Moree - Mungindi - Goondiwindi

From Moree I drove 122km west to Mungindi, where my niece and family live.  What a wonderful couple of days I had with Bianca, Cahrlie, Tom and Sam.  They live in cotton and wheat growing country and have a crop dusting business - very busy.

Charlie took me up in his helicopter for an overall look at the coutryside and at the spraying operation as well as the cotton picking procedures.

Charlie and Tom

Bianca and Sam

Flying low to spray cotton

On the ground with the cotton

Picker unloading a bale

Picker in action

I'm in the picker!

Cotton from the air - ready to pick

 So, after a beautiful couple of days I had to say farewell to them all at Mungindi and get back out on the road.  I drove to Goondiwindi  and stopped for a break by the McIntyre River.

I could smell petrol and wasn't sure that I should be, so I called roadside assistance and the RACQ man came in his truck to see what was wrong - if anything.  There sure was something wrong - the hose that takes petrol from the inlet to the tank was broken and petrol was leaking at quite a rate.

The Hopemobile had to be towed to a mechanic and the hose replaced

onto the tow truck

As it was late afternoon by this time and they weren't sure how long it would take to replace the hose, I booked into a motel for the night.

So, here I am in my motel room on Thursday morning, 12 April, having picked up the Hopemobile (with its new hose) getting ready to get back on the road - to Brisbane, where my newest grandchild will arrive today!!!  Very exciting. I anticipate receivng a call with the news of his/her arrival, gender, name, size etc and that all is well with everyone, while I am on the road from Goondiwindi to Toowoomba.

I'll keep you posted :)