Year off around Australia

Yay no rain overnight, and wake up to emerging sunshine and some breeze...this will get the puddles and sloppy ground drying out. Have a leisurely breakie, back to usual porridge for me and Weetbix for Roger. My turn for our caravan shower this morning, this is a treat at the Bash! I hang around in the caravan for the morning, Roger did go for a walk about to buy some bread. Have lunch, sandwich for Roger, open toasties for me. Then I get ready for my 3rd shift another one with Lizzie. It's another quiet shift but lots to look at as with the mucky conditions and roll in started again - there are vehicles getting bogged. A big bus towing a trailer was a hold up for a while when it got bogged and blocked traffic flow. Tried a large truck to tow it out 1st but that didn't succeed so an excavator came to the rescue. While I was at my shift Roger got our chairs in a terrific spot on the concert arena so when I finished I just came straight in - dropped my bag off on my chair and went and enjoyed Furnace and the Fundamentals performance (perfect timing they were just starting). So enjoyable - the energy they put into their gig (covers band doing medleys- fantastic). Roger enjoyed his afternoon in the arena watching all the things on offer. We went back to camp after performances finished, lit the firepit for warmth and to cook our tea. Chicken rissoles and panfried vegetables. While our tea cooking - neighbour David (Dave the mechanic) came over for a chat beside our fire - seems a good bloke. As it was a late tea, we happily get into our caravan for rest, a very cold night.
Tuesday morning sees us up for our breakie, then me getting ready for my 4th shift 10am to 2.30pm. Roger heads off about the same time to participate in the Bluey Day activity. After he's done that he calls by my Campground Entry position to deliver my lunch, a sandwich, then heads off to return to our chairs he's already got in a good position for today's music. Today I worked with Michelle, a lovely lady I guess a similar age to me. We we're lucky and got relieved from our shift early, around 2pm so we both got to the stage in time to enjoy Colin Hayes set. I had a lovely afternoon, sometimes sitting with Roger watching the artists, or up at the stage area (warmer!) moving about to the performances. All good, finished off again with Furnace and the Fundamentals. Back to our caravan, Roger's feet quite cold as it's another cold night. Cook up (reheat) our tea in the caravan, pumpkin soup and sausage casserole. Now relaxing, Roger having a shower, dishes and to bed.
Wednesday Roger's alarm wakes us at 7am as he starts his shift at 8am. He gets up and has his breakfast, Weetbix and a cuppa and gets organised and heads off for his volunteer work. After he's left I get up and have a leisurely breakfast, porridge and cuppa tea, followed by a quick shower. I'm in charge of making sure we get our 'usual position' (within the front 4 rows on the LHS stage) for the performances, so I head off after 10am as the concert area gates open at 11am. Do the line up (wait about 40 minutes) and succeed in getting where we like (great memories from last year). I sit here and enjoy the artists. I get up in front of the stage for Mark Seymour's set and when I return to our seats after this Roger has arrived - finished his shift (picking up camp area flags) at 1pm went back to our caravan and had lunch (leftover sausage casserole) before coming to the concert area. He feels he'd like more to eat and I haven't had lunch yet so we both go and get takeaway from Bash vendors. Junk food lunch for me, a mixed HSP followed by churrios. We enjoy watching the afternoon performers (only disappointment for me was Tim Finn - couldn't sing his range like he used to). I had put myself down for an extra volunteer role at 4pm to assist the Crack Up Sister with a fashion parade, turns out I was meant to model outfits - but I'm not the right size, so not required! Back to enjoying the day's music line up. Bjorn Again - fabulous finish up!! Back to our caravan to warm up (using diesel heater) and make our tea, panfried florries and vegetables. Roger has a shower and off to bed. I'll follow very soon.
Thursday morning sees us getting up and having breakfast - our usual. Roger starts packing up our mat and awning etc - ready to move early next morning. I get myself ready and head off to join in the Nutbush Event. After this Roger and I go for a walk on over Big Red and head to the next rise - wonderful views of the Simpson Desert. Come back and Roger heads to position our chairs for the days music while I head back to our caravan. Get my lunch of 2 big dimsims on the way. Stay here and have the rest of my lunch (pineapple and yoghurt) with Roger as he has a sandwich. Next getting organised for my last volunteer shift 2pm to 6.30pm. Roger planning to do our 'Vollie video' before I start.
I have a nice shift working with Tammie and her dog (not meant to have dogs on our shifts!) Maggie, labrador/border collie. Get some great travel pointers from Tammie. In the mean time Roger organises a Bash 'Transit Permit' so we can move our vehicle and caravan to where required (on high ground) for Roger to complete his last shift tomorrow 8am to 4pm. With weather forecast predicting rain to start tomorrow afternoon (and continue for 3 or 4 days up to 35mm) the Bash want all paying patrons, vendors and folk who don't need to be here out of Bashville by 2pm.
Since getting our transit permit Roger has moved us today so we are now pointing in the direction we need to face to get to 'higher ground' in the morning.
After finishing my shift, joined Roger at the concert area and enjoyed watching together Chocolate Starfish, before Roger returning to our chairs and myself watching the rest of the musicians as close to the stage as I can get (ended up 2nd row centre for Jon Stevens). After artists finished head back to our caravan (in it's new spot - same area facing the other way) to prepare and have tea. Roger cooks us up steak and vegetables. Then Roger showers before bed, and washes dishes. I'll dry dishes and put them away and get to bed too.
Friday sees us wake up to Roger's alarm at 6am. Looking outside it's already busy with vehicles lined up to start rolling out. We decide to have breakfast, Roger organised for his days shift 8am to 4pm so we both go for a walk to get on top of Big Red. Just amazing being up there for sunrise and to watch the spectacle of roll out. We decide to leave our ute and caravan where it is - should be right to take off from its position when Rog finishes his shift. I go for a walk along the sand dune, Roger hangs about to go start his shift. I walk to just beyond Little Red then back. Before getting off Big Red I try my luck with a call to Robert - was so thrilled to get him for a chat (patchy reception though) and hear that all's well. As that sort of worked I try Sharon, Jenny and Barb but not successful. Go back to our caravan, have a shower, do the breakie dishes. Relax about the caravan and Roger comes and has his lunch break with me, sandwich for him, open toasties for me and cuppas. I continue to wait at the caravan, doing the preparations to be ready to move as soon as Rog finishes his shift. He finishes early around 2.30pm, the crew got through their work allocation. Off we go - bye bye Bashville for 2024.Leia mais