Day 20 – Clairview to Mackay - What do you mean shops don't open on Sunday! - Aug 9, 2009

In my last entry I described Clairview as wedged between the highway and the ocean. I forgot to mention there was a train line wedged in there as well. Every hour or so a dirty great freight train rumbled past. Fortunately the boys slept but Al and I were not so sparkling by morning.

After the two hour run up the road to Mackay we set up and went out to explore. Based on some advice from a former local (thanks Cathy!) we headed out to Cape Hillsborough national park. We took a hike up and out to the headlands (a place called Andrews point). Turned out to be an approx 2km hike, quite steep in places, but was truly stunning scenery. I hope some of the pictures do it justice. The final section was a few hundred metres back along the beach. Absolutely beautiful.

We were pretty tired after that so headed back into town and looked for dinner. Something we have forgotten, shops close. We pulled into Woolworths – Not open Sunday. Coles – Not open Sunday. You forget how dependent you get on 7 day trading until it’s gone.

Finally found a funny little market open, fortunately next to a bottle shop, so it was BBQ steak washed down by a XXXX. Not bad.

Finished the night watching the last 5 pommie wickets fall in the 4th test. Great day overall.