The Three Sisters: Day 20

We got up early, had breakfast and got the maps out. The plan was to split into two groups: Katy, Cass and Hero were one group and the other was myself, Scarlett, Venetia and Charlie.

We drove to Echo Point where you can see over the Blue Mountains in panoramic fashion. They are a breathtaking sight because of their sheer scale. To the left you can see an outcrop of rocks called the Three Sisters (more of them later).

We all took a fernicular train ride down the valley where we were to split into the two groups. One walking back to Echo Point and one getting the Telecabin down and back again.

Well, the first surprise was the fernicular which was more like a rollercoaster! Cass took one look and was terrified – not surprisingly – it is the world’s steepest fernicular and looks like a sheer drop. Both kids calmed down and we set off first through a tunnel and then down the valley. It was kind of terrifying and I’m surprised they don’t warn you but heh we got down in one piece.

Our group then took the walk down the valley through the forest and up passed the three sisters. In the meantime Katy and the kids did their own walk from the bottom of the first telecabin. We all had a great time and then met up a couple of hours later.














Cass, bless him, came up to me and said that he had to see the Three Sisters (see picture below) with me. His wires had become understandably crossed after Scarlett had told him that three sisters had been turned to stone.

As we walked down an incredibly steep set of stairs (there were adults turning back in fear – wait till you see the pictures of what he climbed!) it dawned on me that he thought we were in search of Scarlett’s sisters stuck in the rocks. We were there to save them and he was deadly serious. Oh dear!















So we got to the first sister – a pinnacle of rock and sheer drops on all sides – and he said so where are they? This was going to be a long adventure I thought. In the end I think I explained but he has been talking about them ever since and is still quite distressed.
When we got back home later that afternoon Cass told everyone about the adventure. In the evening Chris arrived, I cooked a fish-pasta bake and we talked about the next day’s potential adventures.

Leura, Blue Mountains: Day 19

All change again on Thursday as we headed for the Blue Mountains. Given where we were (geographically speaking) we decided to head over the mountains rather than go into Sydney and then out again. It would be long and winding but we thought it might be a little more scenic. Well if you call a few dead wombats scenic!

We arrived in Leura at around 3 and headed for the house Chris and Scarlett had rented. The house was like a museum – a Victorian house frozen in time. In fact, the whole of the Blue Mountains has a strongly English Victorian feel.

Scarlett, her mum (Venetia) and brother (Charlie) wouldn’t be with us until the evening so we went for an ‘explore’ around Leura. We found a café with a fantastic view of the valley over to Katoomba so had a quick lunch.

When everyone had arrived we lit the fires (it is cold in the mountains), made some food and played cards into the night. Then to bed for some much needed sleep before our big day of walking tomorrow.

Hunter Valley: Day 18

Today we were travelling to the Hunter Valley a few hundred km’s south. It might not need explaining but this one of the most famous wine regions in Australia – so I was quite excited!

After a long journey we arrived in Pokolbin, near Cessnock, regarded as the centre of the Hunter Valley wine region. The area hosts familiar names such as Lindemans and also more obscure boutique wine makers such as Cockfighter’s Ghost.

We stayed at Peppers Guest House perched on top of a hill and with a view of the Valley around similar to that of Tuscany. The main reason people visit is to eat food and drink wine.

The hotel itself has a very good restaurant. The kids were well looked after and ate on the terrace outside as the sun went down. Oh and just before that we had come our closest yet to kangaroos as we stood only a few metres away from a family as they grazed on grass at dusk.
Once we had got the kids to bed Katy and I ordered room service – I know what a luxury – but really apart from a bag of crisps in bed we had no other choice. The food was incredible so well worth the stop off in the area. We drank a very good Chardonnay from Scarborough Estate and then went to bed.

Bellingen: Day 17

Arriving in Bellingen is a bit like stepping back in time 100 years. The local Court House for example was built in 1910 and apart from now being some other form of civil office it is as it was back then. The high street is the same. The shops may be different but the architecture is Victorian.

In a way it is how I think of a classic ‘Western’ high street with a saloon, hotel, blacksmith and local sheriff’s office. The pavements are covered above by large overhanging shop fronts that are made from timber.

Of course, today it has deli’s and coffee shops and people wear $200 jeans but it does feel quite different to the coast.

