Moranbah versus Dysart

This is a hard call to make. Having been to neither location previously, and knowing that training was based in Dysart I made the assumption that Dysart was a larger town. Perhaps not. We flew in to Moranbah Monday afternoon, found Coles and Target Country enroute to the Library. After a warm welcome from Miss S we headed out of town towards Dysart. Staying at the County Roads Inn, I am thankful to be anywhere but a donger. The town is full of them. They are literally everywhere, whole cavalcades of them lining the sides of the roads and forming small estates. Reminds me of a song my Grandfather used to sing - Little Houses. They were on a hill side and all made of ticky tack. Sort of sums it up. Traveling regionally, you are aware that the experience is make or break dependent upon the company you keep. As far as travel companions go I could ask for none better than Jennie. When we were in Cloncurry J had phone issues. To clarify, there was no Vodaphone signal, then no phone in her motel room. In Dysart she has no Vodaphone signal, this time she has a phone in her room. Problem is it rings so often - at all hours of the day and night that she has pulled it out of the wall. Reception want to know nothing about a rogue phone so the mystery of the non existent caller remains. The drive from Moranbah to Dysart was interesting. While the landscape is perhaps more stark and harsh than some I have seen in my travels, the opportunity to drive through the Peak Downs Mine was a worthwhile experience. The road literally traverses the middle ofthe mine. Quite disconcerting to see "Tonka Trucks" heading straight towards you. Their size is so immense you breath a sigh of relief to release the are on an adjacent road, rather than the same one you are traversing. I am happy to report that I have maintained the tradition of supporting the local community through purchasing some memorabilia. This time, not a t-shirt but a beanie. With the intention of heading off to Tassie on my return to Brisbane it seemed to me to be a well thought out purchase. Either way, I blame J. I wouldn't have been in. The shop if she had remembered to pack her belt. For the record, yes she bought a trendy, multicolored replacement. Venue of choice for our evening meal has been the Dysart Bowls Club. Good food, reasonable price and help yourself to vegetables and salad. Pretty perfect, and amazingly good for such a remote location. All smiles here! My red boots have been raising eyebrows. From wearing them to traverse the building site for the new Dysart Library, to the drunk who declared that he loved my red boots....it's safe to say, no one in town has seen anything quite like them.