Today’s agenda included grocery shopping with my grandaunt at Woolworths and visiting more of my Australian family. Up at 7 am once more, I shared a pleasant breakfast with my grandaunt and granduncle. These days with my family have been incredibly laid-back. After the chaos in Cairns, it’s been a welcomed chance to unwind and organize my plans for the next leg of my journey. My granduncle and grandaunt insist on handling household chores themselves, ensuring I get plenty of rest—quite amusing, really!
Woolworths
Following that, we headed to Woolworths for our grocery shopping. Similar to Coles, Woolworths is a massive supermarket, a stark contrast to the ones back in Holland. The Australian supermarkets not only boast more extensive space but also offer a plethora of brands and a wider range of products. The only drawback I found here is the tendency for everything to come in family-sized packages. Consequently, I often had to discard my bread after just a few days.
Family Visits
Upon wrapping up at the mall, we made our way to Uncle Albert’s place. He happens to be the brother of my granduncle, and it was a pleasure to extend my greetings during this visit. An hour later, we bid farewell and drove back to the house in Rockhampton, arriving just in time for lunch. Post-lunch, I dedicated some time to work on my laptop. An hour later, accompanied by my grandaunt, I set off to visit Daryl. He’s the son-in-law of my grandaunt, and I had the pleasure of meeting him the other day when he guided me through Mt. Archer. My granduncle opted for a nap and didn’t join us on this excursion.
Following a brief drive, we reached Daryl’s place. He graciously toured me around and offered a drink. Thirty minutes later, I stepped outside to capture some images of the front of the house. The spaciousness of everything in Australia struck me; it was hard to fathom having a home like this back in the Netherlands (especially now in 2024). Daryl had a new dog, quite fierce in nature. He had it chained before our arrival, as the dog had bitten Daryl a few days ago, and his arm was still healing from the incident. Unfortunately, they couldn’t part with the dog, as his daughter was strongly against it.
As I strolled outside to capture a photo, the dog caught sight of me and erupted into a barking frenzy. Suddenly, it sprinted toward me with astonishing speed and power. In a split second, the chain snapped, and I couldn’t help but think, ‘Oh no!’ It played out like a scene from a movie: the dog reached me, leaping and barking fiercely. It definitely gave me a scare, but thankfully, I managed to avoid any bites. I urgently called for Daryl’s assistance, and he swiftly came running. The dog continued barking as Daryl promptly resecured the chain. My grandaunt even showed the broken chain that the dog had managed to snap.
I snapped a few photos of the front of the house and the dog. Thirty minutes later, we departed, heading back to Rockhampton.
Chores
During the late afternoon, I dedicated time to work on my travel blog articles while my granduncle attended to some final laundry tasks. Seizing the opportunity, I used my granduncle’s vacuum cleaner to clean my car, which was filled with sand. It was a relief to get rid of it. Additionally, I took the initiative to clean the front seats of my granduncle and grandaunt’s car. It felt like a small gesture in return for their incredible hospitality, considering I never had to assist with dishes, despite my offers to do so.
My granduncle and grandaunt turned out to be wonderful individuals, brimming with fascinating and humorous tales. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here, although the impending departure loomed over me. There’s still so much of Australia left to explore. My grandaunt, eager to assist with my queries, had planned to go to the tourist information with me. However, I reassured her that she need not go to such lengths, as I preferred to figure things out on my own when I reached the next town. One of the things on my checklist was to determine the availability of a secure car park near Rainbow Beach.
In the evening, we resumed our television routine. After a refreshing shower, I called it a night around 10 pm. Tomorrow’s agenda demanded an early start as the drive ahead was anticipated to span up to six hours.
