29-30th at Daintree

Honey enjoying the C-Gear mat and her haircut

Well this is more like it. Warm and sunny!!! Have the awnings and 'privacy' screens out (side and back). BBQ and the washing machine unloaded. And the C-Gear mat finally being put to use. So the rest of Sunday is for relaxing... What a great place this is.

Where we are is under the same tree as last year but it has grown and shields the satellite dish. We moved about a bit but are stuck with the obstruction. Maybe fortunately, the Daintree Riverview Lodge and Camp Ground, has a big screen (mainly for the Olympics) in the open bar/ pool room/lounge on the top level - if we are desperate... And we can always watch morning news on Mac or iPad. But sitting in the warmth reading or chatting to the neighbours is excellent.

Have discovered that the iPad AFL app lets you buy live video of the games, and in QLD if there is a QLD team playing - that's the one on TV... So I have bought a months games for $10 to watch on the iPad. (In fact we could watch it through the iPad via AirPlay on the big TVs - if I had brought the Apple TV with us...) So with the iPad holder on the side of the bus we have live footy of the Saints; on a 9.7" screen, under the awning, in the warmth, with a cold beer! After a slow start, the Saints gave the Bulldogs a lesson!!! Thank Dog.
Fillet steak and chips on the BBQ with Maz's new, delicious salad for dinner. Bit of a movie and we have had it

The satellite phone arrived during the week, so it is charged up and works - so far. In the front of the bus with the foldout antenna up it shows all 'bars' for signal. The SIM has not arrived yet so can't do much much with it. But at least have read the instructions... The phone first needs a GPS fix, so it can determine which satellite to connect through. I guess that might take some time first up. All the sat phone purveyors have there own telephone country code. Inmarsat is 870. So all calls to a satphone are international calls. There are other arrangements that can be made to have a local number, but that costs of course. Also, because it is international, emergency and other numbers don't work 000 012 and 1300 1800 numbers - so one needs to know the real emergency numbers for your location... Allsatphones publishes a good list of these, fortunately.

Moved the bus a bit Monday morning away from the bushes at the back, but closer to the tree at the side. Broke an awning bracket yesterday afternoon. the same fragile plastic bracket which failed at Cooktown last year. So have swapped the metal versions from the original/repaired awning on the right side; and discovered I don't have the necessary 10mm spanner - the smallest of my 4 adjustable spanners will have to do.
The metal swivel brackets should better take the weight of the screens and bungee tie-downs. Will get a pair of metal replacements for the other awning, but plastic should be fine on the right side which is only out a metre to keep any rain (ha) off the open windows (or sun if we are out in the open). If we ever put it out 2+ metres (as a carport), the alloy brackets would be more re-assuring...  

Finally have the table on its tripod legs, outside

So today Monday we may go into Mossman to get a few things (including a 10mm spanner). While we are here, we will get to Cape Tribulation again and explore down the coast too, And a bit inland. We will get out on the River on some tours... And catch a Barramundi!!!!