Better than powerball?

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Fat Freddy
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Better than powerball?

Post by Fat Freddy »

Thanks Mike for the title. :)


Nothing about cars, scopes, diagnostics or even this forum. Just a bit of a brag and a chance to put up a few general interest images. :mrgreen: (although some may say there is nothing to brag about).
Those who do not wish to hear some bloke having a good old brag should tune out now.........
But it's also a chance to post up pics of another speed of life.

A few years back I worked in a workshop on Auckland's North shore in New Zealand. We were only allowed one picture on the walls. That picture was of an empty deck chair sitting on a beach of golden sand, shaded by coconut palms over looking a turquoise ocean. It was to remind us that you could work to a better place. A picture of hope.

Well the last couple of years have been stink years for a variety of reasons. But then my deck chair rolled in. Yahoo.

My Mrs's landed a job on a stereotypical tropical island. It's only 3.5 square kilometres (less than 1.5 square miles) in size, 10* South of the equator, 39 km's (24 miles) off the top of Australia, just South of Papua New Guinea in an area of ocean called the Torres Strait's. The island is called Thursday Island (TI by the locals) and is one of about 150 in the area, and one of about 38 that is inhabited.
My new island home
My new island home
The temperature is mid 20's at nights and high twenty's to low thirties every day depending on the time of year.
That may sound hot to some, but it wasn't unusual for western Sydney summer temps to hit the low forties.
But saying that, the humidity is through the roof some where between 55 and 80% every day so it feels HOT. It is supposed to be the start of the monsoon season this month, guess I'm soon to discover how comfortable that is. Although we do have air conditioning in four of the rooms in the apartment.

Now the best thing about this is. I'm almost forced to sit in that deck chair. No emission laws, no safety checks, a very small island so mileage is some what limited and no vehicle ferries - the only way to get here is by water taxi - an hour and a half from the mainland (which is a remote area itself https://www.acfonline.org.au/news-media ... -cape-york an area bigger than England with a population less than that of Galasheils or about ¼ hour from a neighbouring island that has little more than an airport/strip to connect the area to the nearest main town/city, Cairns, 500 miles to the South and a regional population of 140,000.

Anyway enough waffling on, here's the pics.
Seeing the island for the first time.
Seeing the island for the first time.
The view from the back of my house
The view from the back of my house
The remoteness requires an alternative ambulance from the norm. The hospital is just hidden by the trees.
The remoteness requires an alternative ambulance from the norm. The hospital is just hidden by the trees.
And mods if you wish to bin this thread, so be it. I just thought I would put up a general interest thing.

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Re: Better than powerball?

Post by PicoMike »

Surely there are cars on the island that might fail to run... :)

I do hope you are packing your PicoScope fella. You just never know when you may need it... just imagine... taking your car out for a (short) drive...get to a junction... she wobbles... shakes.. and spits and pops. You think to yourself...

...where did I leave my PicoScope?


Well, what can we say (apart from I don't believe we have a Distributor on that particular island).

Wish you all the best. I bet it won't be long till you want to get up from that deck chair (and that wondeful view) and lock yourself in a garage somewhere to tinker about :D
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Re: Better than powerball?

Post by Steve Smith »

Well Fat Freddy you really have landed now.

Thank you for a post I was not expecting to read this morning and for that view from the back of your house.

I bet its going to be "research heaven" from here on in and I for one look forward to your new discoveries and opinions

Good luck to your wife in her new job, enjoy and take care.....Steve

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Fat Freddy
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Re: Better than powerball?

Post by Fat Freddy »

Thanks guy's :D

Ok - guilty as charged, I did bring the scope with me and one scan tool.

And you're absolutely right. Time in the deck chair already has an end date. The apparent mile (I'm sure they have longer Km's/miles here) and a bit walk to the post office at the other end of town is not making dad popular with the kids in the heat and taxi's are costing me a bomb.
So a flight back down to Sydney is already planned to pick up the wife's old Vectra. A 1500 mile drive to Cairn's and get it loaded onto a cargo ship.
Then I'll have all the time of the day to carry out experiments :twisted: , I mean research on it.

But until then, there's a fish out there that has a date with my dinner plate and I'm going to help make it happen. :)

Until then I have some pics of the sea shore that you won't see on a beach at Bognor Regis and I'm not talking about the sand either. :lol:

Cheers
FF

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Re: Better than powerball?

Post by PicoMike »

We need a 'like' button! :D
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Re: Better than powerball?

Post by FioranoCars »

heck, forget the "like" button we need an "invite me" button
With -4 to -8C on the outskirts of London, I can think of nothing better than a beach on a small island ...

Hey FF, need an apprentice?!

Enjoy, and looking forward to other uses of a Pico as you relax into your new surroundings. Keep the pictures coming!

Best
Richard

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Re: Better than powerball?

