10th March
Drove a fair way this morning, all beaches along the way! Stopped at Harrington, went to crowdy head, its all very beautiful and its lovely being port Macquarie. Had a long walk round, admired the buildings and beaches. On to crescent head, which had been recommended and found place to stay. Nice village with great surfing beach! And a river that went into the sea there, made the water a funny colour but the current carried you along and you had to get out and walk back and start again. Fantastic weather too although it rained all night. Saw my first wild kangaroo as we left but did not see any of the wild koalas supposedly about!!
11th March
Went to Trial Bay to see the fort, which was interesting but not that old. Was used to intern the prisioners of war. They sent you to be interned even if it was just your grandfather that had come over from germany! Most that were at the camp were sent to germany after the war even though they had never been to germany before the war! As we were leaving the fort, we looked off the cliffs and saw dolphins playing in the surf so we jumped in the car and drove down to the beach and robin and I went to play with the dolphins. Wonderful stuff!! Absolutely amazing, they are such playful creatures.
To Nambucca Heads and the white albatross caravan park! Weather fantastic, too hot. Jimmy doing loads of fishing but not catching much at the moment! Parrots everywhere, very noisy but very colourful. Have been told not to walk in the bush here as they have very deadly snakes!! Saw dolphins swimming in the surf again. There are sharks too but we are not pointing them out to robin or he would never swim again!. The caravan park has a lagoon with a pontoon in the middle and I was going to race robin to it but he thought it might contain the loch ness monster so he decided he would stick to swimming in the sea.

12th March
Went fishing again this morning but all of us feeling a bit crook and not up to much so just chilled and fished.
13th March
Went to Byron Beach, very lively, young sufers town. Nice beach but it rained so we went for a walk through town had picnic in the car and drove on again. Stopped in Maimi Beach, got comfie in motel and went for evening meal in the surf club, was really heaving, busy as. Everyone so nice, had a great walk and walked along the beach too. Lovely evening. Freezing cold pool at the motel but nice motel with comfie beds.
14th
Spent morning getting info at surfers paradise. Buzzing place bit like canary wharf but not to everyones taste, though I spoke to the owners of the motel last night, who are selling because everyone wants to stay in tower blocks instead of motels now, they all want high rise apartments. Reminded me of benidorm in spain. Drove on again to Tin Can Bay and did a bit of fishing as it was such a great place to fish. Went and got accommodation at the pub and met some charaters, some of whom were up at 5am talking very loudly and waking us up.
15th March
Up early and down at meeting point at tin can bay for 7ish. Fed dolphins in the bay, such a great experience. They feed the wild dolphins at 8am each morning and I felt honored to be able to offer a fish to the dolphin. Robin decided to go with dad to fish but I think he just didn’t want to enter the water with the puffer fish he caught the day before. After joining the boys for a bit more fishing we got in car and travelled to Maryborough, where the girl who wrote Mary Poppins was born. Her dad was the bank manager in the town and she was born upstairs above the bank. They have put a statue outside the bank to commorate her. Then back in the car Gladstone which was a bit of a disappointment beach wise but jim did not want to drive anymore today so we got a cabin and swam in the pool on site. Cause the beach was a bit muddy I caught up on my washing and stuff, just relaxing again.
16th March
Went for a lovely swim with robin after I had been on internet at robin had woken up. Then we started driving. Went to Mackay for brekkie then onto a beach cannot remember the name but it had box jellyfish so we decided not to leave and then drove on to Airlie beach where we arrived quite late. Went for a meal at the local pub and jim made us run through a swamp on the way back to campsite. This in a place where we have been warned about the crocs and snakes. I could have killed him but at least he gave robin a piggy back. We all arrived safe to our cabin and had to shower as so much mud had splashed up our legs and backs!! Nice day,apart from nearly being killed!!!
17th March
Paddys day and Jims wearing his paddy shirt. Robin and I went for a game of mini golf first thing. Will never play mini golf early again as every hole had some sort of creature in it. I had to put my hand in to get the balls out as robin is a bit of a wimp and horrified when after getting the balls once I looked in the hold and said ah what cute little frogs!! He said they were leaves until they moved and then he would not put his hands in the holes again. Anyway stuffed him the first game and we played again and both did quite well. I think it was because the man had been and cleared the holes of wildlife!! Went back to cabin and got jim to come for a swim in the pool and in fact we were in and out of the pool all day cause it was soooo hot and humid. Did go into town for a bit of shopping and then back in the pool, it was too hot for tennis but robin did go on the jumping pillow and ended up looking so red and hot we had to swim again. In the evening we went into town for a walk and a beer for old st pat, they had a band playing at one pub so we had a couple got Chinese takeaway and went back quite late to cabin but it was a lot cooler in the evening.