We were headed for Kompartoo which is an aboriginal word whose meaning I have forgotten. It is just on the edge of town and is a truly magical place. We stayed in a chalet that is set in the rainforest. It is made from timber and inside feels like something from ‘Little House on the Prairie’.

All around you are the sounds of birds: parrots, cockatoos and cookaburras. Seeing them fly around as you sit on the verandah is an amazing feeling. It is a very tranquil place. To bring us back to reality that night we had a takeaway pizza delivered by a teenager in a Liverpool shirt.

Last Day in Yamba: Day 16

Our last day we decided to spend time doing our favourite things in Yamba as the followingday we'd be heading off into the mountains to Bellingen. So bye, bye beach and surf too.

We didn't actually head into the water as the tide was very high and the sea extremely rough so it wasn't really safe. Instead we played in the dunes and on the rocks.

In the afternoon we took Cass and Hero to the pool so that they could play with the other children and practice their swimming. As the sun went down we headed into town to buy some fish for supper.

At home we read stories and the kids fell fast asleep with the sound of the waves and crickets from outside. Until tomorrow...

Bye, Bye Jude and James: Day 15

We all had breakfast together and said goodbye to Jude and James. Jude will be back in 8 weeks so we’ll see her then (there were still some tears though) and James said he’d be over next year at some point.

We had a quiet Sunday getting used to being back to a four again. We played on the beach and practised our swimming in the pool. Both Cass and Hero are becoming more and more confident in the water.

On the beach we watched as some kite surfers launched themselves from the beach into the sea. If you aren’t familiar with the sport it is a bit like windsurfing but instead of a sail you attach yourself to an enormous kite. It is very impressive when done well but also extremely dangerous recording a number of fatalities every year.





















In the evening we went into town and bought ten fresh scallops for about £3. In London one scallop would probably cost that. They were delicious.

That night we planned the next leg of our trip which in a couple of stops would take us a few hundred kilometres south and to the final destination of the Blue Mountains west of Sydney to meet Chris, Scarlett, Scarlett’s Mum and brother. Oh and maybe Matt, Caroline and Louis.

Angourie: Day 14

Katy, Hero and I went to town on Saturday morning to book another place to stay-in until Tuesday. However, as well as booking a new place I was told our changeover day was Saturday not Sunday. Oops. In the excitement of finding our apartment I had booked only three nights. It was 9 and we had until 10 to clear out. Fortunately we got a place in the same complex so it wasn’t too distressing but everyone pulled out the stops to pack up and move out.

After that we decided to take a trip to the world famous surf beach at Angourie within a National Park. It is about 4 km south of Yamba and is made up of a few dozen beach houses, a café and restaurant. The beach itself is down a 2 km dirt track through the National Park.

To get to the beach you have to weave through a magical boarded pathway that takes you out to an incredible expanse of sky. Further through the dunes and between two peaks the beach opens up into a white crescent of beach and an aquamarine sea with perfect rolls of breaking waves.

This was the best surf James and I had experienced and some of the longest distances I have travelled on a surfboard. Today was Jude and James’ last day so we were keen to spend as much time as we could in the water.

What we didn’t plan for was the rapidly moving thunderstorm across the mountain and heading our way. We quickly gathered our things together and made our way up the hill to the car park before the downpour. The climate is more tropical further north of Sydney and you got the sense that it was time for a downpour. There is a strong sense of calm and relief after the rain.

It only started to rain on our way back into Yamba and it was relatively short. Amazingly within a few minutes the streets were dry again. On the way back we booked a pizza and pasta restaurant as it was our last night together.
Many restaurants on the coast are BYO so James and I got some beer and wine while everyone settled in at the table. We had a great last supper and afterwards headed home where we watched some Aussie Rules. James talked us through the game that after awhile became pretty easy to follow. I didn’t all see it through to the end but Sydney won.

Good Friday: Day 13

Good Friday lived up to its Australian billing - Good Surf.

Today was one of our more traditional days. So rather than repeat we had coffee, we had a sandwich lunch and Cassius played with some new Australian friends on the beach.

