Living in a house with three enormous dogs is not like living with my own tiny one. Things that get left on tables could be shredded, plates could be licked and I told the wolfhound to get down before I realised that her feet were actually on the floor! My sandpapered sinuses / allergy to Australia has moved on to a full blown cold. I … Continue reading Stanthorpe

I’m sorry if all this driving is getting a bit boring but at least I’m seeing the world – through a windscreen. This will be two days worth of information as I have got behind. Bangalow was an interesting mixture of comfortable living (art gallery and rug shop) and old fashioned country stuff. I left Bangalow in driving rain which got worse as it went … Continue reading And we drive into Queensland

Well, I finally met some other people at the hotel this morning. Suggested it might be the zombie apocalypse and we were the only three left alive. Shame all of us were past breeding age. Went out for breakfast with them – did not realise that Australians penchant for abbreviations means that ‘eggs benny’ is actually eggs Benedict. As I missed the tourist routes off … Continue reading Byron Bay

The New South Wales road system has some very effective slogans – Drive Revive Survive for don’t fall asleep at the wheel: Don’t Be A Tosser for take your litter home and NOT This Way, Turn Round for those who have started the wrong way up the motorway. Again, miles of old growth forests and National Parks, interspersed with cattle farms which suddenly segued into … Continue reading Yet more driving

It is interesting when people from one area of the UK obviously settled en masse down here. Near the town of Newcastle are Wallsend, Hexham and Jesmond. Today on the motorway I passed a sign to Stroud and Gloucester. I have spent today mainly going up the coast from Shoal Bay to South West Rocks. The origin of the latter name is apparently disputed – … Continue reading Travelling and stuff

Spent the night at Rachael and Dave’s – again without night time disruption by small children. Back here for laundry and packing as I am changing places tomorrow. Lunch and a tour of Nelson Bay in the afternoon with Rachael, her dad and the baby. Continue reading Another fairly straightforward day.

Today the little girls went to a birthday party at the park so I gracefully declined to join them. The thought of a load of overheated and over sugared four year olds screaming around didn’t really appeal. Instead I ate a leisurely breakfast and walked down to the beach in Shoal Bay. After a spot of lunch and a tour round a dress shop (‘I … Continue reading Not a lot today…..

After yesterday, I woke up this morning at Rachael and Dave’s. This was planned – not over indulgence talking. Despite dire warnings, I was not woken by the children in the night. After a breakfast of toast, coffee and accidental stool softener (don’t ask) I went home changed and went back to meet them for lunch at the lighthouse overlooking Nelson Bay. This is headquarters … Continue reading At the beach

Today- after discovering one semi dead and one very much alive cockroach in my apartment – I went off to Rachael and Dave’s house to meet the three children they have had since my last visit. Not much else – I have held the baby, helped with painting, looked for Elsa’s dress in an overcrowded toy box, refereed (unsuccessfully) a couple of disagreements and generally … Continue reading Visiting the little ones.

As you can see from the map, I’ve done very little except drive today. Why do cities decant you immediately onto a motorway before you have managed to become familiar with the car? It also took a lot longer than that estimate. Incidentally, to access the sat nav I had to go and buy a temporary Australian SIM card which means that if you try … Continue reading To Shoal Bay