10th March Mysterious Mother's Day

Firstly Happy Mother's Day to all my Mum readers.

I had an unusual named Cadburys chocolate for my Mother's Day gift. I'll let you know what it tastes like.

We've had a rather fun day doing lots of things involving tasting. Starting with a tour in the local Bundaberg Ginger Beer factory. Using all locally sourced ingredients the originating family in the 1969s made ginger beer. Then over the years they branched out making an additional 12 flavours of carbonated soft drinks. 

We got to sample them all! Sarsaparilla flavour was a definite yuck from us all. No idea how the Americans drink the stuff (they know it as root beer). Guava, pink grapefruit, mango, pineapple and coconut (like Pina coloada) and the passion fruit (bringing back memories of eating passion fruit fresh from the garden at Bridget's just a few weeks ago) were just some of the flavours we enjoyed. As part of the tour of the factory we each had a box to take away 6 bottles so we've got 24 to get through - at least they're a stubby bottle size.

Just a few miles up the road we visited Macadamias Australia (as in the nut). More tasting - this time salted, honey, sweet chilli, lemon myrtle, and a variety of chocolate covered ones. All yum.

After coffees with macadamia nut nibbles we had a go at cracking our own. We could look for ripe nuts lying on the ground under the nearby trees and crack open their husks first and then the hard outer shell. I think Freddie thought he was at the fair where you bash the hammer to make the bell ring. The nut he attempted to open firstly nearly took Amy's head off as it pinged off in one direction and on the second attempt ended up as a flattened mush!! Ian's technique was better, enabling us to taste a macadamia nut fresh from the shell.

With stomachs filled with a cocktail of flavoured drinks swooshing around with nuts and coffee we headed off on our next adventure. This time to Mysterious Craters!

Uncovered about 60 years ago by the farmer who owned the land when he was trying to find out why in some areas his courgettes didn't grow very well, they have remained a mystery. Despite geologists and universities looking into their structure no one knows what they are or how deep they go. They're not volcanic, it has been thought they could be part of a meteorite and their composition puts them in a desert rather than where they actually are. A bit of a mystery ending with an interesting chat with the new owner. She also told us more about the history and the rock and fossil collection they have on display. 

Just down the road is Jim's Motor collection.

An interesting art installation of many different 

vehicles.

Just a few of his pieces displayed up poles on the side of the road.

An interesting day in all. With a couple of hours drive under our belt today we've now reached Gladstone. If we have a dry morning it'll be lovely to explore the nearby coastline. We're also on the look out for a sausage tree!

Last minute photo edition. Me trying to keep warm! As far as I'm concerned it's freezing with the air conditioning on in the car. I didn't have a hat and scarf so had to make do with a long sleeve shirt (I might be having a crafty snooze as well 😂).