Post by Fat Freddy »

With -4 to -8C on the outskirts of London, I can think of nothing better than a beach on a small island ...
I know how you are feeling :wink: .I think the more cold you have been exposed to the more you want to do to avoid it. I lived in central Perthshire for about twenty years back in the cold old days. Mowing grass in -10C. The coldest night we had was -28C (Braemar holds the record at -28C, the local weather station was not an official one), and snow deep enough to bury cars. I hate the cold.
Australia, I thought would be barren of crappy cold weather. It is not. It gets cold. I was just outside Sydney and it often saw frost and snow. OK often is maybe exaggerated, occasionally. But it was colder than I liked.
Hey FF, need an apprentice?!
Perfect. I've been relegated to stay at home Dad at the moment. So an apprentice stay at home Dad would be awesome. I could catch up on some much needed sleep. :lol: :lol:
But I think they are fresh out of Farrari's here.
Enjoy, and looking forward to other uses of a Pico as you relax into your new surroundings. Keep the pictures coming!
Definitely. There's more pics to come. I'm still running on my old (in the middle of swapping) restricted data dongle set up from Sydney and I'm out of data for a couple more days.
There is some quirky things here. For example I'm starting to wonder how much rain falls in the monsoon season (which should of started by now), there's a small hill behind (the other behind :) ) the house, and it is small but there are three drains, gutter's running off it. Theses gutters are big enough to drain a bob sleigh team in.
But overall, so far the weather is pretty predictable. http://www.willyweather.com.au/qld/far- ... sland.html
Not much change this week :lol: 8)

cheers
FF

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Fat Freddy
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Re: Better than powerball?

Post by Fat Freddy »

Here's a couple of images that explain the location of my island home a bit better. (Mod's they are labelled as reusable on Google images).
My place.jpg
Map.gif
OK. I thought I'd post a few images of or close to the town centre slash main street which I occasionally visit when I leave my deck chair. The island population is about 2500. Not big but the amount of amenities will surprise.
All these shots were taken on a week day, mid afternoon. Just before rush hour.

But I do apologise for the blue clear skies and sunshine. :twisted:
Bank.jpg
The shot above is one side of the street in what you could call an administrative hub. Although it looks bare, there is a lot visible in this shot including a super market (one of four here), a service station, a fish shop (pet type not dinner), a travel agent, an odd ball shop selling fishing stuff, junk, BIG knives, food including some thing called salty plums :shock: (you can have them), council buildings and a pearl trades shop. Pearl farming is the big industry here.
PO.jpg
On this side of the street is the post office, a Queensland government building, a police station, a hotel/pub (one of five on the island), a drive through bottle shop (off licence) and a few other things I can't remember.
Horn Is.jpg
This is the view from just behind where I took the above shots. The airstrip is on the island in the distance, Horn island.
Last edited by Fat Freddy on Mon Jan 25, 2016 9:04 am, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Better than powerball?

Post by FioranoCars »

I can honestly say that if I show my lady these pictures, she'd pack the bags and be ready to leave on the next flight!

Sadly we'd both be itchy within a few days, but that's something I'd like to experience!! :D

Look forward to regular weather and news updates, and launch announcement for the most advanced motor repair shop on the island!!

I hear a lot of boats (small and large - including oil tankers!) use OBD etc, so a completely re-usable skills set ... all you'll need is a copta license and you could be flying on/off struggling vessels!

Powerball still not happened for us, despite some big rollovers etc, so still beavering away, small steps!

Here - Dull damp, grey, overcast but no rain (yet) ...

Enjoy
R

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Re: Better than powerball?

Post by Fat Freddy »

FioranoCars wrote:I can honestly say that if I show my lady these pictures, she'd pack the bags and be ready to leave on the next flight!

Sadly we'd both be itchy within a few days, but that's something I'd like to experience!! :D

Look forward to regular weather and news updates, and launch announcement for the most advanced motor repair shop on the island!!

I hear a lot of boats (small and large - including oil tankers!) use OBD etc, so a completely re-usable skills set ... all you'll need is a copta license and you could be flying on/off struggling vessels!

Powerball still not happened for us, despite some big rollovers etc, so still beavering away, small steps!

Here - Dull damp, grey, overcast but no rain (yet) ...

Enjoy
R

Yes. I think if you're used to the big city lights a day or two would cut it. But I enjoy 4wd'ing and exploring remote places off the beaten track and the cape is the place to do it. I enjoy it, won't see another person for days.
A road.jpg
Like this gazetted road on the Cape. This is a main type road but very remote. No star bucks around here.

I'll certainly keep it up dated. If anything unusual happens. The wife will get the best pics I think. She has to be flown to all the remote islands to do her work - main reason we are here. Some apparently go under water during king tides (the houses are on stilts).
And the weather I'm sure is going to be an eye opener. BIG gutters every where.
One of the HUGE gutters at the other back of the house.
One of the HUGE gutters at the other back of the house.
Apparently the monsoon is late again this year but the forecast is for rain over the next few days. I guess I'll find out soon.
Rather a cyclone than that drizzly Scottish highland stuff any day. Well maybe not any day but.

Work is not really a great priority at the mo as I tore a tendon in my arm a couple of years back - a sod to heal and anyway we have so many perks here including free rent, free power etc so it's a great chance to get the tendon to heal. So more R And R the better. :D
But if something interesting turns up, sure I'll have a go.

Cheers
FF

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