18th
Up and out to get hair cut. Raining, very warm but loads of rain so catching up with homework and blogging etc. Can get internet here but its expensive so will wait until tomorrow! Not that I am tight, but, it might even be free if I can get a signal where we stay tomorrow, I believe some maccy ds here have free internet too so I may try that. Well robin and jim are in bed still, cannot wait for the girls to get here but I think the y will wear jim and robin out. I cannot wait, someone to play with and chat to, everyone needs kaios in their lives and I miss my girls and their mess and chatter and laughter and sweetness, I really do. We have been doing very holiday things lately like going to beach and pool. There is not a lot else here, some of the wildlife is great, last night we saw thousands of bats, hugh they were to the bats we have seen everywhere else, it was like being in Dracula country. The birds here are also awesome. The parakeets that fly wild are enormous and the multi colored parrots are very very noisy, especially at dusk, you cannot hear yourself think. Frogs and toads etc I am not so enamored with though the kangaroos are cute cause I was expecting hugh great things but they are quite small (the ones we have seen) and terribly cute possibly cause they are so stupid. Lots of roo roadkill! Have also seen a few sea eagles but after the harpie eagles and conders and turkey buzzards we are a bit disappointed. We seem to have been spoilt. Anyway still raining this morning but never mind we are travelling as soon as the boys arise from their slumber and the tv weather said it is only raining here and south and we are going north towards Cairns to meet the girls on Tuesday,,,, 5 days as they will be at the airport at 8am. Will kill jim getting up that early!!!!! Whilst watching the news last night, one rather stupid man down the road from here saw a car run over a snake and decided to help the snake!!!! Well it bit him as he tried to move it off the road so he killed it instead and then tried to cycle to the hospital, someone found him unconscious with the snake beside him and got him the anti venom. How lucky is he. I will not be going to the aid of any snakes!!! I will be staying as far from anything poisonous as I can!
19th March
Drove for quite a way today, saw a snake crossing the road, Jim avoided it but the lorry behind us got its tail and it turned round and bit at the tyres, the car behind him finished it off. We did see quite a few roadkills today as well, roos, possums and snakes. Forgot to say about the possum at the campsite the other day, was very friendly and very preggers, you could see the babies moving in her tummy while she was eating, don’t know why she choose our verandah but she visited for a while, we had quite a crowd gathered outside watching her. Anyway, stopped at Bengal beach, had jelly stingers so we didn’t swim, just walked, apparently it has crocs as well but we didn’t notice. Then drove into the bush, one of the national parcs. Had to drive through a full up ford, bit like a small gushing river and when we got to the bit where we had to walk to the falls robin did not want to get out of the car, saw a wild turkey but couldn’t convince robin to take a walk so continued driving. Stopped at a place called Cardwell to ask information about where to stay as we had enough driving for the day. The lady was saying how good the barramundi fishing had been so we went to see a place at Hitchingbrook, which turned out to be a lovely cabin and then went fishing. Didn’t catch any as it was quite late but we did see load of quite big fish jumping so there must have been a massive one in there. Got bitten by loads of mozzies so gave up. Went to a posh place for dinner, should have dressed up really but they served us anyway! The pool in the complex that the cabin has use of is lovely too and had a great time there with robin in the afternoon while jim had a nap.
20th March
Enjoyed our little cabin and the pool so much yesterday we decided that we would stay for the day so I went over and booked and got some tennis raquets and balls for later. We did swimming went into town did some tennis and more swimming, its so hot here all you want to do is jump in the pool. Then we went fishing off pier, Angela 3, robin 2, jim 0, great fishing. Went to the pub afterwards, Friday night locals pub, meat raffle then karoke a great experience!!
21st March
Up and out, had to have a dip in the beautiful pool before leaving Hitchingbrook. Drove to Mission Beach and walked along it. Find it very hard having all that long sandy beach and you cannot swim. All of the beaches north of botony bay you cannot swim at cause they have jellyfish. We saw some of the jellies today at the rainforest center, the box jellies are quite big but there is another sort that is tiny and it does not hurt much when they sting you but you die a lot quicker!!! Got just outside Cairns and stopped at campsite, got sorted with a cabin and played all afternoon. They have an open air cinema on site but they are showing Tinker Bell tonight, much to the boys disgust, we are going to have a quiet night in as I forgot to buy any more mozzie spray and there are loads here and they carry dengue so will not take any chances, will shop tomorrow!

