Sydney, NSW.

Can you guess where we are??

Having left Toronto, the weather turned pretty sour.  We stayed at a lovely place on the coast called Avoca Beach.  We'd planned to stay a couple of days but the weather was not good so we decided to make our way into Sydney a day earlier. We contacted Lane Cove National Park, which is the only caravan park about 10 minutes drive into Sydney city central, via public transport.  They confirmed that we could arrive the day earlier so our stay would be for 4 days.  However, since we
had travelled this far south into New South Wales the weather had deteriorated.  The first 48 hours were unbelievably wet.

The approach from the North into the city by car

We were so excited to be here that the rain, didn't stop us from taking a drive across the Sydney Harbour Bridge into town so that we could familiarise ourselves with where we needed to be for the walk on Friday. We managed to find parking so headed off to The Rocks, locating the Bridge Walk Building. Rain having let up for a little, we walked across to Circular Quay and onto the Opera House.  The clouds were so grey, ominous that after some time with obligatory photos taken we made
our way back to the car in the rain.

That afternoon once it started raining around 4.00 in the afternoon it pelted down all night until the next morning.  It was so bad that for the first time during the entire trip we actually turned the heater on in the van! We really couldn't go anywhere the next day for the rain but we made our way by car into Chatswood shopping centre to do some supplies shopping for the next few days.  Sydney is so busy, the roads are so narrow, everything seems to be living on top of everything. Lucky for us we didn't get lost either in finding Lane Cove National Park, Chatswood and back just using a road map!

It's HUUUGE!

On our third day we'd had enough of the rain and being stuck in the van! We headed out with our waterproof jackets, umbrella in hand through the rain making our way to North Ryde railway station on foot to take us into Sydney Central.  We had a great day with the rain eventually letting up for a couple of hours as we treaded on foot to the Sydney Tower Eye, through the beautiful historic Queen Victoria building, The Strand before deciding on a light lunch followed by a well needed coffee.

We thought we'd go to Kings Cross on Friday after the bridge walk, but realised that the bridge walk would be 3 and a half hours so by the time we finished we reckoned we might be a tad tired to head to Kings Cross. With coffee into us we headed into the subway and onto the train to take us to Kings Cross.  It was very ecclectic, very much like St.Kilda...and then the rain came back.  Time done, day done, walking done...we were pooped deciding to head back to the subway back to our van for the night.

Tomorrow is our Bridge Walk. The forecast for tomorrow is more rain. It's also cold at 16 degrees! The Bridge Walk will not be cancelled, in it's information guide, unless it's an electrical storm! We're ready to catch the train to take us into town, have our clothes organised. No camera is allowed to be taken up with you, so a little disappointed there. Sydney has only had 45 minutes of sunshine all week! We'll let you know how we go in the next couple of days!  





It's beginning to look like Christmas!

The view from Circular Quay

The view from Circluar Quay

Welcome to the Opera House

Rain or Shine we did it!

That'll be us tomorrow!

The view of the Opera House

A view of homes across the Harbour

Admiralty House in the background....home of the Governor General
when she is in town (Quentin Bryce 2011)

Another city view

C'mon the train's here!

I just couldn't let this pass me by!!

Sydney Eye Tower

How beautiful a Christmas tree

Time for a coffee

And can you guess where we are???

Forster Tuncurry, NSW

Our last night in Coffs Harbour farewelled us with a grand thunderstorm, lightning display and lots of rain.  We woke in the morning to sunshining, tennis court dry so no reason to say no to a game.  We headed to the court for an hour before finally moving out on our way to Forster Tuncurry.  Yes! I have to admit that somehow I managed to win. However, I think that Daniel was at the disadvantage as his body was still recovering from playing the last 3 days straight.

My turn to take the wheel for the trip. The road trip covered about 300ks.  It was a good drive through Kempsey onto Forster Tuncurry, where we have visited before with Daniel's sister and her husband about 3 years ago.  As we made our way over the bridge to the caravan park, even though I was driving I noticed fins in the water, asking Daniel what it was we noticed that they were dolphins.  What a beautiful sight.  We set up camp, before neighbours arrived trying to park their van.  To make it easier, we left heading into town to reminisce about our last visit here. 

We'd arrived to stay the obligatory two days but liked it so much that we extended it by another day.  A round of tennis in the morning but both now had really sore heels.  I put it down to playing on a concrete court.  Next time we'll try the synthetic court. On return a trip to the laundry, an outing into town for a few purchases, returning to book the Sydney Harbour Bridge walk for next Friday! Yeah at last.....this was the Christmas present from the our kids and their partners last Christmas and now we're finally booked and heading to Lane Cove National Park for about 3 days in Sydney.

