Searching and exploring!

I was off to Heron Island for a week... yes, I know...I said only five days on the last blog.  I stayed a week... that says something in and of itself?  It is a story to be shared another way! 

It was a weekend for searching and exploring!  Saturday morning I walked over the bridge (Whoooohoooo... it has been fixed) into downtown Gladstone to pick up a car I had rented online.  It ended up being a bit more of a walk than I anticipated... but at least I didn't have to go to the airport to pick it up!  I drove back to the marina picked up Capt Paul and off we went to explore Agnes Water Town of 1770! 

One of the office gals at the Marina had mentioned that there was a hike with great views that was not to be missed!  Oh, and did I mention that I was driving on the wrong side of the road?  I will admit one of the most difficult issues for me was that I was always turning on the windshield wipers when I was trying to put the turn signal on!  Turn signals are on the RIGHT side of the steering wheel here!  Years of driving on the right hand side of the road and turn signals on the LEFT make some habits of driving a bit difficult to overcome!  I will also admit (now that the car has been safely returned with no issues) that ONCE I did try driving on the right side of the road!  With a car coming...I realized what I had done... as well as Capt Paul saying something...I just don't remember what... and I quickly got over as far to the right as I could until the young couple (quite upset young couple I might add) passed me in their car... then I quickly got back to the LEFT side of the road!! 

Through the town of Agnes Water Town of 1770 we drove... rather quickly...

not that I was driving quickly... just that there wasn't much to the town! 

Then to one park with the Capt Cook monument! 

Have I mentioned how many parks are here in Australia?

The monument states "Under the lee of this point Lieutenant James Cook , R.N., landed May 24th 1770". 

Back into the car and to another park.  Then up another hill to an exclusive area of homes. 

On our way back I turned down a street and ran across two MORE parks! 

Both of these had quite a bit of hiking involved...

  Capt Paul stayed in the car.  

  
It had to be the area that Tess had been talking about! 

Beautiful rocky hike and beautiful views! 

I was exhausted after the second hike and THIRSTY! 

We both were hungry... so off to the Agnes Water area for lunch at a small café.  I also had gotten a ticket online for the Agnes Water/Town of 1770 Blues Festival.  I was searching for some good new music and wanted to check out Australian blues music!!  So after lunch Capt Paul dropped me off at the festival and I went in to listen and enjoy!  I did enjoy and chatted with some wonderful people!  However, Australian Blues music is really more like rock... and one band even threw in some Australian politics... to many's displeasure!   It was a fun afternoon... but the music I was searching for was not there!

Sunday morning I asked Dave, one of the marina workers, where I might be able to search out some "ru's" within 50 kilometers one way.  100 kilometers was the mileage that was left to be used on the car and I didn't want to pay for overages.  He mentioned that we could for sure see some smaller types of "ru's" near the Awoonga Dam.  I believe they are Wallabies!  After Capt Paul FIXED the electrical issue that the boat has been having when plugged in (Whoops...I might have spoken too soon!!!)... off we went in search of "ru's"!  

It was a short drive through the country side and Capt Paul noticed two little ru's by the side of the road as we were driving past!  Yep... didn't get the big Kangaroo... but I did get some pictures of the little ru's!! 

This next week there will be all sort of activities here near the Marina!  It is the Gladstone Harbour Festival!  Yes, I spelled it with a "U"!  There will be music daily... all day long, vendors, food, fireworks and all sorts of festival activities, including sailboat races!   Our weekend of searching and exploring the great views of Agnes Waters The Town of 1770 and finding some "ru's" was successful.... but there is still good Australian music that needs to be found!