{"id":6035,"date":"2025-04-29T14:38:10","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T14:38:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=6035"},"modified":"2025-12-24T21:52:43","modified_gmt":"2025-12-24T21:52:43","slug":"13-morning-tea-and-smoko","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/?p=6035","title":{"rendered":"13. MORNING TEA AND SMOKO."},"content":{"rendered":"

We’ve had a number of really good meals in Australia – and, admittedly, a few dodgy ones.\u00a0 But these latter ones have usually been when we choose the cheap seniors meals!\u00a0 We had one of the good ones at Monica’s caf\u00e9 in Malaney with Penny.<\/p>\n

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Glenda palled up with Penny years ago when I had to return home in the middle of a trip.\u00a0 She is known for a number of things, notably her extraordinary use of the English language (never use a short word when a really long one could be used and never use one word when twenty would be an option).\u00a0 Also, her total rejection of tech things like mobile phones stands out.\u00a0 In the past her calling card was her green push bike.\u00a0 Or was it pink?\u00a0 Memorable!\u00a0 She and Matt are now deeply involved in developing a 40 acre hillside some 15 kms south of Malaney.\u00a0 (See later!)<\/p>\n

One afternoon, in Bunnings, while changing an empty gas cylinder for a full one, I bumped into two of the handful of people I know in the area.\u00a0 Brother John’s recent tenants and good friends – Craig and Pauline.\u00a0 They invited us to dine at Bistro Seven.\u00a0 They live in a penthouse apartment near the beach at Kawana, part of the Mooloolaba area.\u00a0 He is an ex restaurant owner and chef.\u00a0 Their residence is on the 7th floor.\u00a0 Hence Bistro 7!<\/p>\n

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He is one of those gifted individuals who cooks by instinct.\u00a0 And he can do it while talking and entertaining visitors who chat and laugh in the background!<\/p>\n

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Then some visitors crash the presentation stage and pretend they have been involved!<\/p>\n

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We visited a Teppenyaki restaurant early one evening (10% discount before 5 pm!).<\/p>\n

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Quite a flamboyant show but still well overpriced even with our magic 10% allowance.\u00a0 The youngsters seemed to enjoy the catching of wooden bowls thrown at them.\u00a0 The first three are empty and stack as they are caught.\u00a0 The fourth is full of fried rice.\u00a0 Tricky, but all who tried it managed to catch everything thrown at them!\u00a0 Luckily!<\/p>\n

We had a nocturnal visit to Mooloolaba central for a walk on the beach and an icecream.\u00a0 A lot of the trees think it’s still Christmas!<\/p>\n

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By night, the esplanade transmogrifies into the place to pass a few happy hours strolling along the well kept beach-front road.\u00a0 The only occasional problem is with the electric bike and scooter brigade.\u00a0 Their speed is supposed to be limited to 25 kph, but that’s way too fast on pavements among very young and very old pedestrians.\u00a0 However, and we are getting on to another high horse here.\u00a0 Many of these virtually silent machines have had their limiters “modified” or just plain removed!<\/p>\n

We had one of several farewell meals at One La Balsa near the mouth of the Maloolah River.\u00a0 Brunch!\u00a0 We had to have it early on a Saturday because Phroggy had a football match – which, in the event, was cancelled at short notice because the pitch was under water.\u00a0 But the brunch was great!<\/p>\n

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Robyn and Kevin (friends made on our Kimberley trip) drove up to meet us at Chill Caf\u00e9 in Caloundra followed by a lunch at the Pelican Waters Tavern.<\/p>\n

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One evening, after watching a lovely sunset over the Maroochy River …<\/p>\n

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… we were overtaken by two lads on an e-bike.\u00a0 I was doing almost the speed limit (50 then 70 kph) and I couldn’t keep up.\u00a0 Unbelievable!\u00a0 It wasn’t an e-bike, it was an e-motorbike.\u00a0 Totally illegal.\u00a0 No insurance.\u00a0 No registration.\u00a0 No licence.\u00a0 No parental control!\u00a0 Legally in most of Australia, throttle-Assisted Bikes can be propelled without pedaling, but their motor power output is limited to 200 Watts and they also have a speed limit of 25 kph.\u00a0 Apparently,\u00a0 some bikes are upgraded to 2 KW power!<\/p>\n

