Our last day in Cairns and being the last Sunday of the month, there was another market on. What luck!

We were warned that if we arrived there as we arrived everywhere…late, then we would have difficulties finding a parking spot. This didn’t perturb Ray at all and we set off at a leisurely pace and at a late hour. As predicted, the car spots were all occupied and if the council had been concerned with issuing parking tickets, they would have had a revenue topping day! Ray wasn’t at all concerned. He did one circuit of the car park, located the only spare space and then promptly mounted the kerb and set the car right in the middle of the garden bed. My rule breaking husband had done it again!

The market was huge and it was lovely looking at all the unique items the clever people had made. There were children selling items they had made (like colourful stress balls), lucky dips and there were kids busking too. We haven’t seen kids this involved in markets before. We’ve noticed a couple busking before, but none previously selling their wares. 
After the market we returned to the van where Ray proceeded to read the paper standing up, leaning it on the clothes airer. When I queried him he admitted that he has been sitting around a bit lately and it was time for a bit of standing. Must be male logic! 

It soon came time to join the group of nomads that we had gotten to know over the past fortnight, for nightly drinks for the last time. We have really enjoyed our morning teas, drinks and dinners with this friendly group and can see why they all return on their yearly pilgrimage to Lake Placid to gather together again. Ray seems to know someone wherever we go ( or they know him) and Lake Placid was no exception. One of the couples, Glynis and Robert, have a daughter Leanne who lives in The Basin. Leanne was the loan officer at the bank who was in charge of lending Ray funds for his butcher shops and properties, way back when. He knew her and her husband well. They were able to chat at length about Leanne and her family so that was nice for all of them.  

To fully appreciate what happened at our this, our last drinks session, I have to make a confession that I wasn’t going to mention on this blog. Of all the campers who gathered for our drinks sessions I was the youngest and yet the only one who turned up each night with my “Nanna” blanket. As soon as the coolness of the day sets in, I wrap my blanket around my knees (or lower half) and settle in for the night, whether we are inside the van or outside. Most times I have my Emu Uggs on too. So, it was only natural that I took my blankie to our evening gathering, no matter where it was. I became known for it and suffered some good natured ribbing. 
Imagine the laughs when we turned up for our very last drinkies and everyone had not only jackets on, but were sharing blankets too. I noticed that after the initial laughs, the ladies retained their shared blanket and passed comments on just how snugly they were. Perhaps I have left a lasting impression!