Dirk and Joke doing the Half-lap: Day 12: Dead lights in Rockhampton to twilight at St Lawrence

First order of the day was to get the electrics fixed in the caravan. I rang the RACT, was connected to the RACQ instead who took my details and said I would have to speak to the RACT first. But, but.... Anyhow they transferred me to the RACT who said I would need to speak to the RACQ. But, but.... They relented and said I would have to speak to RACT Ultimate section. RACT Ultimate was more helpful, but said I would need to get RACQ to send out the local man. By this time I had given name, rank and serial number to all and sundry. The local man turned up and was about to back off when he understood the problem to be inside the van. However good nature prevailed and he had a look and, luckily, a sniff. Turned out the board in the front boot fluorescent light had cooked and the smell was quite strong. This was the “smell of gas” that had worried Joke the previous evening.

Armed with the RACQ diagnosis we teed up an appointment with an auto electrical firm for early afternoon. The caravan park was happy to let us stay there until then, so we had a relaxed morning in the sun.

Relaxation happening at Rockhampton

Discovery Caravan Park, Rockhampton

All the other overnighters had gone...

Then off we went to the auto electrical place and half an hour later all was fixed and we were on the road north.

Between Rockhampton and St Lawrence

Fruit stall plus second-hand stuff!

We had decided to stop over at St Lawrence, halfway between Rockhampton and Mackay. It is a free camp site maintained by the locals with $1 showers, and I read about it in Brisbane either in the papers or online somewhere – highly recommended. Well, they were not exaggerating. We are here with about 40-50 other vans on what seems to be a cattle stockyard. Tons of room for everybody, friendly neighbours, clean toilets and now that it is 9 pm, no generators!! J Joke and I looked at the stars for a while, and the longer you look, the more you see.