After a 1700km road journey which started yesterday morning, I'm back in Bandiana visiting my Son, and hand delivering his car. It handled the drive well, but will need a REALLY good exterior clean before I hand over the keys for the last time, on Saturday. Man, there are some insect corpses on the front! Had the foresight to wax it thoroughly before departing on the trip. Tomorrow will show whether that had any positive effect on the debugging process.
This evening I picked up Bryce, and spent an all too brief period, shopping in Albury. I think he's taller now than he was when we saw him several months ago. Of course, I'm getting shorter. We will get together again tomorrow night, I hope. There is a slim possibility that he may be restricted to base over the weekend, along with the others in his unit, but I pray this doesn't happen. It's a long way to come to just hand over a car and then head for home again.
Assuming all goes well, Bryce and I will both tour the Bandiana Military Museum on Saturday morning. I will go alone, if need be, but that would hugely diminish the enjoyment. Either way, I WILL BE viewing this museum, FINALLY. Third time is a charm, unless I suddenly develop an acute case of appendicitis, or similarly incapacitating ailment. That would surely bugger up the museum visit because i have only booked for 2 people, and I doubt they would make an exception to accomodate a duo of paramedics.
The trip down was largely uneventful, though it did make me realise how REALLY ugly some of our native vegetation is. About 600km into the voyage, I entered an area which I think I would best describe as 'depressing'. I don't mean any offence to our scrub land, but it looked like it desperately needed a damn good combing. You know, the plant version of getting a marginal haircut, then walking out into a strong wind. Unkempt!
Contrast that description with the above. What is this crop? At one point I came over a hill and the entire landscape was this color. Breathtaking, and surreal. Only the house yards were green, everything else this wonderful bright color.
Now THIS is a beautiful landscape, but not nearly as widespread as the previous photo. Of course, my version of beauty is very slightly askew, but who doesn't find 50s and 60s heavy iron appealing, even if it is in captivity.
Made a slight detour off route, to visit The Dish. What a grand old sight it is too. Spent several hunderd dollars on the mandatory souvenirs, then went outside to get a few shots of the radio telescope itself. Now, I don't like the heat, but the other extreme isn't much more attractive. The wind was howling, and it was cold enough to freeze the nuts of a macadamia tree! The train is in Parkes itself. Quite an interesting town, with a lot to see / visit. Maybe another time.
I would normally post all this on Bryces thread, but I recently asked Hanno to remove it from view. I want to be absolutely positive I don't have anything in that thread which could be used to my Sons detriment, and the only way I be sure is to get rid of the whole thing. Welcome to the 21st century, I guess.