First trip back to Blighty: more weather

Blimey! UK public transport's no better then. And what a waste of chocolate biscuits. My love of PLAIN chocolate McVitie's digestives is documented in my blog banner and I have searched high and low for them in Queensland. So far I have located two somewhat unreliable sources but I'm always on the lookout for more.

So this was the scene that greeted me on my first trip back to the Motherland after a year of being in oz. More specifically, this was what the tide left behind in my home town of Blackpool, along with one lorry's entire cargo of choccie biccies. Shortly after this photo was taken, the local authorities realised an exclusion zone needed to be put up to stop scavengers being squashed by falling lorries - duh!

I went back to England hoping for some better weather than we'd had here in Queensland but, alas, the weather troll had other ideas. While I was in the Lake District we were subjected to regular mini power cuts due to the conditions and the fact that United Utilities are 'responsible' for the electricity. However, it was great to be back and it was nice to have some cold for a change rather than the relentless warm or hot I've put up with for the last year. ;-P

My first priority after I'd arrived (after the shopping of course) was to go eat a stonking good ruby. Unfortunately, curry such as we know it in the UK just doesn't exist in Queensland, (although I do hear tell of a mystical place near Redcliffe....). Believe me, I've looked and, in most instances, tried with very unsatisfactory results. To put it another way, one so called Indian meal we had at Chutney Mary's in Noosaville included microwaved poppadums, partially cooked kebabs and vindaloo that tasted like gravy. Being English though, we didn't complain and slunk out vowing never to go back. But this restaurant is packed out on weekends and we can't understand it. It merely serves to prove that aussies don't like spicy food and have never experienced the phenomena of English Indian food - if you see what I mean. Otherwise they wouldn't go near the place. Bleugh! Anyway, my mission was accomplished twice in the first week. First in the Lakes with my Mum, then in Northamptonshire with some lovely friends.

Back to the weather. Needless to say, while I was away in the damp depths of an English winter, the weather in Eumundi was glorious. The house started to dry out and Dave started winning the battle against the mould. Of course, 24 hours after I left Blighty the sun reappeared there. Right now, back down under, I'm looking out of the window at a monsoon. A weather report has just flashed up on my screen to say the Low will be passing over the Sunshine Coast late tonight and everyone has to secure outdoor items and not go out. We haven't even HAD the Low yet - AAARRGGHHHH!!!

I will be back here soon, assuming I make it.....