The final morning at Forster Tuncurry saw humid weather that harboured a pending storm overhead.  I headed into town on the bike to take some photos while Daniel headed out to a local fishing spot to see if he could catch something, anything! My bike ride took me to the local wharf which was charming upon which I returned to Daniel to inform him of the spot to which he drove. However, no fish. Instead we headed out for a good coffee. 

It more or less rained for the rest of the afternoon.  We both found ourselves in the caravan for the balance of the afternoon and then into the evening. Nonetheless we both practiced our respective guitars.  I couldn't wait to get dinner organised for the night.  Tomorrow onto Toronto, Lake Macquarie, heading so much closer to home as we head south.  Goodbye to the weather that we've had along this trip.  It's been amazing. 

Forster Tuncurry Bridge between 2 cities

Still ready for a game of tennis

Always the fisherman

..........Oh ! and how do I know that!!!

Pelicans are so beautiful

......I'm so pretty!

Just the usual living accomm!

An enclosed swimming pool on the beach at Forster

A view from the other side of Forster to Tuncurry

The towns and the mouth of Lake Wallis

I think I've done enough posing....bye!

Moonee Beach to Coffs Harbour, NSW

Look at this view of the estuary at Moonee Beach

Needless to say that Daniel reigned supreme on the tennis court. 6 - 4 after 45 minutes we were both exhausted. Thinking about it our last game was in Exmouth, Western Australia, in April. Daniel recovered well and quickly. Instead my head could have been used in place of the Halloween pumpkin........for the night! Yet somehow the day allowed us a bike ride, an hour on the beach and the evening we were invited by some other caravaners to join them for happy hour.

What a day but the tennis isn't over yet. Another start at 8.30am tomorrow morning will allow the chance for redemption.

Always looking out for a nice spot!

I forgot to mention last time that as in a previous picture Daniel can never resist the urge to collect and shuck fresh oysters from the sea beds.  At Yamba there was an abundance.  Daniel made his way down to the banks with knife in hand and happily fed on 2 dozen freshly shucked oysters! For me, at my request, he brought back half a dozen, shucked them, stabbed himself in the finger bled over the sink, (I almost fainted!) but served them up on a plate with freshly ground pepper, lemon juice......and he didn't have to pay for any of  them!

As I have so much on my mind, always, I tend to make lists, a lot of lists for a lot of things and then I have to make a list of the lists I have! Should take the advice of a book I read a long time ago "Don't sweat the small stuff" I think I need to go back and read it again.

By the way when I was bored !!! I came up with this little number:

          It's not easy living in a van,
          It can be like thunder,
          No wonder!
          It's small but divine,
          But my home can travel all the time!

Shopping on the bike

We're in Coffs Harbour, as at this time of the year so far into the journey and so close to home that it gives us time to reflect on some past moments that I may have forgotten to add to the blog but nevertheless I found funny and very memorable. One of those moments is when we were on Fraser Island driving over the beach.   There was this beach bird that pulled out this long sand worm from underneath the ground.  Daniel and I are driving past this bird doing it's hunter gathering when all of a sudden Daniel stops the car, gets out, races over to the bird and takes the worm from it!  Well I was absolutely gobsmacked as was the poor bird in absolute horror as it walked around our car in total disbelief!  Daniel's reasoning.....good bait!  I say easy come, easy go.  No fish from that bait.

The chain on my bike might just make it to Melbourne!

The view from the tennis court........beautiful!

Daniel triumphant at 6 games...................

.......to my 4! but maybe tomorrow??

Christmas holidays with friends many years ago at Korora!

Remember the good times!!!!

                                                                          



Yamba to Moonee Beach, NSW

Outside the front door of our house!

Weather has been fantastic since we set out in January of 2011.  We arrived at the small township of Yamba to beautiful weather by the beach.  Yamba was a place I wanted to visit as I had seen it on the television programme Getaway about 3 years ago noting that we should stop awhile, 2 days!  In the 2 days there Daniel finally got the chance to use his boogie board, that had been travelling with us in the car over the top of our heads for the last 11 months! The reason being that there were no sharks, no crocs, no stingers and the waves were reasonable!

Bike rides took us along Yamba Bay and the discovery of this small village hamlet.  The bay was beautiful with huge lakes, beaches to choose from for swimming and surfing. Walking around town, which didn't take very long, but enjoyed the opportunity of a coffee and to catch up with a newspaper!

