Sarina, Mackay & Finch Hatton, QLD

And so with this footprint, you are finally up to speed.

We are now in the sugar cane districts and it is sugarcane harvesting season. I did a tour of the Sugar Mill in Sarina and was rather impressed. Mostly with how clean an industry it is using mainly water and steam, but also how many useful by-products come out of the process; cane tops and molasses are used as cattle feed, bagasse as bio-fuel for the sugar cane mills and feed manufacture, and finally, filter muds that are given back to the farmer to fertilise and improve the soil on his or her fields.

We tasted the raw cane, the molasses, some candy floss (they call it fairy floss here), and some liquors and ginger beers they produce on site. As a pre-diabetic, I had the best time at the Sugar Mill. With lashings of ginger beer, hurrah! Famous Five at The Sugar Mill?

I woke up one morning and my eyes were swollen and sealed shut. When I tried to open them, they streamed with tears and I were proper snotty. Stumbled to the pharmacy and asked what was wrong with me. They put it down to the sugarcane fields being in flower which, if you're not local, can cause your histamine levels to spack out. I took an antihistamine, it cleared up within an hour or two and despite still being surrounded by sugar cane fields three weeks later, I've not had another reaction since. Weird.

The only thing I've ever been allergic to are some Angora Guinea Pigs I once cuddled and rubbed my face in. That landed me in A&E but I got the day off work which was cool. I also had a huge needle in my arse, which was not cool. The nurses thought my colleague had sprayed me with CS spray when I was escorted in with my eyelids turning inside out. We were the only police response car available but had been skiving off having a cup of tea and admiring my colleague's petting zoo. Meh heh.

I've been wondering lately whether Dick might be lonely or in need of some company. I had a chat with a local breeder and we got to look after 'Dave' the Dachshund puppy for a few days, as a trial. That little dude lit up my life! The cutest, sweetest, most loving, adorable little man I've ever met.

Dick however, was not so impressed. He saw no reason why he had to share his mother or his food or his toys and made it quite clear in his own gentle, quiet way that he did not need any company. I was sitting quietly one evening when Dick strolled out from behind the van - with Dave dangling from his tummy, latched on and determined to not let Dick leave him behind. I gently unlatched Dave and rang Sue the next day. Most dogs would not have tolerated that. Good boy, Big D.

I reluctantly handed Little D back to lovely Sue, the breeder. That little dude had a blast with us. He adored Dick, followed him everywhere and used him as his personal warm pillow. I shall miss him dearly. Dick gathered all his toys together and rested his head on them with a big, satisfied sigh that he no longer had to share.

I saw some Duck-Billed Playpus at Finch Hatton and the Gorge was amazing. Which is interesting as I remember being taught at school in England - that they were extinct!

The showgrounds were at the bottom of gorgoeus mountains, covered in cloud each morning. Nowt much else to do though and no mobile reception, which makes for long, dull evenings so we reluctantly headed back into civilisation.Read more