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Easter came and went in a cacao\/cocoa flavoured swirl.\u00a0 However Ben managed to eke out his supplies right up to the day of our departure almost two weeks later!<\/p>\n

There were more beach walks on quiet beaches.\u00a0 This was Marcoola Beach.\u00a0 To be fair it was much more crowded than usual where we joined it at Mudjimba.\u00a0 But a short walk took us past the umbrellas and gazebos (which have suddenly become the must-have equipment for days by the seaside in this part of the world).<\/p>\n

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Now, for an update on the hooligans on scooters terrorizing us “seniors”.\u00a0 After a bit of discussion, we got to try Robin’s own scooter (fully legal, fully limited etc etc.)\u00a0 Oh well, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em!\u00a0 Glenda stepped on and said how do you make it go?\u00a0 She stepped on and went!\u00a0 As she “hurtled’ off round the lake-side path, Robin leaned over and said “Did anyone tell her how to stop the thing?”\u00a0 !!!\u00a0 Well, actually, nobody had told her, so Robin set off running after her.\u00a0 About a km down the path he met terrorist grandma “hurtling” back past him shouting “This is great!\u00a0 I want one!\u00a0 I want one!”<\/p>\n

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So Robin had to borrow a friend’s scooter and we sourced a couple of cycle helmets from Robin’s garage and we were off.\u00a0 For our second mission, we started in the car park of the Pelican Waters’ Tavern car park and scooted a five km circuit of the canals …<\/p>\n

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On another occasion, we loaded up the car with a bike, two scooters and two children, and borrowed a second bike from one of the boys’ friends.\u00a0 With Jack and Ben we made a five km trip round and down Lake Kawana.\u00a0 Beautiful weather.\u00a0 Almost no roads or pavements involved.\u00a0 The area has an amazing network of paved cycle trails.\u00a0 We stopped at the Green Zebra for coffee and light refreshments, and again at the shops to buy a box of icecreams.\u00a0 Robin phoned to ask where we were.\u00a0 “There’s a storm coming your way.\u00a0 It’ll hit in 15 minutes!\u00a0 I’ll be there in five!”\u00a0 It’s still beautiful weather to the north.\u00a0 Glenda said she wanted to carry on.\u00a0 North is the only way we can see from outside Coles.\u00a0 To the south, it transpired, was a threateningly menacing outlook.\u00a0 It’s going to deluge!\u00a0 Glenda said she still wanted to carry on.\u00a0 Robin won the (short, sharp) discussion!\u00a0 One scooter and one bike in the boot.\u00a0 Robin took the other.\u00a0 Jack took his bike.\u00a0 They rode frantically north.\u00a0 We drove the car.\u00a0 And yes, as we arrived at the scooter “borrow” place, the heavens opened.\u00a0 We sat it out in the car for 10 minutes.\u00a0 Luckily, Robin and Jack had made it home just ahead of us.\u00a0 That was the end of the scooter-riding era!<\/span><\/p>\n

Now, back to the school pool at 06.30 for Benji’s first lesson in surf life-saving.\u00a0 First, line throwing.<\/p>\n

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In competition, the event entails coiling rope out of the water.\u00a0 Throwing it out 12.5 metres to a partner in crime.\u00a0 Then pulling rope and “casualty” back to the pool side.\u00a0 If you have never seen this in anger have a look at:<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch%3Fv%3D5_RQcoudpiI&ved=2ahUKEwia14_k__mMAxUwnP0HHbUOFgcQwqsBegQIFRAG&usg=AOvVaw2YaB5mC8ffGpw3NH_DPVyu<\/p>\n