3rd March
Went into town today and changed our flights, we are no longer going to china or india but on the bright side we are going to south Africa for a month and we will be home early. After we changed our flights Robin and I picked up a tipsy jim from the bar and went for a walk in Sydney. We walked through the old town and saw where the convicts and later the immigrants came into aus. We went to see the oldest house and went to the museum and then walked over the harbor bridge. The bridge is nowhere as good as san fran bridge but it was nice that robin and jim had a race over this one. You do not have the Samaritan phones on Sydney bridge like you do on san fran bridge but you do have security guards. Jim asked the security guards how many suisides they had and they replied the weekend is worst, they work all night Fridays and sats.From the bridge we waved to a yacht which belonged to cruella de ville with spotted sails. They waved back so jim broke into song, I do not think anyone understands jims humour but I do find him funny!! After robin and jim had a race back along the bridge we walked some more along the front. Robin and Jim complained tonight their feet hurt from walking too far, I don’t know about that but their feet certainly smell!!

4th March
Out for brekkie and onto train into center. Went to the maritime museum which was so cool we stayed for most of the day. It was interesting that it was a government paid pirate that mapped most of western aus a 100 years before james cook arrived on his endeavour. Our brains hurt afterwards so we sat and watched the world go by for a bit, admiring cockle bay. Well by the time we dawdelled past the aquariam etc and admired the tower and bridges and buildings and then caught the train back to motel where we had a meal in the pub and retired. In the museum was and exhibition of a man who sailed on a tall ship from America to Australia during his gap year when he was 19 in the 1930s, jim found it very interesting, but the history of the whole place is quite short and the only thing I found out about the aboriginis was that they do not like their pictures shown or their name written after they die, which is perhaps, why there was nothing about them in the museum. The Maoris had stuff everywhere, I do hope we find out a bit more about the aboriginis. We also found out a bit about the 10 pound poms. When jim was talking to his mum the other week, she said that ernie had come home one day he had filled all the forms in and got the 10pounds ready to go to New Zealand but June wouldn’t leave her mum so they didn’t go. How different life would have been. I am sooo glad they didn’t go or I would not have met Jim. Jims complaining about his legs again!
5March
Jim has woken up with a swollen knee! Dragged him out for breakfast and then onwards to Bondi beach! Said he didn’t have to go in swimming but robin decided he did!! Needless to say he swam but is really suffering this evening. He has to go back to airport to get the car in the morning and I am just praying that his leg is working!! We got chatting to a guy this evening, he goes out spear fishing and he said that at the moment he would not go swimming at bondi beach as it is full of sharks and you cannot see them coming up behind you. Well robin heard that and I had said to him this morning he was safe so he is a bit annoyed with me but they went over the area in helicopters at hourly intervals so we were quite safe! It was a bit disappointing after the v arious uninhabited sandy beaches of new Zealand and the spacious copa cabana but it was something I had always wanted to do, go to bondi beach and it was a lovely sunny day and the boys got sunburnt (I did tell them about sunblock but did not want to nag!) Serves em right!!!
6th March
Jim went to pick up car and we got an upgrade!!!!!! Fantastic vehicle!!!! I saw the paper whilst jim was at airport getting the beautiful car and on the front page was a picture of a shark swimming at bondi beach yesterday!! Right on the front page and clear as anything, the photo had been taken at 6pm so we had left in time, we left at 5.30 so were probably quite near the shark at some point!! Drove towards Mick and Narelles and took the wrong road so visited other places instead. Got to Mick and Narelles in the afternoon, they live in tumbi umbi, which I think is a wonderful name, and it is a lovely place to live too. It was lovely seeing Mick and Archie and their dog Aussie and then narelle came home and it was fantastic, the night just went sooo quickly, we had a bbq and a couple of bottles of wine, it was so great catching up, I think jim and mick went to bed about midnight but narelle and I chatted even longer it was great.
7th March
Woke up with headache, bigtime, felt better once I had been sick! Narelle and Mick and Archie took us out and about, went to the headland and looked out over the beaches at the Entrance, went swimming, saw some of the local area, and had a lovely day talking to mick and narelle and playing and watching Archie, who has to be the most adorable little rascal ever, he is so happy and content and very very very cute.Went into the Entrance, there was a country music festival on, but we didn’t stay long though we did see the pelicans feed and saw the sights, then we went home again and swam in the pool and chatted and chatted and Narelle made the best roast dinner in a long long time! Proper roast potatoes and lovely bit of lamb, yummy.