The day ended with James and I yet again taking on the big surf towards the end of the day. It goes dark at 6 so everyone deserts the beach in unison. What was amazing was seeing the moon rise in the sky as the sun does in the morning over the Pacific horizon. It is the first time I have ever seen it and at first I mistook it for the sun going down. It was an incredible feeling to be surfing in the orangey moonlight.

In the evening I suggested a carrot and pasta bake which everyone rejected!
Instead we had a mixed fish box and chips from Yamba Fish Market. Delicious. We ended the evening watching a DVD, Jude and James had bought called Big Wednesday, a cult surf movie. Night, night.

Surf's Up Jude: Day 12

Day twelve of our trip started with coffee and breakfast at our favourite deli in Yamba at the crossroads of Yamba Street and Coldtream Street. Katy and I have realised that we are addicted to coffee so going to a coffee shop has become a morning ritual.

After breakfast we walked down the high street as Katy wanted to get a bikini for the beach. Being the end of summer all the bikinis are 50% off so Katy took full advantage. While we were shopping James and Jude went off to hire our surf boards.

We met Jude and James down at Pippi Beach and the waves that didn’t feel so big from a distance now looked enormous. James and I took out our boards out for an inaugural Australian surf.

The sensation is a bit like when you go skiing for the first time. All around you are 10 year olds flying passed at great speed making you feel pretty pathetic. So with a strong determination to improve quickly we tried to master the big waves by jumping on the boards and seeing what happened. Well, put it this way, we drank a lot of Ocean.

The weather was getting quite overcast by this point so we decided to pack away the boards until the end of the day. Katy took Hero for a nap and Cassius and I planned our afternoon.

Fresh from his fishing experience in Shoal Bay, Cassius was keen to try his hand at some more over at the wharf. After a quick trip to get a hand line and some bait (prawns) we jumped in the car to catch our supper.

Clever these fish aren’t they? We obviously weren’t the first tourists to have tempted fish with prawns as each one was systematically and carefully removed by a smart shoal of fish. Cassius was quickly bored not surprisingly and so we took the more conventional route for getting supper and went shopping.
James and I ended the afternoon with a late surf which was much more rewarding – lots of good surf and lots of fun riding some perfect waves. The day was capped off with a delicious fish pie made by Jude and James. We were well and truly settled into Yamba life!

The Big Banana: Day 11

We were up reasonably early but still didn’t manage to leave the campsite until 8:30. We went in convoy up the Pacific Highway exchanging the odd comment over the radios. This kept Cass occupied for some of the journey but both Cass and Hero managed a nap.

However, they were both awake for the journey passed the big banana. (Each region has a big ‘something’ depending on the regional farming of choice. There is a big prawn too. Perhaps a big Turkey on the approach to Hemington, Alan?).

The journey to Yamba, the undiscovered jewel on the east coast has little to report. Yamba itself is set next to the extremely wide, Clarence river that dominates the landscape. The final stretch of the journey snakes the edge of the Clarence interrupted by sugar cane fields and cattle fields.

Yamba itself is… oh hold on I forgot a bit of drama on route. The kids at the end of the three-hour drive had become restless so I suggested giving the worst protagonist, Hero, an M&M – well I know what you are thinking why would you give a one year old a chocolate peanut but it seemed a good idea at the time – that momentarily silenced her until she turned purple and started choking as we drove into Yamba.

I did an emergency stop, Katy jumped out of the car and tried to get the peanut out of her throat while I was wondering how I’d manage to find a biro to perform a roadside tracheotomy (sp.). Fortunately, the peanut flew out and we had survived another chapter of our adventure. We radio’ed ‘rubber duck’ as we called them on the radio and updated them on our whereabouts. They had showed some initiative and found a map of Yamba – nice work!

We found Coldstream Street and parked outside LJ Hooker. Russ was camp but very helpful so we drove in convoy to Pippi Beach. Eventually we navigated our way to the correct underground car park and headed up to our apartment.

Well, let me tell you this is quite some apartment. Two storey, three-bedroom with amazing views of the Pacific Ocean on one side and the pool on the other. Russ had definitely come up trumps. We unpacked and headed down to the pool so Cassius and Hero could cool off. There were a gang of Australian children at the pool so lots of new friends for the kids.

At dusk James and I headed into Yamba for some of their famous prawns. They are caught here in shrimp boats. In fact, I can see their bright lights as I sit here writing. The prawns are big and very tasty.

