Another Sunday morning in sunny Queensland and of course there was a market to visit somewhere! After a late start and unfulfilling marketing day yesterday, we decided to have another go at it today.

We chose the Caloundra street market from the list of about 18 in the tourist book. Every Sunday part of the Main Street is blocked off and street stalls appear. There was a huge variety of food, clothing and jewellery. I have almost perfected the art of window shopping as compared to real shopping, but today I was sorely tempted. I saw at least 6 things I would have bought if I had the means to store them in the caravan and/or if Ray wasn’t holding the wallet!  

We saw the delicious Tibetan Momos again and this time Ray felt brave enough to try them. I thought they were delicious but Ray wasn’t convinced. He was glad he ate the fried ones because he said the fat content saved them. 

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The op shop was open so while I browsed, Caleb and Ray found a comfy spot and a book and made the shop look like the local library. Impressive!
We took a walk along the boardwalk in Caloundra with the locals and other tourists and although it was quite windy, it was pleasant with the sun on our backs. 

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We stopped to chat with a woman who was running a raffle to raise funds for her 19 year old daughter who has Lyme disease. This is a disease that the Australian Health Authorities still won’t recognise as being evident in Australia. Even though numerous cases are diagnosed each year. They insist the disease is contracted overseas and brought back here (many sufferers haven’t travelled) and the treatments are only available overseas, as is the test required for diagnosis of the disease. We really felt for the lady. 

It was interesting that we “ran into” this lady as last night Ray was speaking with a couple who are in a cabin a couple of doors down from us at the caravan park. Debbie, the wife is receiving treatment for Lyme Disease from a doctor nearby who accepts that the disease is actually in Australia. They live on an outback property 600kms away but have been living in the caravan park so that Debbie can receive treatment. They have spent years and $70k suffering through misdiagnosis (she even had an operation to remove a tumor that wasn’t even there and spent 6 months in hospital while they tried to work out what was wrong – eventually telling her it was all in her mind) until they organised for her blood sample to be sent to America and got a positive diagnosis. The disease is spread through ticks (spider like bugs) which imbed themselves in your skin and transfer the disease through their blood as they feed on yours. It is interesting that there is acknowledgement that the ticks are in Australia, but not the disease. Hmmm.
When we got home, Ray was reading the paper and saw a notice that each capital city is organising a Lyme disease awareness rally, urging all sufferers to gather together and show the Health Authorities just how many of them there are and that the situation can’t be ignored any longer. 
I Googled the topic and noticed the ticks are prevalent in Queensland and Western Australia. We will certainly be spraying our Bushmans on us before we go into the hinterland again. I’d rather suffer the poisons in the spray than the horrible effects of the disease. This is a warning to other travellers also. Please be aware and careful.