Or similar.\u00a0 It’s absolutely stunning!\u00a0\u00a0The world record for line throw is just over 9 seconds!<\/p>\n

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… and what a stunning pool the school has!\u00a0 When we arrived at 06.30, all the lanes were in use as swimmers were getting to the end of their training session!!\u00a0 Dedication, or what?!<\/p>\n

Moving swiftly on.\u00a0 Lots of things were happening in our last week in Queensland.\u00a0 We had been invited to inspect Penny and Matt’s place out in the hills south of Malaney.\u00a0 On the way, morning tea – as they call it out here – had to be taken in style at Spicers Clovelly on Balmoral Road.\u00a0 (The main road along the ridge between Mapleton and Malaney.)\u00a0 You are allowed to have coffee, hot chocolate or even possibly a gin and tonic at morning tea.\u00a0 We chose coffees.\u00a0 All very salubrious!\u00a0 Very refined.\u00a0 \u00a0Almost French in poshness.<\/p>\n

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Then onwards branching right onto another ridge road.\u00a0 The snappily-named Malaney Stanley River Road via Wootha and Booroobin.\u00a0 Don’t you just love these place names?\u00a0 Our hosts for the afternoon own 40 acres of hill-side.\u00a0 They have three bits of level ground.\u00a0 The top section has spectacular views out over the surrounding hills and the Conondale forest and valley.<\/p>\n

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About 500 m virtually straight down a 2 in 1 slope, we arrive at level two.\u00a0 Here we find a beautifully comfortable (if a little bijou) residence with a delightful covered terrace.\u00a0 An appropriately named “Tiny House”.\u00a0 Perfect for “Smoko”.\u00a0 That’s another word for “Morning Tea”.\u00a0 Except we plan to have it in the afternoon.\u00a0 You just have to be flexible – and keep up!<\/span><\/p>\n

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I’ve now discovered that there’s a town in Victoria, (Australia) called Smoko.\u00a0 It gained its name in 1865 because gold seekers regularly stopped here for a smoke and a rest on their way to and from the goldfields.<\/p>\n

Another 500 m of almost vertical loss of elevation brings us to a whole new estate.\u00a0 Another micro-home …<\/p>\n

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… a chicken house labeled the “Palazzo dei Polli”, tool sheds, storage barns and a sheep stable under construction.<\/p>\n

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The ground here is almost what you might call level.\u00a0 Cleared of lantana in a major operation involving a tractor with a front blade – and months of effort.\u00a0 There is a natural spring and a dam in the bottom corner.\u00a0 Lots of grass growing in the cleared area.\u00a0 Perfect for the sheep-people when they are installed.\u00a0 Except the grass and flowering shrubs are being consumed by the local escapee deer population!<\/p>\n

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What a fabulous, if challenging, place on which to establish a super off-grid homestead!\u00a0 (But don’t tell Penny that I got a fairly good mobile phone signal at the top two levels!\u00a0 So not quite so off-grid as she thought!)<\/p>\n

Before I end this episode (written largely on the flight to Singapore!) I will leave you with an “observation” I picked up during the floods.<\/p>\n

With all this rain a big muddy puddle had formed outside the Pelican Waters Tavern.\u00a0 A wizzened old man was standing beside the puddle holding a stick with a bit of string tied to it.\u00a0 He was jiggling it up and down.\u00a0 Kevin asked him what he was doing.\u00a0 “Fishing”.\u00a0 Kevin took pity on the poor old man and invited him into the Tavern for a drink.\u00a0 While sipping their Bundaberg rums, Kevin started a conversation.\u00a0 “How many have you caught?”\u00a0 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

“You’re the eighth so far today!”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We’ve had a number of really good meals in Australia – and, admittedly, a few dodgy ones.\u00a0 But these latter ones have usually been when we choose the cheap seniors meals!\u00a0 We had one of the good ones at Monica’s… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[58],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-thailand-and-australia-travels-in-2025"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6035"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6079,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6035\/revisions\/6079"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tappstravels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}