Finally, I've gotten my act into gear (following another surf yesterday morning!) and am able to give you a breakdown of "The roadie" as mum so fondly took to calling it. And she's right ... that's exactly what we did. I drove down to Sydney for Christmas and then we took about two weeks to meander back up the coast hitting as many of the surf beaches that we could. It was a really pleasant way of seeing places that we wouldn't necessarily have stopped and really relaxing into the holiday season. As an aside, I've vowed to myself that I'd like to surf at least a couple of times a month, either on the Sunshine or Gold Coasts as I'd forgotten exactly how much I enjoy it. I'm a water star sign but we won't go into that ...
So, a couple of hours away from Sydney, our first stop was Wamberal. Stayed in a B&B and on arrival were instantly greeted by iPod the dog. You can guess approximately how old he is by is name.
Putting my feelings about all things "i" aside, it was a really sweet place and beautifully close to a variety of beaches. Terrigal, the obvious one, followed closely by Shelley and Forresters beaches. All really fabulous to paddle in and I had one of the best surfs of the trip at Terrigal - perfect for someone who hadn't been in the water for a good 12 months. We caught up with an old friend of mum and dad's - Peter Smeeth - a retired GP now master painter. Really detailed, beautiful work ... http://petersmeeth.com/. He's had entries in the Archibald and has won the Sulman so clearly very talented. And we had the most amazing dinner at a restaurant called the Cowrie. Gorgeous food and amazing views of the entire bay ... http://thecowrie.com.au/. WOW.
On to Salamander Bay then where we stayed for four nights. The area was a really funny one and with extremes everywhere. Expensive, resorty looking large houses nestled next to beat up, weatherboard numbers in dire need of some love. Spectacular gentle waved bays backing onto sets of waves that saw me gasping for air an questioning whether I wanted to get back into the water again, EVER (Box Beach). The best stocked and looking information centre I think I have ever seen, staffed by perhaps the most incompetent set of volunteers I have ever met. It felt a bit like a large retirement village crossed with a children's playground. We happily checked out the area, stopping in to see our favourite people who happened to also be in the area, as well as venturing out a little futher.
It's actually not that far from the hunter valley and so we popped down to Audrew Wilkinson's winery and another little boutique winery called Adina's. Picked up some lovely bottles of the red and white varieties (in support of the local winegrowing community, not because we liked them you understand!!!) and subsequently swore every time we had to pack the car up again because we had a funny number and shape of bottles that didn't fit neatly anwhere in the available space.
Taking a walk down memory lane we drove to Tea Gardens. When I worked at the Autistic Association I took one of the adult residents on a week long holiday here, staying in a caravan and literally bumping into important people - the then Prime Minister little John. Perhaps I made Lisa (the resident that I was travelling with) shake hands with JH. Perhaps there was nearly an international incident when his bouncers got a bit rough in handling her. She was being a bit odd, but that's no reason to get defensive!!! Tea Gardens does indeed sound like it should be lovely but in reality, there's really nothing there. And I mean nothing. Do you remember the children's movie "The Never Ending Story" and the concept of "the nothing" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0VxGRWPh28)? This is what Tea Gardens was like. Evidence of the nothing of Tea Gardens here ...
(Lesley looking for something ... anything ... at Tea Gardens)
And then some excellent random things like this very large chicken coup along the road coming back into Salamander Bay ... a group of very happy chickens indeed!
Next stop? Port Macquarie. I loved the beaches here and spent a great deal of time at Flynn's beach. An open beach with glorious rolling waves, beautiful coastlines and really polite surfers. There was no dropping in on anyone, people apologised when they got in your way - not often mind you - and general conversations about swells and the state of the ocean were had while "out the back". We caught up with one of mum's oldest nursing friends, drank excellent sparkling wine that was given to me as a graduation party present and thoroughly enjoyed the area.
(Annie and Lesley enjoying a glass of bubbly ...)
On the way out we stopped at Cresent Head - a place that mum says that she has been hearing about all of her life, but never gotten to. The wind was up by the time we got here, but Crescent Head is probably the most spectacular set of beaches and bays along the mid north coast.
Breathtaking views up and down the coast and a lookout point to die for. I'd love to go back here and check it out more seriously. We were marching on though and had to get to Emerald Beach just outside of Coffs Harbour.
Driving, driving, driving ... we stopped at a little place off the highway called Ulmurra as there was a "MONSTER BOOK SALE" advertise. Who could resist that???? Not us that's for sure. And a good 2 hours later, we left the Ulmurra MONSTER BOOK SALE $200 poorer but intellectually richer for our efforts. A great stop off in a picturesque town complete with pub on the corner.
(See? It was a MONSTER BOOK SALE) (The lovely man who sold us all his books)
(And the fabulous old style Ulmurra pub backing onto the river)
OK, we're nearly there, I promise!!! Emerald Beach was quiet but beautiful. And there were a variety of gem-named beaches around the area. Sapphire, Ruby and Emerald as I counted it but I'm sure there were more. Our accommodation here was again very sweet - a huge B&B complete with what looked like a reserve behind us and a swarm of kangaroos! I kid you not! When we asked out host about laundry facilities she said that there weren't any for guests but would we please use her washing machine. We felt a little uncomfortable about that and found a laundromat, but she was very kind in even offering.
Our final stop before heading back up to Brisbane was in the Byron hinterland, in a little place called Clunes. Dad tells me that there is a fair amount of cousin marrying that goes on here, but we didn't see any evidence of it. We were a fair distance from the beach here (Byron), but the accommodation was marvellous. A place called "A shed with a view", nestled in the pocket of a mountain and overlooking a glorious countryside ... very lush for this time of the year. It was called the shed, because this is where the owners of the property stayed when they were doing up the remainder of their boutique cottages.
(The view from the shed)
(The shed itself)
(Inside the shed - i.e. the accommodation itself)
Very comfortable digs complete with visits from the chooks in the morning and dogs when we ventured closer to the main part of the house. We went to The Channon markets - great stalls, lovely atmosphere and definitely something to get to if you're in the area at the right time ... http://www.thechannonmarket.org.au/newsite/main.php.
And then we moseyed back up to Brisbane. All in all, it was a fabulous break stopping at some unexpected places and thorougly enjoying ourselves. Thanks mum - 'twas a great holiday!
All my love to you in the virtual world and I'll blog again at some stage ... it won't be as long, "nurses' honour"!
Naomi xxx ooo
Addit: This is especially for Maree. We did do some shopping and shopped well. Saw things, tried them on, bought them and then went and had lunch. This last item being the most important of course!!!!!
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