Nancy with Phillipa, Greg, and Kelsie Realf at their home in Miriam Vale. Through Greg, Nancy has made nine new friends.

Journal and photos by Nancy Olson

I left the camp ground at about 0900, and I was feeling like I was pretty much in the middle of nowhere. There just isn't alot to see along this stretch of the Bruce Highway, and what you do see isn't always that pleasing to the eye. I saw a spider whose abdomen was the size of a 50-cent piece, and it scared the heck out of me! As gross as it was, I still had to get a picture of it.

I was getting pretty hungry a little after one, and I decided to pull over for some lunch, even though I only had about 20 km to go. I had some pita bread with cheese, Vegemite, and chutney, and then I got back on the road. Just as I pulled onto the pavement, I realized my tire felt low. Dang! I had a slow leak. Rather than patch it or change the tube, I decided just to pump it up and hope it would last me to Miriam Vale. As I was stopped on the side of the road, two cars stopped to see if I needed help. See, Australians are awesome people. The second car offered me cold water, and they gave me a big bottle of H2O with ice in it. That was an incredible treat on this hot day.

When I arrived in town, I checked out the first caravan park I came to. It looked a bit crowded, and the spot that wasn't crowded was next to the stinky bathrooms, so I moved on. There was a visitor's center one kilometer further south, so I went inside. I was met by smiling Greg Realf who, after a brief conversation, invited me to stay with his family just down the road. He has hosted a number of guests from all over the world, and I immediately took him up on the offer.

We both had errands to run, so I got directions to the house and agreed to meet there at 1730. By then, wife Philippa and daughter Kelsie would be home. I stopped to use the Internet in town and was offered a place to stay by another nice Aussie local. When I told her I already had a place, she (Melissa) said I should stop by for some barbecue, at least, and I agreed. Unfortunately, I couldn't find her house after using the Internet, and I had to get over to Realf's. I know she must think I stood her up, but, well, I didn't mean to!

The Realf's live in a cool eco-friendly home that Greg built, and their hospitality was warm and genuine. We had a delicious spaghetti dinner and got to know a bit more about each other. This is the part of solitary travel that is so enriching--I've made wonderful new friends all over Queensland. Phillipa teaches mentally and physically-challenged children, Kelsie is an aspiring gymnast, and Greg is running for city council. One of his biggest concerns is preserving Queensland's only pristine river (meaning it has no dams and is 100% natural), Baffle Creek. They own quite a few acres along its banks, and active/caring citizens meet regularly to try to keep the river pristine.

The Realfs have invited my team to stay on their property and have a barbecue when we swing back through on our way north to Cairns. Now, that would be fun!

Mileage:
Weather: Fair/Partly Cloudy/Extremely windy
End Location: Miriam Vale

Help support our cause: The LONGITUDE Expedition is the longest journey ever attempted with a focus on Parkinson's Disease. The Drive Around the World team aims to raise money for Parkinson’s Disease research by driving four Certified Pre-Owned Land Rover Discoverys around the globe following lines of longitude. Readers are encouraged to pledge small amounts of money per expedition-kilometer via a pledge form that can be found on our Parkinson’s page by clicking here. 100% of donations received go directly to Parkinson's research and all who donate $10 or more will be entered into a raffle to win an expedition-equipped Land Rover Discovery.