FRIDAY 24 APRIL     ECHUCA

Some rain set in through last night and today was cooler and cloudy, with some rain spells.

We spent a quiet day: some emailing, John gaming on his laptop, me studying share prices and trends on mine, and then reading the daily paper.

Between rain sessions, we managed a walk to the shopping centre, keeping a wary eye on an ominously huge cloud build up to the north.

I bought a newspaper, and a postcard for grandson – predictably, of a paddle steamer. Hardly a novelty for him, who has visited  Echuca himself a few times, but there wasn’t much else on offer.

The caravan park partly filled up as the afternoon wore on. Our new neighbours were from Qld. They were not happy about the weather.

Being Friday, indulged in the weekly fish and chip treat. We found a promising looking, award winning establishment, and ordered our usual meal of fish, chips, potato cakes and a dim sim for John. It cost $31. Ouch! That was definitely NOT usual! It was very nice; the barra really was barra and not the Nile Perch that is often substituted, but the serving of chips was miniscule. If that was gourmet fish and chips, I’ll take the plebian variety, thanks.

Echuca was a costly place to stay. I was not sure I would like to live here, subjected to a tourism-determined local economy.

On TV at night, watched St Kilda demolish Port Adelaide: the season had begun well for “my” Saints.