Monday, October 8, 2012

The Long Road Home




After three action packed days in Dubbo (four previous posts) it was time to head for home. For the first half of our journey we took a different route which proved to be a little shorter and quicker as well as giving us the thrill of crossing new-to-us territory. No time to stop for photos as we 700km (435 miles) to travel in the day.




Bright yellow canola fields are a fascination to us, something we had never seen until this trip. I think it's only become a popular crop here in recent years.







We passed through a small country town called Dunedoo, which means "swan" in the language of the local aborigines. We do have some very original town names in this country!













We stopped for a snack break at the next small country town. Their little park had many native flowers including the grevillea below as well as irises and other European flowers. It was surprisingly well kept.










 Back on the road again, I enjoyed playing photographers' eye-spy as my husband kept driving.






















After our lunch break we climbed up to the tablelands where the terrain is noticeably different.










Another small country town of around 2,500 people.




Our last stop was a new-to-us park in the "university city" from our trip out. Somewhere to play was the request, and toilets/restroom of course. This park had a lovely selection of play equipment but at first we couldn't see the toilets. However on closer inspection we discovered this strange looking "building" housed the facilities we were searching for!




Everything operated by touch-free or near touch sensors. The door locked for a maximum of ten minutes and it talked to you as well as played music! It was the most novel toilet we had ever seen! There was much laughter and joking about this one.

From there I drove the windy downhill last leg of our journey, arriving home just as nightfall came. Another rather exhausting day of 700km. It felt good to be home safely, our tired minds filled with memories of wonderful sights and adventures.


Sharing at This or That Thursday, SkyWatch Friday.

36 comments:

Gwen said...

Thank you Karen for sharing your family trip. I particularly liked the pics. of Dubbo, and the cricket match of course. My niece, also Karen, was brought up there. Gwen x

flowersandhome said...

This must have been a very tiring day. You took some gorgeous pictures from the car though. It gives a good view of what that part of Australia looks like. To me it looks a bit like a movie, so different from here.
Fancy that toilet! Haven't seen that yet over here.
The furthest we once drove in one day with only one stop was from Slovenia to Belgium, about 1000 km, a year ago when we did go on a vacation trip. 'Never again' was what my husband said after that long trip, with severe rain to accompany us all the way through Luxemburg and the Ardens and the whole way through Belgium back home. Some terrible accidents happened that very night due to that heavy rain. We were so happy to get home safe. I do wish I could go back to Slovenia once though, it's such a pretty country. Happy to hear you're all tired but safe back home. Thanks for taking us along!
Bye,
Marian

geanina said...

gorgeous pictures! :)

Cinzia said...

Bellissimi quei campi gialli di colza!
Cinzia

*Pearls on a string** Dorthe said...

Very lovely images - I love them all.
Thanks for the trip!

:-) Dorthe

Gail Dixon said...

So many awesome shots, but the golden fields are sensational! Wow wow wow!!!!

Giga said...

Miło się podróżowało z Tobą i patrzyło na to, co Ty. Z automatyki w WC można się czasami pośmiać i to z siebie. Pozdrawiam.
Nice to have traveled with you and looking at what you do. With automation in the toilet, you can have a laugh and sometimes it out. Yours

Deanna said...

What a wonderful trip you had, thank you for taking us along. Those golden yellow fields are a sight to behold!!

May said...

700 kms is a LONG way!!! Your hubby is lucky to have a wife who drives. I noticed that you drive in the same side of the road as in India. We have the similar kind of toilets too in our town here. I have never visited them, but my daughter has. When she did she was terrified listening to the talking and so on...:D :D

Jana said...

great pictures of the big+long country you live in, love them all! happy new week from tulipland+me:-)

Deborah Tisch said...

I so enjoy seeing your part of the world through your lens. And I see that some things are the same while styles of buildings and vegetation may be different. Regardless, it's this kind of connection through this Web that make it so worthwhile. Thanks for sharing these snapshots of your life!

Jennifer {Studio JRU} said...

Wow... what a beautiful road home! So many gorgeous images. Can not believe that bathroom! Oh my goodness... I would have been laughing too! :)

Nikki said...

You did so well to capture those amazing images while on the move Karen. I've never seen toilets like that before. Glad to hear you arrived home safely. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

Dave said...

Thanks for taking us with you Karen. I enjoyed seeing your countryside. That toilet is similar to ones that our Hamilton City Council have placed around the central city. They are great! - dave

Unknown said...

I think we forget the distances we are prepared to travel in Australia, my friends from overseas are shocked to discover how many long trips we make. They think 3 hours is a long journey! I grew up in the country so those long windy roads are all too familiar to me!

Doug Hickok said...

The landscape reminds me a bit of my home state of Ohio in the Midwest of the U.S., especially the barns and the fields of yellow flowers :^)

Rosemary Aubut said...

Beautiful country you have captured it so well! Hope to visit there someday! Loved the restroom!!!

Cathy said...

We have been studying perspective in art recently. Your photos of the roads, winding or straight, are beautiful examples. I do believe I enjoyed them the most.


Made me feel as if I was really going sometwhere...

Glad you are home with such wonderful memories.

Linnea said...

It may be a long road trip, but it certainly is beautiful and full of interesting sights! I enjoyed seeing a bit of Australia. Thanks for stopping by at my post.

Linda Kittmer said...

These images are lovely. It's such a beautiful, peaceful looking countryside. I must visit...it's on my bucket list, and these images just confirm that I must get there!

Laura Delegal - Leroy Photography said...

I love drive-by shootings. It's always a good distraction for the photographer too and makes the trip fly by. I enjoyed seeing it through your eyes.

Anonymous said...

That's a long trip but the scenery was worth it. So gorgeous. And I adore that wooden church - so charming.

Ocean Soul said...

Great photos as always, but I am really enjoying the laughter over the loo.

Juliana said...

Beautiful yellow fields!
adorable photograps!

Have a great day!
xoxo, Juliana
[pjhappies.blogspot.com]

Lisa Gordon said...

Karen, this looks like such a wonderful countryside, and you have captured it beautifully. Thank you for taking us along!

Karen said...

Nothing I like better than a road trip! Terrific photos, thanks for sharing.

eileeninmd said...

What a great road trip. I love the colorful canola fields and the farm with the windmill. Beautiful countryside. I did get a giggle over the toilet. Great series of photos, thanks for sharing your trip.

Jim said...

Marvellous shots.

Pat said...

What lovely countryside you passed through on your road trip!

Joan Elizabeth said...

I've enjoyed your trip and am envious of your lovely shots. I love the canola fields in flower.

Dunedoo is about to come up soon in my 100 towns.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the lovely journey through an unknown part of Australia. I enjoyed every picture of it.

Chubskulit Rose said...

So beautiful and perfectly captured, I love the scenery!

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'Tsuki said...

Le champ de colza est étonnant, sous ce ciel si bleu !

Liz said...

We do live in a beautiful country with incredibly varied terrain. A beautiful series of places I have been through on travels as a child, teenager and young adult.
Those Canola fields are something I have never experienced either. What a beautiful sight!!

Wenche said...

What diffrent surroundings than Im used to :0) Lovely :0)

Lisa said...

Gorgeous. Just beautiful.. Each photo. You live in such a wonderful country.

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