Crikey!

Just a piece of glass away

Well I've got my van, its therefore started to rain in biblical proportions. Damn. Even the "save water" signs are soaked through.

I've got "Cow and Chicken", IE thats the graphitti paint job on it, wich is fine by me. Photo to follow when it stops raining. Can't charge me camera battery in the van.

First trip was north to "Australia Zoo", more recogisable as "Irwin's Zoo". I think it may have been started by his dad. In another piece of epic timing it was raining, record breakingly, and for even more bad timing points today was Bindi's 10th brithday, for those not familure with Bindi, its not the zoo's most famous or cutest animal. That would be Steve Irwin himself. No. Its the Irwin brat. You know the baby he used to wave in front of 10 meter salties? Yep the zoo was overrun with wet kids. Though one of them did nearly get eatern by a tiger. Which was kinda funny.

The tiger area has 3 glass screens, one is in the pool. It actually extends bellow the water, the kid was pressed firmly agaist the glass the tiger lept about 8 feet into the pool and ended up nose to nose with the small kid. 75kgs of nearly full grown tiger arriving 1/2 inch from your nose in a hurry would make you jump too.

A wet Wallably, actully its a Roo

Stopped last night in the Glass House mountins, that must look apsolutly spectactular in clear weather. Seen alot of, usually very wet, bush. Did get mildly lost, mildly for Australia, got a road atlas. But some pages are 100 km to the inch - more in NT. Don't mind getting lost, just making sure I've got a bit of fuel and water. The Van (I was told) had oil and water checked before I got it. It hadn't the heater was working intermitantly wich I've seen before, so I poured in 6 mugs of water. Better. Its a proper banger, I love it. Its done 250000km, the gear lever occationally jams completely and can't be pulled in or out of gear. The throttle sticks, its probaly got a leaky radator. Its dented a lot. Roof leaks, fortunatly under a piece of trim so it runs to the wall. The sensor for the door reads door open all the time and it has the cartoon characters of cow and chicken spray painted all over it. Its great. Only one thing worries me, was damn hard to start this morning.

The van's come with helpful stickers, by each door is one that reads "Attention Arsehole, 8th Commandment, thou shalt not steal. God is watching you you theirving bastard. Its a wicked world you will be cursed. Wicked Campers" I manged to beg one of these off the desk. And one of the locks has clearly been fixed, the keys don't match. The dash says "KANGAROO'S (with an apostrophy I'm sure shouldn't be there). Run the f**kers down." Very australian. The hire agreement did state in the middle of the page, capitalsied, in itlaics, underlined... quotated "DO NOT ROLL THE VAN, this is your responciblilty" apparently sweving to avoid roos, kolas, wallabys etc has resulted in this a few times I was told to brake and hit them.

I am parked in a layby halfway up a mountain south of Brisbane Tambone I think. Not entirly sure where and were not you are allowed to stop. No signs, counties too big. Going to drive to the Gold Coast and see Campbell tomorrow.

My 12volt laptop charger was left in port Macquarie. So I'll sign off now and save battery. Cow and Chicken out

Additional: Just submitted this and it said updated where ResID=1024. Hmmm I wonder how big I made the Primary Key field? Find out if my database is full in the next thrilling installment.....