I’m sure that you know by now that I do like my amenities block in a caravan park. The one at The Paddock at Paronella Park is the best so far.
The. Best. So. Far.
Eight toilets down one side, eight showers down the other side, and 4 (or 5) basins/sinks across the back wall. All brand new.
But the thing that gets me is that the space in the middle between the toilets and showers is about 8 metres wide.
Seriously.
Big enough to hold a barn dance. Which would be handy, actually, because you wouldn’t have far to go if you needed to pee.
I reckon the space in the middle is big enough to fit three (3) Percys side by side.
It’s enormous. Cavernous. Huge.
But that’s not the best part.
I’m sure you also know that I have to find my favourite shower in each amenities block, and I get a bit … precious … if someone uses my shower.
Yes, I know that sounds like OCD, but … OK, maybe it is OCD.
They are all my favourite. All 8 of them.
A big shower head that gushes hot water, and the kind of water pressure that you’d expect from a fire hose. Every single one of them.
But here is the kicker … they specifically ban you at Paronella Park from filling a bucket and washing your car or van, yet you can stand in there and have a loooooong hot shower, and probably use 20 times the amount of water that you’d need to wash your car. Maybe 30 times.
But despite all of that, I had a lousy shower this morning.
Disappointing.
What’s the one thing that spoils your shower when you step out, scrubbed clean and glowing pink?
Realising that you didn’t bring a towel 🙁
Bugger!
I had to repurpose my PJ T-shirt as a towel.
And what made the situation even worse was getting back to Percy, and finding MBW standing there with a big, stupid, Cheshire Cat grin on her face.
MBW: “Forget something?”
Today was a super lazy day. We started with the usual coffee and breakfast. I’m ignoring ablutions this morning because of the disappointment factor.
The only thing that we needed to achieve today was to do the daytime tour of Paronella Park, and then go for a wander ourselves.
No prizes for being early today – we walked over and arrived in time for the 10.00am tour. Yes, I know that many of you would have done half a day’s work by then, but we are retired.
Nothing to do, and all day to do it. Remember?
The tour was great. Our tour guide was named Bill but he was foreign. Somewhere in Europe, I think.
He was very … animated. He told us about the 47 steps of the grand staircase and how “someone on the spectrum” told him that there wasn’t 47 steps but 45 steps.
Pfft. You talk about the pot calling the kettle black. Look up “on the spectrum” on the Intergoogle and I’ll bet his picture will be there somewhere.
And in usual style, he had clearly memorised all of his 40 minute monologue because if you asked him a question, you could see the wheels turning while he tried to figure out again where he was up to.
But anyway, it was an interesting and informative – and animated – tour and we learned all about Jose and Margarita and their 2 little munchkins, and how and why he created the castle and gardens.
Jose – the clever little chicken that he is (… actually, was) – built everything himself from concrete with his own hands. Buildings, tables and chairs, concrete pots, balustrades, staircases, paths … everything.
After the tour we just went exploring for an hour or so, and fed the fish and the turtles.
Paronella Park is at a place just outside Innisfail called Mena Creek Falls, but MBW referred to it as Mena Falls.
My hearing isn’t great, and I thought she said “menopause”, so that conversation quickly became complex and uncomfortable.
Anyhow, back to Percy for a rest and a cool drink, followed by coffee and Gingernut biscuits (Queensland ones), then a late lunch, then …
It was a pretty low achieving afternoon, if I’m to be completely honest. If I was getting a performance review on what I achieved today, I’d be on a performance plan.
MBW put me onto an author called Tom Thread-something, and I have been enjoying his books. I’ve been reading the last one in the Jeremy Winter series and I read most of it yesterday.
I didn’t read all day, mind you … I did have a nap in the middle of the day too!
There’s not much to see or do at Mena Creek Falls, so no point going sightseeing.
I’m embarrassed to say that was it for the day.
Lasagne and salad and chips for dinner, and with any luck, Jeremy Winter will solve the problems of the world before I head off to the Land of Nod tonight.
Gotta go … Jeremy is waiting for me.
Ciao
#Retirement2024
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