market and bought loads of local produce. Highlights were the strawberries, passion fruit curd and fresh pineapple. A supermarket visit and a visit to a liquor store and we are all set to head off shore again today. It has been great staying here…being able to get gas at the marina office (we couldn’t get it at all in New Cal), fresh seafood, fish and chips and chandlery as well as watching pelicans, a white heron and a few local kangaroos has been a lot of fun. We have also met some interesting people and were at a welcoming party for a couple who returned from 9 years circumnavigating last night. A few others are heading to Hobart, so we will bump into them along the way no doubt. Hopefully not literally!
Next blog from somewhere at Fraser Island or the Great Sandy Strait!