We sat around, ate our feast and tried a Riesling from Coonawarra and delicious it is too. Early to bed because tomorrow James and I will be surfing, dude.

Planning Easter Weekend: Day 10

Today was our last day in Trial Bay. With that always comes where next? We had decided that we were going to head to Yamba which is about 3 hours North along the Coast and famous for its prawns.

We tried the two places top of our list but with no luck. They were fully booked for Easter. We tried the Tourist Information in Yamba who gave us a number of LJ Tucker in Yamba, a realtor. I spoke to Russ who explained that he had a three-bedroom apartment over the Ocean that was cheaper than we were quoted at the campsite. We spoke to the girls who said yes and we booked it.

With the next four nights sorted out we headed for the beach in South West Rocks. We spent the morning body boarding and playing on the beach before Katy went off to get sandwiches for lunch from the local bakery. Sandwiches here are really good and taste fresh. An added bonus for those who like beetroot is that they come with a big slab on the top. James got the added bonus of a vanilla slice that nearly finished him off. He rewarded himself with a nap on the beach.

Cass made an Ozzie friend and they hunted for crabs in the rock pools around the bay. All this sea life has made him extremely interested in fishing. I’m not actually sure how he’d cope at sea but he does like the little fish in the rock pool.

After another day at the beach we headed back for the campsite for some food. We did some packing (well Katy more than me) but still gave ourselves a lot to do in the morning.

Day Nine: Throw another shrimp on the barbie

Jude and James have bought some two-way radios. We kept one and they kept the other. In the morning Cass radio’ed into Camp. “Tea or coffee, over?”. Silence followed by a muffled, “Morning”. Cassius persisted, “Tea or coffee, over?”. Jude went for coffee. “Sugar, over?”.

So with everyone’s orders in we set about planning our day ahead. The day started slightly cloudy. I only mention this because it is the first cloud I have seen in Australia! We decided in predictable style to go to the beach – the one from the night before.

The weather remained slightly overcast but with some sunny patches ( I have always wanted to say that). Jude, James and Cassius went to explore along the rocks while we all stayed behind to play with Hero in the sea. She is really starting to get her sea legs and the colour in her face is giving her the look of a real local.

When everyone came back together we set off for town to have lunch. Lunch is a classic seaside fare: fish and chips, calamari and chips, in fact everything with chips. After lunch we went to the small but very cute beach in the town where there was some much better surf. Everyone donned newly acquired rash vests and body boarded in the break just off the rocks. James, Jude and I caught some great waves.

Most exciting was Cassius’ transformation in the water. He tagged along with some boys his age body surfing in the shallow waves near the shore. He kept shouting: “Look at me I’m swimming!”. It was lovely to see.

My excitement came when a dolphin swam within touching distance of me while I was surfing. And to think I paid $17 to do it in a boat. It was amazing being so close and a complete surprise.

We all swam in the sea until about 5 and then decided to get some food together for a barbeque that night. We ran round the supermarket got the kids to bed and started to get the food ready. James and I looked after the bbq – don’t worry readers who else did you think would do such a skilled task – and cooked some fish kebabs. Jude and James also bought oysters for us all - a great treat. More South Australian wine was sampled (sorry is this all becoming a bit formulaic??) and we talked into the night planning our next leg of the trip.

Until tomorrow. Be good.

South West Rocks: Day Eight

In typical style we gave ourselves a lot to do in the morning as we wanted to squeeze in a trip to see the dolphins in Nelson Bay. So we got packed up in double quick time and got down to the bay by 10:30.

The whole bay is built around trips to see the dolphins. We jumped on the nearest boat with an impressive 99% sighting success rate. That sold me so we climbed aboard. The trip is one and a half hours long. The first half hour is very much scene setting and an opportunity to sell some woeful dolphinesque merchandise.

Obviously it only gets exciting when in a hushed voice the Captain says: “Okay guys about 5 metres to the left of us are three dolphins.” At that point, 30 people run into an area the size of a small garden shed, dropping flip flops struggling to focus cameras and generally missing the fleeting glimpse of a dolphin which makes my own picture all the more impressive. (You may not get to see this for awhile but take my word for it).

