Chinese Doctor's Diversified Portfolio

From my limited knowledge of investing, I understand that the secret of wealth is to have a diversified portfolio to cope with the ups and downs of the share market. (I wanted to say the vicissitudes of the market, because that is an evocative word that I don’t have the opportunity to use often, but I think it is too grandiose for something as down-to-earth as a blog.) I was thinking of this today when I saw YP MEDICAL CENTRE and a bit later YP VETS. I was also musing on the fact that the easiest way for a foreign doctor to get established is to agree to practise in the smaller and more remote areas where Australian graduates don’t want to work and was mentally thanking Dr Yp and others like him who staff the less enticing towns. When I passed YP REFORESTATION SCHEME and YP POLOCROSSE, I finally consigned the good doctor to the rubbish bin and mentally replaced his name with Yorke Peninsula on other signs I saw along the way.

In Minlaten today I was fascinated by a World War 1 fighter plane, Red Devil. It may be the only remaining one of its kind in the world. Aircraft were new to the fighting arena in 1918 and the dimensions of this plane explain a great deal. This single-seat monoplane is 6.2 metres long with a wing span of 9.3 metres and stands 2.5 metres high. Its armoury consisted of an unsynchronised machine gun mounted on the fuselage and shooting through the propellers, a daunting task for the pilot already keeping the plane in the air at the great speed of 130mph.

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I have seen this sign several times
No follow-up sign, no explanation

I moved fairly fast yesterday and ended up spending the night at Parham beach just north of Dublin. I stopped for a couple of hours on the outskirts of Adelaide and met up with Cruisin' Granny (Chris) from the Grey Nomads Forum who is staying at a caravan park, for a relatively long term. She was puzzled when I gave her a twig from the beach tied up with a length of seaweed. It was  seaweed, salt and the smell of the sea to remind her of life on the road.

This afternoon I got a call from Denis to say that Mum has had a stroke so, although I have said my goodbyes many times over, I am heading for home in the morning. It will take me a few days to get home. I have just sent off a number of emails cancelling arrangments that I had made in Adelaide and other places. Nothing was urgent. Next trip perhaps?  When I get home I will add this to round off my blog and put a neat ending to my journey.

Power, a Shower and a Twin-Tub Washer

Just set up at Black Point

The Yorke Peninsula looks like a leg, with a large foot complete with a corn on the big toe, appropriately called Corny Point. I am at Black Point, on the calf of the leg. It is something between a caravan park and a campground. I had to register at a caravan park nearby and pay $15 a night. That gives me power which I don't usually bother with but will make sure everything is fully charged before I leave. There are old but clean toilets, hot showers and a laundry. I think my first flat ever had a twin-tub washing machine so it will be interesting working out again how it operates. At no cost to operate, it is worth washing my jeans which are beginning to stand up by themselves when I take them off. Then I can rinse them in the concrete wash tubs.

I was a bit concerned that this might be an almost deserted camp but there are seven groups here in an area that only holds ten so it is quite cosy. Some are just overnighters and others are here for a few days. I've paid for two nights and will see how I go then. I have rediscovered my need to be near the sea. Bush camping has left me as cold as the rare bush showers. As soon as I see the water, I feel at home. This was how I used to feel when I hit the Hornibrook bridge whenever I'd been away from Redcliffe for any length of time. I must have salt water in my veins.

This is my third night here. Two sets of neighbours (Marion and Harry and Yvonne and Robert) arrived when I did and are both staying on. Two others arrived today after others left. The men and Marion have been fishing and got a few good sized whiting, obviously just enough to feed themselves for one meal as they were out again on the next tide.  It has been a very quiet day around the camp. I went for a walk on the beach again today, not too far or too fast. It is the Toastmasters Convention weekend in Brisbane and I feel a bit left out.  (I know, I left them not the other way around but convention is usually part of my Toastmasters year.) Sue has sent photos already and I have sent a message to Preeta who has worked all year as Convention Convenor and won't relax till the weekend is over.

Black Point is like many small beachside towns. Along the beach, right at the edge of the high tide are a number of shacks made with a variety of materials. These were probably squatters who came here for the fishing. Behind them along the top are some flash homes and rental units and houses and further along quite a few big houses that look as though they may have permanent occupants, as people realised that the owners of the shacks had found a beautiful place to live.  There seems to have been a competition to name the properties. There is The Butcher's Block, complete with illustration, Warren's Warren, Hawke's Nest, Black Point Hilton etc. There are also official road signs warning, Slow Down. Cars Appear from Nowhere and Kids Don't Bounce but Their Angry Parents Do and If You Crash Here, It Takes 20 Minutes For an Ambulance to Come.

I had expected to drive south and most of the way round the peninsula tomorrow but have scaled it down after talking to Wendy and Tom. They have a motor home with a closed trailer (I don't know what else to call it - mobile garage? skeleton caravan?) for their snazzy trike. They rode (triked?) around today and felt that they wouldn't have missed much if they had cut their ride short. So in the morning I will go as far as Port Vincent on the east coast then zigzag across to Stansbury and up the west coast, probably finishing at Maitland overnight which has a free camp area right opposite the hospital.

Across the Spencer Gulf to a Super Loo

From Cowell to Wallaroo, two hours in comfort on the Aurora V or many hours of driving. I chose the ferry for what the captain called a medium to rough crossing. I love to be on the water but this wasn't pleasant. I was pleased I dozed off and the time went quickly. I did get time to ask Carol, who was on the ferry, about the brown dog. She thinks it is an old farming saying which she got from her grandfather. Apparently brown dogs are meant to be the most tenacious and stubborn. When all the other dogs have been blown away in a high wind, they stand their ground. It takes a fierce wind to blow a brown dog off its chain. 

I am now on the Yorke peninsula. This area is called the Copper Coast and was originally settled by Cornish miners and there are many reminders of that heritage. At the moment I am sitting in Cousin Jack's bakery having a Cousin Jack's slice with my morning coffee. I could have had a cornish pasty - and probably should while I am in town.

Another reminder is the Red Hat group I visited yesterday in Moonta. They are called the Cousin Jennies of the Copper Coast. As well as their formal events, they meet each Wednesday for a games afternoon. I joined them at the home of Queen Vee for a hilarious game of Yahtzee.

Helen, Queen Vee (Viv), Queen Mum Robin

There are three towns very close together. After the afternoon with the ladies in Moonta, I stayed the night in Wallaroo and this morning drove the 8km to Kadina. I have a dental appointment at midday. I have either lost part of a filling or chipped a tooth. Either way, it has to be fixed before I move south. Apart from Kadina, there are only two dentists on the peninsula. I was lucky to get an appointment at short notice.

I have just been to an Exe-Loo. I don't usually use public toilets if I can avoid it. However, this was quite an experience. The building was a clean looking aluminium style with a flashing light outside to tell me that it was unoccupied. When I entered I was directed to lock the door and told I had a maximum of ten minutes. Soft music started, What the world needs now, to serenade me and soothe my stay. When I hit the button to unlock the door, I was thanked for using exe-loo. Excellent!