Riding Down Under - Tropical Cairns Australia

[MacDoc]

Hey mate
This time of year yeah tho Mareeba gets 300+ days of sunshine up the range.
Speaking of Dan Murphy ( local bottle shop ) need a Baileys knock off to have in my coffee.

Took me a while to get my permanent visa....covid actually helped move things forward. The powers that be sent me an email in December 2020 .....if you can get to Australia we will have your VISA ready and they did.
I got to Brisbane in Jan 2021 dodging and ducking restrictions with just one suitcase.
Applying for citizen now.

Are you using an Immigration Consultant?? We are happy with ours.

 

[MCT]

Are you using an Immigration Consultant?? We are happy with ours.

I hired a "registered migrant agent", one of the countless ones listed on either the Department of Home Affairs or on my Immi Account.

They were quite useless considering I initially gave them my background: retired and not a student or coming to work, coming with money, Canadian pension that can be transferred to Oz. In other words, I won't be a Liberal freeloader holding my hand out for a free iPhone and government credit card. Plus I have property in Oz.

Anyway, I am not giving up. I guess I could always get a job there as a flight instructor or pilot for the flying doctors. But I am retired and want to put my feet up.

The only downside is I would miss my extremely well put together private workshop I have here. I'd have to sell all my left hand drive cars, but I'd ship two of my motorcycles.

Worst case is I'd stay here and come for 4+ months to get away from the effing snow. Been doing it since 2015.

The other downside is, I'd be totally lost without Trudeau's leadership. Yeah right, let me roll my eyes. That and I can get Dubliner Whiskey Honeycome at Dan's; can't get it in Canada. Brought back two 1L bottles.

 

[MacDoc]

I did the 3-6 months away thing for many years. Get a 3 month visitors visa then extension.
Worked well before retirement then partner retired too and I sold out my biz - got just enough to cover my debts.
And that was just before covid hit.
I considered shipping my CB500x but decided against it as had not much else to bring and already had a bike in Cairns. What bikes would you bring?

Don't miss Toronto at all. Do miss chasing spring this time of year...longer days etc

My B-inlaw is Qantas captain and riding partner was emerg rescue pilot of some sort. He has just retired. Can put you in touch if you are serious about some flying work?
You in Aus now?

 

[MacDoc]

Noraly in Jeddah

Surprised how uncrowded and looks prosperous. Happy to be virtual tourist.

Still dripping outside - so damp inside...my clothes are growing shrooms. Tried to wean off codeine but not quite yet. Bowls Club tonight I think tho not sure what I can eat.....pasta maybe.

 

[MCT]

What bikes would you bring?
You in Aus now?

I still have 4 bikes. 1986 BMW R80 G/S PD, 1990 BMW R100 GS, 2003 Kawasaki KLR 650 and a 2016 R1200 GS Adventure. I'd bring the 1990 and the 2016 or maybe all four. All of them have range. I can't stand bikes that need filling all the time.

As for flying, that can be a last resort, but I like my retirement. I was hoping that Nikki Osborne aka Bush Barbie would marry me so I can get Permanent Residence in Oz.
Bush Barbie

I left early March but will be back in December.

Just checked NZ visas. Same issues, but I'll visit there to extend my ETA in Oz.

 

[MacDoc]

That was a fun clip with Bush Barbie....wonder how many takes it took

I sold my BMW g-310-gs - never melded with it and one annoyance was 11L tank, ridiculous for an ADV bike. Happy to be back on the CB500 series which has decent size tank and extremely good range.

Showing some rain relief but not enough to go out while still taking codeine.

 

[MacDoc]

Late night /early morning roo snack. Using up my carnivore quota before my second extraction.
Nearly done in by sneaky Wordle
Wordle 1,371 6/6






In theory a riding window this am but much better tomorrow.
Will start the bike this am just in case but not expecting an issue.

 

[MacDoc]

My kangaroo kabobs must have come from a tough old buck.

Still was tasty with eggs for breakfast. At my request partner bought me some ....was hoping for a steak but kabobs were all that was available.
Very healthy meat and easy on the environment. Just not available all the time in stores and often rare in restaurants.
There was a few places with emu, croc and roo plates I look for as the ultimate "eat local" dish.

Tempting to get out for a ride ....still might at noon as temps lowish. Tomorrow looks fine tho

 

[MacDoc]

Today is the day the augurs are favourable. Hi of only 29, mixed sun and cloud and light winds.

Tomorrow too. Buddy wants a ride Sunday so would be sweet to do back to back.
Will be even cooler on the tablelands.
Some Celebrex and a day out looks good. Have a new Audible to listen to as well.
Almost forgot I had not played yet

Too much sleep.
Today is a riding day.