We did see some dolphins very close up which was wonderful. The whole boat experience was slightly beyond Cassius and Hero but I was glad we had seen them. I love dolphins and they are inspiring to see outside of a Sea World environment. Dolphin Fact: They hold their breath for around 2 minutes until coming back to the surface for air. n.b. There is more exciting dolphin news to come from today’s adventure!

After the dolphin trip we hit the road. We expected a 3-4 hour trip so we fed the kids and put our foot to the floor. The legal speed limit is 110 km per hour that surprisingly from driving in the UK everyone observes. So you settle in and watch the picnic stops fly by every few clicks (military expression for Major Mills – hope you are feeling fighting fit again!) until the sign tells you it is time to turn off.

We were on our way to South West Rocks! Everyone was getting very excited about seeing Jude and James. We called them and said we were on our way so they said they wait at our chalet.

We would have been there in a few minutes but I slammed on the brakes when I saw three kangaroos in a field just a few metres ahead. Hero sat in the back saying “Roo! Roo!”.

As planned we arrived at the Trial Bay Eco Resort in South West Rocks to find Jude and James waiting at our cabin. The cabin is set in a semi-tropical forest by the beach so you are constantly surrounded by all the local sights and sounds.

It’s great to see Jude and James. It is obvious to say but they haven’t changed a bit. Well better tans but that is the only discernible difference. Oh and Jude’s tattoo (only joking Ruth).

After a few hours in the car the kids were desperate to get to the beach. James and I headed for the supermarket and Katy, Jude and the kids headed for the beach on foot. South West Rocks is a small holiday resort - bigger than Shoal Bay but similar in size to a small Cornish seaside town.

We met up at the beach nearest the resort where the sun was just setting. It then very quickly gets dark so we left for the campsite. As we turned into the site we saw some more kangaroos which was fine until Jude opened the door to show Cass who was definitely unsure about being so close.

That night we cooked some food and caught up on the last few months. We went to sleep with the sound of the ‘wild’ still ringing in our ears. Until tomorrow my little Pommies.

Catch of the Day: Day Seven

After breakfast we all headed down to the beach in front of the resort and started digging tunnels (Cassius’ favourite beach activity – actually he is more of a supervisor than ‘real’ digger). Cass, Hero and Louis played together in the morning and we all split up in the afternoon.

Matt, Cass and I went to the surf beach on the other side of the bay. It is a beautiful beach with big waves. I inflated the bodyboard and caught some big waves while Matt and Cass dug more holes. In fact, it was complex maze of holes that Cass kept falling in once a fresh one had been dug.

Matt decided to educate Cassius on the origins of Australia explaining that the island was discovered by Captain Cook. He went on to say that he’d buried treasure on the beach we were sat on a few hundred years earlier. Big Mistake! Matt dug nearly all afternoon.

Eventually we headed back to the resort to catch up with the girls before heading out at dusk for some fishing. Cassius was incredibly excited. Matt and his Dad let him cast the rod and amazingly helped Matt to catch a small dart – a spiky yellow fish.
To celebrate we all went out to an Italian on the front for some pizza and pasta. The two youngsters stayed up while Cassius fell asleep on my lap. We walked along the shore for a big sleep before our journey north to see Jude and James.

Port Stephens: Day Six

This is an abridged diary entry until I get a bit more time. We are leaving Port Stephens today and meeting Jude and James in South West Rocks up the coast. More soon. Bye..........

There may be some delay with posts but they will come. Bandwidth is limited but I will post when I can. So here is the real day six. Oh and the pictures will dry up too as they take hours to upload.
..
Suddenly the trip north to Port Stephens came in a hurry giving us only a short amount of time to get all we needed to do, done. First of all we had to get Hero to the doctor. Since the flight she’d had a bad chest cough that had got worse. So we wanted to get her seen before heading into remoter parts of Sydney. In truth they are not that remote but we still wanted to be reassured that she was okay. Apparently, just bronchitis so we were ready to hit the road.

While the girls saw the doctor Cassius and I went to pick up the hire car from, don’t laugh, Manly Rentals. I don’t know if a white Toyota Corolla could be described as Manly but the idea made me smile.