Yamba Bay on bike

Daniel had advised that I would now be the driver on the balance of the return journey home! Packed up, ready to go, few errands to attend to in town before finally getting behind the wheel with caravan in tow.  Always mindful of speed, checking the limits, roadworks, hoping that no animal would run out in front, waiting for trucks and cars to overtake, changing lanes as required, overtaking others I was very glad to get to Moonee Beach to finally use the bathroom!

We'd visited Moonee Beach, about 15ks north of Coffs Harbour, on 3 previous occassions.  The surrounding suburbs had all expanded, shopping centres to delight.  Migration to this area from Sydney and Melbourne for people looking for a retirement lifestyle but also the young families all keen to take advantage of the beautiful location but more importantly the weather. It's always beautiful.

Some rock exploring and another beach

After settling in we headed to the beach for an hour to keep the tan up! before coming back to the van, going up the road for a little grocery shopping for the next 3 nights.   Daniel and I still learning and practicing on the guitar, although Daniel is much better.  I was learning to play Vincent by Bob Dylan and asked Daniel how my progress was going to which his reply was 'good', I looked at him and replied ' you could have said very good!' anyway he got out his song book to play 'Hey Jude' by the Beatles when he asked how that was, where I informed him it sounded nothing like it!  Even Stevens! But seriously we only laughed at each other's progress at least we're still doing it!

Hope there's no freak wave!

 On a different note, sometimes it has been difficult to write the blog as the connection or reception in places including the east coast has been soooooo slow and the time it often takes to upload photos can take forever. So much for speed along the east coast where I thought the west coast was poor! Is that a reflection on our government's promises?  Let's just say at times it has been very frustrating to say the least.  Often during the trip, when I couldn't sleep, not the world's best sleeper as some of you know.  I took the opportunity of rising early, anywhere from 2.00am in the morning to surf the net and to update the blog as best as I could. 

Any way it's almost 5.00am and I have to get ready for my morning walk, when it gets lighter of course! and then a round of tennis with Daniel as we have a caravan park with a tennis court at last! Yeah! I shall let you know next time who won!

Where there's an oyster.....there you will find Daniel

Another beach and another bay beyond

Can I please go and play with my toy? NOW

Here comes a big one

What a ride that was!

My turn to test the water

Come on let's go in......finally at Moonee Beach

Oh Hello! ....and who are you?

Brisbane to Nimbin, NSW

Town centre art in Nimbin....do I look the part?

We've had a tremendous journey so far.  At this point I think we are also a little tired of the moving on and packing up every couple of days.  But we would do it again!  I think that we are both so grateful that both the caravan and the car have not had any big mishaps on this journey.  Just the minor, air conditioning belt, change of oil, air filters along the way. 

Having left Noosa, where Stew and Les headed back to home in Brisbane to go back to their respective jobs, we continued on south visiting Bribie Island, before heading through Brisbane onto Coolangatta.  Again we loved it here.  We stayed at Tweed Heads and had beach access to the bike and walking tracks all the way into the Goldcoast.  A lot of our friends have been there so you know what it looks like.  It's a mecca for young and old.  Young for entertainment and for the older looking at making a lifestyle change into retirement taking into particular account the climate.  It's warm almost always.   Daniel and I walked in the mornings if not rode bikes.  Mermaid Beach was just as pretty and again I could live here. 

I believe the whole town got together to paint this murial.

Another packing of the van before heading into Byron Bay.  The scenery stunning and amazingly different with lush green fields that line the highway, trees that bunch toghether looking like broccoli as the pastures spread out before us.  A beautiful town, with golden beaches, cosmopolitan lifestyle in the town centre, visited by thousands of people all year round.  Australia's farthest eastern tip very picturesque.

Daniel definitely wanted not to miss the chance of taking the opportunity of visiting Nimbin, the Rainbow city of Australia, in other words also known typically for its very colourful ecclectic lifestyle.  It was very laid back, by 5.00 pm the town centre was a whaft with the smell of hemp!  The caravan park we stayed at was lovely with a huge circular swimming pool.  Daniel delighted in the overpowering aura of the city as we again headed onto our next destination Yamba.

Unfortunately most of the photos were not very good from this chapter so there are only a few as also most of you are familiar with the Goldcoast and it's beauty.  Speak again soon.

Nimbin's main street (the only street)

Everyone is so cool at 10.00am in the morning even!

I really like this shop!

The  things we meet on the side of the road!