DAY 1
Remember... I didn't really want to go on this trip but my friend Marj wouldn't let me out of it AND
my GP said I needed the BREAK... remember that word.... "BREAK"
I was supposed to be at the bus pickup at 6:15am...
Set my alarm for 4:00am so I wouldn't have to rush...
so I thought....
The phone rang at 6:20am, waking me from a DEEP sleep!!! YIKES!!!!
The alarm didn't go off!
The bus was going to pick me up at my front door... get ready Jamie!
Panic stations... Jason was grabbing stuff and shoving it in my bag while I was getting dressed.
Fortunately I'd packed my suitcase the night before.
20 minutes later I was on the bus apologising to everyone and in a sweat!
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We picked up people in the next town and headed off on the trip.
About 30 minutes down the highway there was an accident between a petrol tanker and a truck!
The bus driver cleverly did a U turn before we reached the huge traffic jam
and we travelled along an inland road so we weren't held up.
Had we been on time.... we would probably have been stuck in the middle of it.
The highway was closed for hours.
So... everything happens for a reason...
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We stopped for morning tea a
couple of hours later then headed off
for the Lamington National Park.
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The scenery was beautiful, everything
so green after all the rain we've had this past month.
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Cattle country with beautiful homes.
Closeup in next picture.
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Sure looks like 'big money' here. |
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Incredibly we arrived on time at the Winery for lunch!!!
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The heart of O'Reilly's Canungra Valley Vineyards is a grand Queensland homestead, 'Killowen',
filled with people passionate about fine wine and food
This fine example of early Queensland architecture was built in 1858 by the Devine family in Warwick.
It was moved to its present position in 1989.
Many hours of restoration and care went into bringing the house back to its former glory.
Many of the antiques you see in the house today were originally in the house, and have also been restored.
The house also has a resident ghost, a member of the Devine family who owned the house for over sixty five years. There is a picture of her above the bar, standing on the verandah. The story goes that when the picture was taken she was standing next to the photographer with her daughter.
She died a couple of months later and her image appeared in the photo when it was later developed.
Many of the present staff are convinced she made the move with the house from Warwick.
Sugar bowls have mysteriously moved, pictures leapt from walls and coffee pots smashed.
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At the winery
My friend Marj giving orders
as usual... LOL!!
We had a "ploughman's lunch"
Smoked salmon, cold ham, different cheeses, salad, artichokes, char grilled peppers, olives and fresh baguette
bread.
I loved the lunch but others left the salmon (because it wasn't "cooked")... gimme a break! I tried to explain that it WAS cooked when it was smoked!
Then they didn't fancy the cheeses...
maybe fish & chips would have suited them better!!
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Lisa, the carer for Marj's disabled daughter
and the bus driver Pat after lunch
in the winery grounds. |
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Pat picking up my sunglasses
that fell off the table. |
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