Longreach, Qld

Cruised over to Longreach, only 190k

Thought we'd do the QANTAS museum to start with and turned up right on time for the tour of the 747 and the 707. My head was reelling over the idea that someone could give a museum a 747, must be worth millions.Until you come to terms with the fact that it was built in 1979.30+ years ago. When you start looking a bit more closely you can see its 70s origins in its decor and layout. The official word is that QANTAS rule is that 20,000 'cycles', that's take of and landings, is the limit for their planes and this old bus had reached its use-by date, so they gave to their own museum. Really interesting to technophobes as you discover what all the bits and pieces hanging off the body do and how it works. I thought it fascinating. Judy thought it was 'a nice aeroplane'.We walked all through it, up into the cockpit, fiddled with the knobs and dials and clambered up the spiral staircase to the 1st class lounge - egad! Its Economy class. Can you believe that? Some old chat about Paul Keating's depression we all had to have forcing them to replace 1st class with cattle...

Even more interesting was the Boeing 707 the first jet operated by Qantas, from 1957. This one is special, its one of only 20 odd made and of which only 3 are left: this one, John Travolta's and one owned by the Nigerian Government. It sat out in the open for 7 years neglected entirely by it then current owners BAE, and naturally, as soon as someone wanted the old hulk, everyone wanted it, including JT and Boeing. Anyhow, a team of the original engineers volunteered to go to England and fix it up and fly it back to Australia. Took them heaps of time but they succeeded and now here it is. It's currently fitted out as a flying harem for some Sheik or other, including gold fittings etc. Best of all, as the original 707 owned by QANTAS, it was called Canberra, Awwww.

Judy is feeling weird again, feeling very light headed and the sinus pain is giving her the irits. So, off to Longreach Hospital for a few hours and some pills for the sinus. Quack reckons she has labryntitus, which i've never heard of, and is a virus that will go away in a week or two.

Tonight's snaps are a bit techno-arty for which 

I don't apologise one bit!

Boing 707 VH-XBA 'Canberra'. Longreach, Qld