We picked the girls up outside the doctor’s and drove back to the flat to load up the luggage. Once we were all back in the car Katy took control of the map and we set off across the North Shore in search of the Pacific Highway also called Route 1. This takes you from Sydney to Brisbane a total of about 1000 km or 50mm on a map of Australia. I remember thinking when we flew over Australia for the first time how enormous the country was, as it took about 4 hours to get from one side to the other.

There is little to comment on, on the Pacific Highway itself. Well, other than the road signs which we found quite amusing. Our favourite is ‘Wrong Way. Go Back’. The one that keeps the kids entertained is ‘Kangaroos and Koalas next 8 km’. We didn’t see any but it kept them occupied.

After three hours in the car (Tip: If you hire a car make sure it has A/C!) we arrived at Port Stephens, the centre of whale and dolphin watching in NSW. The whales have all migrated but in season they travel past the coast in there hundreds.

We arrived at about 3 and checked in to the Shoal Bay Beach Resort - a complex of apartments next to the beach. Other than the hotel there is little in Shoal Bay: a baker, pizzeria, a newsagent and chemist. Oh and a pub full of men with arms like my waist. I better be careful with my 'Manly Rental' which is emblazoned across the boot of my car.

The beach itself is crescent shaped and looks like something from a Bond film. The sand is golden and the water aquamarine with just a smattering of small fishing boats. The beach is largely deserted.

The resort has good facilities for kids. The big attraction is the kids pool and fountain. We dumped our luggage in the apartment and headed for the pool. The kids both loved running in the shallow water. There is also a small stretch of sand to play in too just next to the pool.

After a play we had kids tea in the bar. This was kids tea, Aussie style. The rugby was on and the food was piled high so that the 2 years old around us could one day turn into giants.

We saw Matt and his Dad on the front who had just returned from an unsuccessful fishing trip. A seed had been sown in Cass’ mind and we WOULD go fishing the following day.

In the evening Matt, Caroline, Katy and I had takeaway fish and chips in our apartment, sampling more local wine for the benefit of you - the reader. That night it was Oyster Bay (actually from New Zealand) Sauvignon and Chardonnay. p.s. I can’t remember whether I said that I used work with Matt, he married Caroline (an Australian) and they a baby boy called Louis who is a month younger than Hero. Night, Night.

Sydney Aquarium: Day Five

Chris drove us to Balmoral Beach on his way to work which is a beach to the west from Manly along the North shore. Interestingly we were able to travel in the fast lane as there were more than 3 people in the car. This is the local authority's incentive to get people to car share. Balmoral seems to be Sydney's equivalent of Beverly Hills. It is awash with 'ladies who lunch' towing tiny lap dogs with clips in their hair.

The real reson for our visit though was The Bather's Pavillion, a restaurant and cafe on the beach. You can see the beach in the background behind the picture of Hero above. I have always wanted to visit since I bought the cookbook years ago. Amongst other things it is famous for its breakfasts. I had a fantastic smoke salmon brioche and Katy had a frittata. The kids munched on pain au chocolat, washed down with hot chocolate.




After breakfast we spent the morning on the beach. Although the morning was very windy the beach is quite secluded. There are lots of rock pools to explore so Cass and I went dinosaur hunting.

The big thing over here at the moment is something called 'Boot Camp' which is a bit like ITV's 'Fat Camp'. The idea is that you turn up at the beach and have someone shout at you as you run along, do press-ups and star jumps. People get up at 5:30 to get an hour's boot camp in before going off to work. The ladies-who-lunch version in Balmoral is hilarious. It is a bit like Desperate Housewives meets French and Saunders.

Given that it was a bit windy we decided we'd head into the City which involved a bus and ferry ride. Our destination was the Aquarium which is in Darling Harbour, an area that was developed in the 80s. It is a bit like St Katherine's docks in London but on a bigger scale. To get there we walked through the financial district and headed for the mono-rail which does a 4km loop around the City but about 20 metres above ground level. Cass obviously loved it.

We got off at the aquarium, had lunch by the harbour while Hero slept before walking around the aquarium. It is a great way to spend an afternoon. As well as having an incredible array of fish they also have complementary animals in the tanks such as ducks, a platypus (!) and an incredible seal sanctuary where you can walk under tunnels while they swim overhead. You see the sharks in exactly the same way. Seeing Great Whites so close up was a fine balance between excitement and terror. Well that's what I saw on the kids faces! (p.s the picture below is a model shark!)

