But.....I need to tell you how rock and roll these two are.....here they are again....in bed by 7.30pm.....TV on, tea and coffee.....iPads and kindles.....I don't know how much more of this I can take! However, it is dark outside, NelsonBay seems quiet and it's POURING....so what e.se is there? I wish this more had a spa bath! Check them out......ice cream and all after having had tea in the hotel next door....which seemed more like a RSL club or a sports club!
Anyway, today started in Port Macquarie a long time ago! It was bright and sunny and the sky was blue! The motel was very nice and had a sea view....which is great to have in wintertime! So A opened the curtains early and they enjoyed the view out over the beach and sea before getting ready!
As ever they started the day with a walk along the beach and the coast line. Port Macquarie is situated on 7 or 8 beaches and looks like it would have great walks to enjoy! They made their way down the beach nearest to them and out to a headland....for the view!
Loudspeakers could be heard and here was a surf competition going on for children or youths! Well, it is Saturday morning and most Aussie kids seem to do something sporty - so the parents were on the surf run! The tents and gazebos were up and there were a number out in the surf already!
This was a smaller beach than many they had seen recently but was very pretty and the waves were spectacular....as the wind was causing a very fine spray of white water to follow the waves as the rosê and crashed back into the sea. There were many walkers out- including a man who had obviously had a stroke and his so. Was helping him walk along the board walk...and even up the large wooden stairway to the top of the headland. A very tough workout in deed.
They wished they had longer but turned and made their way back. Today's drive was around 250k's and so they wanted to get going! The drive has been great...but relly needs longer so that you arrive and have a day where you are before heading off again. They are merely getting a feeling for the places they are visiting and are not relly getting to see them properly. But the scenery on the drive has been great!
So....they set off from PM with the sat nav set for Taree. This was going to be the mid day stop! They did stop at Taree services and had breakfast come lunch before heading off again. They set the sat nav to take the coast road down through Tancurry, Forster, Wallis Lake and Booti Booti Park.....which sounded really interesting!!
This route took them down to Pacific Palms and on to Bulahdelah.....and again was a great driving road! At one point you are driving down a narrow strip of land with the lake on one side and the beach and the ocean on the other! The only down side was the Forrest on either side of the road which really blocked the view! However, they stopped at Booti Booti Beach....say no more.....and parked up and set off through the path to the beach! The only fly in the oyster were the signs......Please take all your valuables with you.....don't leave cars with valuables unattended! So....do we take the two cases, two hold-all and two flight bags and set off or do we just pop out for a quick view and back again? Well...the quick nip and look won! And it was just as well as not long after that the RAIN came on!
However, the beach they found was stunning....one of the best yet....and was named 'Seven Mile Beach'! I don't need to tell you why! But.....they could only see one other person on it......and they were so small it could have been......dingoes or kangaroos....or worse! If only they had time to walk ....what a walk that would be on a summers day! It was stunning in the sunlight as it was .....and with a picnic packed....it would have been great to explore!
Back in the car....the road started to climb again.....and would it's way up through rainforest and the hairpins wound back and fore and with the rain it made the surface quite slippy! So...here is the road rant for today......
1 they give you signs with speeds for going round corners...now......they still have to figure out if it is a recommended speed or an order!
2 and after sitting on perfectly straight roads, with hard shoulders, at 80km/h why do they suddenly say you can drive some of these mountain roads at 100k's? It just does not make any sense!
However, we reached the 1000km point today on our journey! It really has not seemed that bad.....just when you are on great roads but have to sit at 50mph because of stupid laws!!
Anyway, even in the grey and rain some of the scenery climbing up and down the mountainous section was great! From here it was back on to the Pacific Highway and South again until they came off to head to Nelson Bay which is a little town on Port Stephens. They arrive mid afternoon and again Nelson Bay is a mix of very nice areas and a main central town that seems a little run down and in need of refurbishment! It seems set up for the tourist trade and the number of Appartments and holiday complexes shows this. But, like most places over the last week it seems quite quiet and almost off season......since the schools are back again this week.....but I think it might look nicer in the sun and with plenty of people going about!
Having had a coffee in a very strange cafe.....well...it was really a Korean Restaurant....which was more geared to people having meals....and was very ornate.....well...it was trying to be ornate but just felt tacky! Anyway, as ever....having had their coffee and moving on they find a 'Gloria Jeans' just up the road which was more what they were looking for!
From here they went in search of their last motel! They tried one they had seen in the tourist guide....but when they got there it did not look up to much and they moved on. They stopped at another one....but they had no Vaccancies! So....they moved on and tried the Nelson Motel......which is right on the Main Street. By this time it was pouring and so A parked and dashed in! Well....they had ONE room left....and so they took it! Next door was the Sea Breeze Hotel which had 'restaurant' attached! It was recommended by the lady at reception...but it was like a cross between an RSL (the equivalent of our British Legion) and a sports club! But...it was busy......and it had TWO big screen TVs showing sports....one of which could have been of Iron Byron giving tips on how to improve your golf technique! L loved this!
By the time he had finished his beer he realised that it was in an appropriate glass. But L would not slip it in her bag!!
Anyway, they had a good meal and on the way back.....they stopped off at the Drive Through Bottle Shop (Off license!! In Oz they are not allowed to sell alcohol in supermarkets and so you must go to the bottle shop! This, like many others, were drive throughs......which really feels odd.....as if it is almost linking drinking and driving together! Anyway......in they went......and what did they get? Two tubs of ice cream for pudding a chocolate! The guy seemed a bit bemused
Anyway, rock and roll lifestyle as I said!
Tomorrow.....the last day on the road and we hit Sydney....and A and M's......for their last three weeks!
The drive has been great and has included many things which they will remember! The first few days allowd them to do and see more as well as the driving. The .ast couple of days the drives have been longer and so have curtailed what they can do. But....it's been great and really good fun!
However, they can't wait to hit sydney and revisit all the old favourites....the bridge, the bay's, the ferries and of course the Opera House!
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