New Generations

Spent time talking to the 11 and 13 yar old whiz kids of tomorrow. Their IT interest is all driven by their game space at the moment eg gaming platforms like Steam and the best browsers to get at the stuff.  Open Source Software is my hobby horse says the 13 yar old.  "Netscape" was the first browser, I say, and it was turned into OpenSource. Then they chime in with "Yes it was the basis for Chrome, Opera and Firefox".  These guys will be running the World from their lounge rooms.

Remember this.

No Pain No Gain

That's ok if you are training but us retirees are meant to be putting our feet up, except when your back starts irking and the ever present crooked fingers are giving trouble. That's nothing compared to the pain of trying to replace a broken DVD player. Four weeks ago I placed an order for the next Panasonic model home theatre. Now they tell me its out of production and there is no replacement. I have cables in the walls I say. Sorry we only have floor standing towers.  I have now put in for a Sony complete with another set of six speakers.

Can you have a 12 speaker system?

Too Caso-Wary

One of the things to tick off is spying a Cassowary. But we could not find one. The signs were everywhere. We lingered at the cassowary crossings but no birds. However we did bust a bustard. This is an equally big bird and rare as well. These are big and we saw a pair of them.

Big Bird Bustard

Between Planes

Were fully deviced! The IPad app for virgin is working well now. I had to delete and reinstall it after our last flight to get to Hamilton Is. The Everest film is around 2 hrs and the flight from Townsville to Brisbane is 1 hr 38min, how inconsiderate. We have also been in contact with the Tower here at the airport, not something you do everyday. I have arranged for our next flight to take runway priority. haha.  This is the second time I have been to Brisbane. The last time was in 1976 and I passed thru on a bus. This time just passing thru again. 

Ground Control

Paper Maps don't lie

We were using the phone to navigate to Townsville airport but there are numerous airports mostly RAAF and the phone had trouble distinguishing between. Always have a paper map nearby.  The airport wifi seems to work ok. It's 28 degrees here we will land in 14 degree temps. I think we need to return in better weather and also pick an island that is closer to the Great Barrier. Highlights this time around would be Whitehaven, Paluma, Undara and the Bush Breakfast. This was just like a Rogaine Hash House but with waiters.

Adjustable Toaster

Undara - Long Way

As in 150000 yar ago the lava flowed along way in order to make the lava tubes.  The Undara volcanoe was a gentle slow oozer.  The lava filled the creek beds then cooled at the surface but kept flowing in the centre.  After 18 months the lava ran out and left kilometres of tunnel. Only 8 short sections of up to 700 metres can be walked as a tour. These tunnels are huge.  We also walked up the Kalkani volcanoe and around the rim of the crater. Very similar to the Mt Eccles walk we did years ago.

Undara Tube

Low Profile Undara Crater

Then and Now Pool Shredder

Notice my use of shred.  Only hip cool bloggers use shred.  Try not to clothes peg your nose this time but at least this picture got in before the fingers reached the nostrils. Just.

2005 Blue Sky  jumper

2016 Grey Sky