17 October - To Yawataham

Bags all packed and Maggie weighed down again - and we head out in a beautiful blue sky day again. The weather has been incredibly kind - cool mornings and beautiful warm sunny days - around the 25-27 C that suits me just down to a tee..  the air is still cool while riding and although I have been a tad worried with some gusty winds, there's been no strong head winds, just gentle breeze to keep me cool... Perfect in every way!!

we are really in mandarin country now - think they call them another name, but they are small, seedless mostly sweet little mandarins that refresh a puffing cyclist!  but its serious mono culture here with the hillsides- steep tho they are, have been terraced and covered with row upon row of mandarin trees.  they have a cunning little rail car system set up, that sorta looks like it runs on a cog system.  There's a single steel track the either goes up or seriously down the mountain sides and there's a little putt-putt motor that drags along a series of "carriages" - at first I thought they might be elevators for the elderly to get up to the safe tsunami area...  but in fact that carry trays and trays of mandies....  maybe they put granny in if there's an emergency.

I was overtaken by a little ute abso loaded to toppling point heading off to the market.  but as I rounded a corner I saw a police car doing a sharp uey on the road and zooming back down the hill.  when I got along a little further, there was the ute, pulled over and a serious discussion was being held between driver and 2 police...  hmmm....  guess they need a bit of excitement!!

anyways - up hill and down dale to the little river side where aquaculture was in full swing - probably pearling and at one place went past tables of those little bait fish drying in the sun - I keep getting them in a little dish and have tried once to eat them, but just cant!!!

anyhoo - here's some pics!

smelly little bait fish - drying in the sun

Oyster farming - maybe for pearl or for oysters...

Yes Jo W, definitely looks like Magnetic Island

amazing how beautiful pollution can be :)

not a Christo work of art, but a common
occurrence throughout the island -
measures to curb landslides or just the random
falling of rocks onto the road

Sunset over the Yawatahama harbour
from the Harbor Plaza hotel

Yukata on the bed

closing time is 6pm and I was there at 6:10.....
but managed to find an Italian Bar open
and enjoyed Mushroom pasta :)

This is a common 'garden gnome' - he's a Tanukis - he's a bit cheeky
and can do naughty things but sometimes he can bring good luck
Its best to be on good terms with him....  I want one!!