We got the ferry back to Manly. Katy and the kids went home for supper while I had all my hair shaved off and picked up some food for the evening. I got 6 big tuna steaks from the fish market in Manly & got a taxi home. As well as C&S , Robin and Jane came over for some food. We sampled more of the local wine and went to bed with a tired, woozy feeling - must have been the sun!

Surf's Up: Day Four

Yesterday was hot. The breeze on the beach made it feel cooler than the 30 c it actually was. We spent most of the day on the beach doing a range of activities but mainly running into the water and bodyboarding.



















Cass gets more and more confident in the water with every passing day. He is becoming a real little nipper as they call the young swimmers in bathing caps here. We broke the day up with lunch in a great restaurant in Manly called Blue Water Cafe on the sea.

The food here is fantastic. There is an abundance of fresh fish, prawns, oyster and mussels. The typical Australian restaurant serves an Asian-Pacific range of dishes including the use of chilli, fresh limes, noodles, rice but without the heat of Thai or Malaysian food. It is light but very very tasty. It is the kind of cuisine that has become fashionable in London pubs. Katy had an amazing rissotto with langoustine (obviously Italian influenced which is not surprising as there is a strong Italian community in Sydney).

In the afternoon we were back on the beach. Hero had her afternoon nap and Cass played jumping in the waves with a boy he met. Oh we also kitted Cass out with some Ozzie surfing clothing including surf vest, wide brimmed hat and flip flops. He certainly now looks the part.

In the evening we went out for dinner. Chris and Scarlett offered to baby-sit which was great. It gets dark at about 6:30 here so the whole area is lit up by the lights of the surrounding coastline and the lights from the tiny sailing boats in the bay. As you walk around and look up you can see the sky is filled with stars, more clearly than you'd ever see with your naked eye in the UK.

We had a walk around Manly looking at the various bars and restaurants and settled back at the Blue Water. It had a new evening menu and we tucked into mango and prawns to start followed by noodles and prawns (for Katy) and I had a Caesar salad with grilled fish. We had this with a Sauvignon called Dunsborough Hills.

We headed back at about 10 and climbed into bed, ready for the next day. (Sneak preview we're off for breakfast at the Bather's Pavillion in Balmoral. It is one place in the world I have always wanted to visit as I have the cook book at home and is famous for its breakfasts by the beach. See you tomorrow.)

Taronga Zoo: Day Three

We decided to take the ferry into Central Sydney On Tuesday. So after a short walk down to the Wharf in Manly we go on-board the ferry that passes the flat every half hour.

The ferry ride takes in the classic views of Sydney, passed the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. It made us feel that we really were here in Australia. The view is so familiar it is quite a strange sensation to see it all first hand.

The real point of the trip was to visit Taronga Zoo which is another short ferry ride across the water. With 15 minutes to spare we had a quick walk around the Opera House but not enough time to go inside. Hero fell asleep in the buggy and we all had giant ice creams which we ate on the way over on the ferry.

The zoo itslef is on a mountain slope so you can either get a telecabin to the top or a bus. We went for the easy option and got a bus. The zoo is lush and greeen with some beautiful looking animals. Hero's eyes were on stalks. She couldn't quite believe that all these animals were real.

We saw gorillas, tigers, chimps, lions, rhinos and bears. The most spectacular area is the giraffe house with a view of Sydney in the background. The kids just ran and ran all day until we set off back home. It was a great day with a slightly more relaxed bath time as they started to come to terms with their jet lag.

Chris and Scarlett arrived home and we sat around eating supper, taking in the amazing views and sampling small amounts of the local wine. It's a hard life. Tomorrow, the beach and surfing with Chris.

Manly Beach: Day Two

Day two we decided to spend the day on the beach at Manly. It is a 20 minute walk from C&S's who are on the other side of the cove. Before we all set off Cass and I went to the local beach (they are everywhere in Sydney) and dug some holes with his new spades. We were first up, at 5:30, so were itching to do something. We left the girls to get ready.

