MWNews 17

Well, it has finally happened. I always wondered at what point gas prices would get so high that we would cut back on driving. It has reached that level. Gas prices, or Petrol as we call it over here, have reached $1.25 a litre. That's $5 a gallon to you. It was a big jump in the past week that put it up there and it does not appear to be going down. You see, over here, they have different prices for petrol each day. Normally, but not always, prices go up on Wednesday of each week. That is when they are highest. Then, everyday after that, they go down a little each day, until you reach the next Wednesday, and then they go up by 10 cents a litre or more.

This past Tuesday, prices were around $1.10 to $1.12. Sometime, I am not sure when, the price went to $1.26 and is still at $1.25 on Friday. I guess that means it is here to stay. Tasmania has had the high prices for a while now but this is the first time it has gone over and stayed over $1.20 here. I don't know what the price has gone to in Tasmania.

As this was my first weekend off in about two months, we were going to go for a drive somewhere. Maybe go south of Sydney or north to Taree along the coast. But now, that is a $100 dollar trip just to drive there and back and then you have to eat and drink and everything else we usually do. It is just too expensive for a casual thing. Now, we will have to plan these trips for when we have more definite plans than just going for a drive. Maybe something we want to visit or see. It is just too much to do it on a whim anymore.

At this price, it is going to cost me $20 in petrol to drive to work and back, if not more than that. I only drive in 3 days a week but that is still $60 a week just to get to work. It is almost cheaper to ride the train, if they ever finish the station that is going to be right by my work. The problem with the train is that it is a two hour trip, one way. Maybe I could get am express train and cut it back to an hour or so but the express trains don't run at 04:30 when I would need to be catching it to get to work by 06:00, so train train travel is probably out.

Anyway, I suppose it might go back down sometime. I have no idea when but it might. Maeghan is asleep now. It is 4:30 in the morning. I have to shower and get ready for work. Talk to you later.

This is a picture of the ocean to help us remain calm. It is from the rocks on one side of Avoca Beach. We tried to rent a house in Avoca Beach but both times, the owner decided to sell instead of renting. There are too many flies there anyway, but it is very beautiful. Of course, now, we won't be able to go there as it is not on the way to anything and we can't waste the petrol to get there even if it is only a half hour away.