Across Continents

Ken's Blog

Cost of doing business

April 27th, 2011

"Sorry" I said. "Let me get this right. You’re short staffed. So rather than seventy bucks an hour, it’ll be a hundred? I pay thirty dollars more because you’ve got a personnel issue". I was bewildered. They bemused. Computer shop. Bowen. Second one.

Bluescreen

First shop had been very helpful. But there’d be a five day wait before they could take a look at my now defunct netbook computer. Died unexpectedly. Fortunately, just after I’d brought the blog up to date. Uploaded all the latest photos and videos.

I left the shop without the usual courtesies. On the road within the hour. Southbound to Proserpine, fifty or so miles down the coast. Small place so unlikely to get the problem fixed. But a few more days would see me in the much larger town of Mackay. Hopeful I’d get things resolved there.

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Beyond Bowen

April 16th, 2011

Flood waters subsiding. Especially at low tide. Rain easing. The road south from Bowen now open. As far as Proserpine certainly. A day’s ride away. And a chance to track down "Two Bob". Runs a really decent campsite there I’d been told. Reliable sources. Then on to Mackay. Shown on the sketch map below. Couple of days riding. Time to press on whilst the going’s good.

ken-in-oz-web

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Wet and windy

April 15th, 2011

Wet and windy from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Early morning scenes in Bowen, north Queensland. And again. Quite a bit later.

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Murals wedding

April 15th, 2011

Mural - web

Bowen. Small town on the north Queensland coast. Two facts. Much of the 2007 Nicole Kidman film "Australia" filmed here. Pretending to be Darwin. And the place festooned with murals.

flyingboat - web

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Bowling into Bowen

April 15th, 2011

Bowen - web

Pleased I’d ignored the tempting signs for the "tourist village" on the edge of town. Sounded a bit expensive. Choosing instead to ride the gentle incline into town. Curious to see how big the place actually was. Glad I did. Beyond the rise the heart of Bowen. Coastal town in north Queensland. Besides, I’d plenty of daylight left to explore. Despite a pretty testing headwind pretty much all the way from the previous night’s stop at Gumlu. Grinding along in the lower gears.

Spotted a small hostel towards the seafront. I’d intended to camp but, pretty spontaneously for me, thought I’d enquire as to how much a room might be. Low season still. Until Easter. A few bucks more than some campsites. Decided I’d take it. Chance to catch up on domestics, update the blog in the dry, wander around a bit.

All of which proved to be a particularly wise move. As you’ll see. When the rains really arrived….

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Trapped!

April 15th, 2011

Trapped! from Ken Roberts on Vimeo.

Trapped by heavy rains- even for the wet season – flooding the highway south, Ken debates whether to remain in his dry hostel room, or push on and sit it out in the tent….

Clue: Like the film "Titanic", you can probably guess how the story ends…

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