WEDNESDAY 17 JUNE     TOWNSVILLE

Some cumulus built up over the ranges behind Townsville, through the day, but then cleared away. It became more humid.

In the morning, John messed about on the computer, doing stuff related to his coming role in our bowls club, as a teams selector. I read and sewed.

After lunch, we drove to Garbutt and collected a bag of mail from home, from the PO there.

Continued on to the Strand, found a place to park, and then walked along it, as far as where a very natural looking, but man-made waterfall, cascades down the face of a rock cutting.

John needed to rest a couple of times along the way, and he turned back when we were level with the falls. I kept going, on past the Customs House and former Queens Hotel – very well preserved and lovely old buildings. I’d really wanted to have a wander through the older, historic part of the city and – whilst this wasn’t a wander, at least it was a taste. I enjoyed being able to walk at a really brisk pace.

Retracing the way, I soon caught back up with John, who had stopped to watch machines at work replacing the eroded beach sands. We walked out onto the Fishing Jetty and sat out there for a while, watching a guy netting bait and cruelly leaving little fish to die on the floor of the jetty.

Back at camp, investigated the mail bag contents. It contained the notice of my fortnightly pension payment. It was not going to make me rich. In fact, it wouldn’t even cover the caravan park fees for a fortnight – but it was a bonus I had not been expecting at all, so I was not complaining.