Don't miss Charlie

So after our expensive nights we parked in a layby just south of Bowen. That was fine too, Bruce quietens down at night, and the loos were fine. We had agreed on an early start so we were ready for off at 7.30!! when Charlie came by. G'day, wanna taste my bananas? So we crossed the road and tasted Charlies bananas, his dried tomatoes in oil (he gave us a jar) and wanderedround his property. He showed us tracks from wallabies and then something that looked like tree stubs but were rock with minerals forming in them. He sat down and screamed "Maggie" and the birds came down and fed from his hand. He invited us in for coffee and on leaving when I said he had given us so much, what could we do for him, he said, "You can do something for me. Just be happy, and spread that happiness. With that in mind we took our morning trek up to a lookout. Fantastic views as usual. E was wanting a shower but had to make do with a dip in the sea. We have forgotten about sharks and jelly fish (maneter) but most beaches warn that stingers are prevelant between nov and april. We wandered round some of the sets from the film "Australia", E trying to look like Kidman and K imitating Baz Luhrmann, then we headed inland to a place called Eungella, west of Mackay. The van has a stong engine so we made it up the mountain and down again, although E had her doubts. There we cooled off for a couple of days, did som serious rain forest walking, saw an azure kingfisher and a platypus. I bet you haven't seen one