The walk takes you over the hill and down to the cove which is where the Ferry leaves from for Central Sydney. It takes about 30 minutes to get to the centre (next to the Opera House). Manly itself reminds me a lot of the Californian Pacific coast especially Venice Beach and Santa Monica. Everywhere you look there are people carrying surfboards, running or cycling. You feel very pale and lazy by comparison. The beach which I described in yesterday's post is a real surfer's beach. It is long with high breaking waves.

The kids were very excited although it took Hero some persuading to walk on the sand. It was as though she thought she might fall through the sand. I inflated the bodyboard I got for Christmas and Cass and I went to try it out. At first he was a bit concerned about the size of the waves so I decided to take him straight out and just jump on a wave. After initial panic he screamed "We're going really fast!". We went backwards and forwards catching waves. The current is very strong with rip tides that pull away at your feet.

Hero wanted to have some fun too so Katy took her out into the water to dip her toes in. She kept saying "Swim, swim" and wanting to dive into the waves. By about 3:30 we decided that we'd probably had enough sun, surf and sand (in Hero's case mouthfuls of it) and headed back to the flat via the supermarket.

Some readers may want to know more on the subject of Australian supermarkets. However, I'll keep it short. On a sample of one- Coles in Manly - they are great. Lots of fresh, organic and locally produced food. (Sorry, didn't check turkeys. Please see my turkey blog for more details). Finally, on the subject of beer. They don't sell it in supermarkets. They only sell it in Liquor stores which have the feel of an 'adult entertainment store' (apparently), dimly lit with just a single doorway and a flashing neon sign.

We Made It: Sydney

The leg to Sydney was a bit tougher than the first but the kids were still amazing. Suddenly we were one hour to go and we really felt like we had finally made it after 23 hours in an aluminium tube. (I think we would have suffered a lot more if Katy had not thought of every eventuality! Also thanks to Mum and Ruthie for the flight-time treats - they worked as planned.)

The clocks changed in Sydney so we arrived an hour early at 6:05 on Sunday morning. I got two texts when we landed. One from Chelsea saying we'd drawn to Birmingham and one from Chris asking for a text when we were through immigration.

We cleared customs and immigration and sat having a coffee while Cassius and Hero stood with their faces pressed against the terminal windows shouting "Look Australia!". Chris picked us up and we all set off for Chris and Scarlett's apartment in Manly. We went the scenic route , passing over Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. It is an amazing City. Unlike anything in Europe. Wherever you seem to look there is bright blue water.














We arrived at C & S's on the water in Manly. It has views on all sides which are absolutely stunning. The sound of the waves below soon helped us overcome any sense of tiredness and the kids were insane with excitement. In fact so excited that Cass cut his foot open and Hero fell and got a bloody nose. But they weren't to be defeated.


















Cass decided we needed to explore so we set off on foot for the beach at Manly. In Manly, we met back up with Katy, Hero & Scarlett while Chris went off to work. We also met Matt, Caroline and Louis (I worked with Matt before headed off to live in Oz) and Matt's parents and headed down to the beach with some brand new buckets and spades. It is a real surfer's paradise. Warm and perfect waves near to the shore.

Cass was straight in the water running and splashing about. Hero slept. After and hour's play we headed up for lunch and the beer that I have been dreaming about for months. My first Ozzie beer sat by the Ocean. It was worth the wait.

After lunch we headed back in groups to the flat. I went via the local yacht club with Hero (asleep) and had the beer that finished me off. When I got back I decided to write this blog to keep me awake but an hour later found myself asleep at the keyboard and headed into bed with Hero. Katy and Cass were next door having their siesta.

After a crucial but head spinning two-hour sleep we gathered together for supper. It was beyond the kids so we got them down early. We stayed discussing life in Sydney and wondering why everyone doesn't live here. Until tomorrow....

We're off!

We set off on Friday evening and headed for Heathrow Terminal 4. Despite arriving only a few minutes late we found ourselves at the back of a mile-long, three hour queue to check in. We got checked in just before people started to be turned away. A slightly scary start but we were on our way (11p.m. BST).















Hero was strapped into her car seat next to Katy and Cass and we set off for Bangkok (change of plan - I thought we were going to Singapore). The kids pretty much slept that night leaving us about 2 hours before landing in Bangkok. We had a quick scoot around the airport and then got back on the plane for the 10 hour leg to Sydney.