Bear with me on this long post have just arrived back to Charters Towers after 3 days and now have internet. Intend to travel to Cape River but don't expect the internet there either.

Tuesday morning and I woke up at Reid River with a problem, not used to having health issues but both my eyes were gummed up and needed fingers to prise them open. Yesterday they had been a bit sore and had some discharge but I ignored it and drove on through Townsville where I could have gained some help. So now what to do, I was nowhere that could assist and Macrossen Park is on the way to Charters Towers so I couldnt stop there, but I did drive in and have a look at the free camping area. Not very impressed, sure there was plenty of room but it did look dry and with long brown grass, someone had described it as arid and I think that summed it up. I went on the Charters towers and found a pharmacy and the chemist thought that it was conjunctivitis a fancy name for pink eye that sometimes used to attack the kids in another life ago. Anyway I left the pharmacy armed with some anti bacterial eye drops and some lid wipes to be used every 2 hours for the first 24 hours and thereafter every 4 hours. So we shall see how things work out, the most important thing to decide was where to stay overnight and I had heard good things about Fletcher Creek Cams6 #285 although it is 40kms out of my way I decided to head off there and set up camp and start the treatment.
I am camped right on the river bank with plenty of running water for showers but who needs to set up the shower with running water close by ready for a swim. This is a beautiful place to stay for a while and I have set up the annex again and intend to spend a few days here. No internet but who cares I will get to posting eventually so long as I keep notes and take photos. It used to be a big deal with no internet but this time around I am more laid back will post when I can.
Talking about swimming I can only think that I got an infection whilst swimming at Rollingstone a couple of days ago, nothing else has touched my eyes other than the river water at Bushy Parker Reserve. Could be dust carried on the wind but have had plenty of that whilst going across the top earlier this year so I think that unlikely.

Wednesday and my eyes are more puffed up than before but feel ok so I will persevere with the drops and wipes and see what happens, the latest I can leave here here is Friday morning if the problem continues. Have avoided swimming just in case that was where the infection came from. Went out for a walk and to find wood for a fire, never have lit a fire since I have been on the road, have no cooking gear for open fires and no iron grills to cook on. This may change after the Camp Oven Festival at Milmerran but for now I lit a fire tonight and sat round it, not the same on my own after being invited to many happy hours round a fire. Still listening to the iPod was very enjoyable and relaxing.
Fletcher Creek camping area stretches along the creek on both sides of the river but to find the toilet and shower block you have to pass over the bridge coming from Charters Towers and turn right.

Thursday and no noticeable improvement, in fact my eyes feel more itchy and I have decided on a day trying to limit their usage and splashing them with cold water regularly. No going for walks in the bright sunlight, reading less with limited computer usage. Not much computer usage without the internet so that is no biggie, just typing up the days limited happenings and watching a movie tonight.
Have decided to leave here tomorrow Friday as it will be the last day to get more help if needed, if the pharmacy cant help then I could find a bulk billing doctor. In my opinion the eyes are getting better but the surrounding tissue is still swollen and needs antibiotics to reduce the infection causing the swelling.
Will take down the annex whilst it is dry, not much use getting it wet with condensation overnight and having to wait to roll it up. Will have a bathe in the creek this afternoon and not bother collecting firewood for tonight, could be that the smoke caused eye problems as I was sitting round a happy hour fire at Rollingstone just before the problems started up.     John