 

[MacDoc]

Lovely day. Warmish but not bad at Lake Barrine.


Nice relaxed day at Lake Barrine
THEN I noticed my heartbeat monitor going stupid - 130-140 bpm - and I have been sitting for the better part of an hour. I can't feel anything wrong but that's not good.
I wait a bit but not going down so I slowly make my way to the bike and cautiously ride the shortest way home. I'd had a good sleep, was not hot ...just a racing heart that I could not sense.
So maybe it's the watch ....but this has happened before.
Part way home the check engine light on the bike comes on... Not what want to deal with. Was not even going fast.
Pull over on a wide shoulder - let the bike sit for a few minutes - no sense the bike was overheating. - check my heart beat - still high - sigh, start the bike, no engine light and even more carefully rode home. No idea Just glad to be home.
Heartbeat still 130 + ....get out my fingertip heartbeat monitor .....nope ...still high so ain't the watch.
Slept for hours right through supper and finally started coming down and now at a normal 76 at midnight.
******* hell......made 2pm appointment with doc on Monday. I should have my electrocardiogram report in by then.
Disappointed I dare not ride tomorrow ( Sunday )...it's a gorgeous day... tho possible I'm low on oil - I will check that and if so take a short ride in the morning and take both heart monitors with me.
Good weather, bike I like and now anxious over both mcycle AND tachycardia.
But I did get Wordle

 

[MacDoc]

Kookaburras being rowdy - they are a bit ahead of the sun. 23 on the deck. So Nice and wanna ride.

Glad I did not. Riding buddy and gf got caught out in waaaay more rain than expected " torrential" was his term and finally got home way late. 8.30 pm after leaving my place well before noon. I guess they were ducking in and out of showers all day and it hasn't stopped even this am.
He was on his new open class CB650F that he scored for a ridiculously low price. Gorgeous bike. And they came down the Gillies in the rain at night and I know there is some green moss in the upper areas....risky business.
Noraly haunted by a burning car.

 

[MCT]

Riding buddy and gf got caught out in waaaay more rain than expected " torrential" was his term and finally got home way late. 8.30 pm after leaving my place well before noon.

You are worried about "torrential" rain? How would you like to handle a ride at -23C. Been there, done that. I'll take the rain. Been there, done that.

A couple of days ago I was thinking about a flight back to QLD. I was drinking a beer out of a chilled mug out of the freezer and I had my winter gloves on. Friggin cold!

 

[MacDoc]

Never ridden anywhere at those temps but maybe some -10 in Uni. Had to light a little fire under the Superhawk to get the oil warm enough to crank. I rode all year in St Catharines for 4 years.

I've been caught out in a few frog stranglers in North America when near a tornado touch down.
One tucked in behind a box van that was rocking like crazy in the wind. Water was just bucketing down and icy cold ....feet as wide apart as we could keeping the bikes upright and still recall when the water in the gravel overtopped my boots,
Of course it was a front coming through and it dropped from 80F to 32 by the time I got to Toronto. There was ice on my jeans.
RD400 with bikini fairing and drop bars was not exactly much weather protection.
There was a Dutch Oven restaurant coming down from Peterborough and was very glad to see that. Wonder if it's still there.

 

[MacDoc]

I'm holding on to my lovely red cap from Chile tho getting the occasional "look" thinking I'm MAGA ...they are not much in favour here

I do love red and refuse to let it be hijacked ...the dumpf should stick to his orange.

Cleared to ride tomorrow. ..echocardiogram showed nothing out of the ordinary and partner/excardio nurse concurred.

Check Engine on bike also turned into nothing burger. Dealer will check if it threw a code next visit.

Still have referral to cardiologist associate of partner to pursue the electrical issue causing the erratic heart beat.
Tired of playing whack-a-mole with health issues.
Next up - another 3 hour dental on Thursday.

 

[MacDoc]

Ah wallowing in good memories

:
Damn that took me back ....watching the 747 on final for Pearson from my perch at 2,000 m to the west,

Perhaps the best example of how good it can be - there 3 or 4 in the series. The guy was two time world champion.

Over the five years I experienced most of what he encountered, cloud streets, wonderful thermals, short cross country, climbing to 14,000' in a thermal, ridge flying.

Clubs are everywhere and you can take a demo flight ....who knows you might get hooked.
I did and 5 weeks later was a solo pilot
Never flew in the level of plane that guy has ..17 or 18m high tech but close
Happy to see my fav plane in the National Air and Space Museum in Washington
I switched out for more time spent on my RD400 - not so weather dependent. I had exhausted my local flying and did not want to instruct.
Actually nice enough might do a short ride for lunch.