8th March
Jim Robin and Mick went surfing cause that is what robin wanted but when they got to the beach the red flag was up but then they took it down and said they could surf in a small area but conditions were not right though mick did pull robin out to catch a few wave, then they gave up. Robin had a brilliant time!!!!
Jim, Mick and robin went fishing, they went to river and used little nippers which were a soft shelled lobster. Mick caught a couple and robin caught one. Mick told jim to stand back and jim asked why and mick showed him the sting rays in the shallows. The stinger looks black and sticks up out of the water. They had a fantastic time. Narelle and me and archie went into town for lunch and then to the beach for a swim. Archie was soooo cute sitting in a puddle of seawater chatting to a little girl. Then caught up with the boys. In the evening we had a bbq and chatted but poor mick had to go out to work. We hadn’t realized he had to do nightwork and felt really guilty cause he had no rest all the time we had been there, taking us out and about and cooking and stuff. We chatted to narelle and then jim went to bed and it was just narelle and I again, great.
9th marchHad to say our goodbyes today. When we got up Archie wasn’t very well, even though he was still happy and not really out of sorts and narelle was going to take him to the doctors. We phoned up later in the day and found that all three of them were ill, think it’s a bug. We felt really sad to be leaving, they had been such great hosts and made sure we had a great time. We went to Newcastle and had a walk round, walked along the beach and robin found a bodyboard that he carried all the way back to the car for libs!! Walked all through the town, the baths and some of the older buildings are stunning. Then went to Hawkes Nest and a place called Jimmys Beach!! There are koalas crossing signs everywhere though I did not see any today, will look for them again tomorrow. Found a motel and Jim settled down for a nap and robin and I went bodyboarding at the beach (Not Jimmys one) and robin let me borrow libbys bodyboard!! We had a great time but when everyone else got out of the water we got out too and went back to the hotel pool which was a bit warmer than the sea. We went for a walk through hawks nest and saw loads of different birds and stuff but still no koalas. We then went back to hotel, woke jim and went to dinner. Robin could not eat he was feeling sick, I think he is coming down with mick and narelles bug.

Feb 23rd cont…
Went to see the penguins, absolutely fantastic. Went to see the yellow eyed penguins first as they come into land in the two hours before dusk. Amazing to see them waddle out of the sea and up the hill to nest for the night. Brilliant but freezing standing watching.. they were some on that hillside moulting so they do not go out to sea at all for two weeks, just stay on the nest, how they do it in the harshest of conditions I don’t know!
Then we went up the coast and paid to go to the marine sanctuary where the blue penguins come home to nest, we waited there under shelter but it was still quite cold, and they had special lights on that would not bother the penguins. I had jim moaning why had we paid to come and see more penguins! I explained these were a different type – he said they still waddled. The blue penguins are the smallest of the worlds penguins and it was amazing, they came out of the water and the first ones looked out for the ones that came after and they waddled over to their chicks who were waiting for food. Well all the chicks looked the same and how they sorted each other out, god only knows!! They were really cute though, at one point a fur seal started barking at them as they were going up the slope, well they moved so quickly, straight back into the sea, it was funny. As we left the watching sanctuary we were driving along the road and we spotted loads more. Jim was quick to point out that we could have viewed them for free, but they are hard to see properly without the lights and if we had been viewing on our own the car on! Went to try to get food after viewing penguins but nothing open as everything shuts early here and it was 10pm!! Made Jim very happy, he had a pie from the garage and Mr Grumpy went to bed!!!
Feb 24th
Ducks in the car park this morning, bathing in a lake, well it looked like a lake but it was really the car park! Tried to do a bit of fishing early but river running very fast and very high and murky with all the rain so gave up and went to find somewhere to stay the night. Top 10 again but in Timaru, went fishing again. No luck as the rivers are running too fast but jim very happy trying.
Feb 25th
Went fishing all day at the dam and jim caught a salmon, great, but we finished so late could not cook, could not get into any restaurants or pubs so we bought some stuff at the garage and went back to cabin to play. Fishing again tomorrow too.
Feb 26th
Drove to Ashburton and went into a proper motel, it was lovely, luxurious as we have been in cabins for a while now and I cannot tell you how lovely it is to have your own toilet and bathroom and not have to run across the campsite bursting and looking like god knows what, with all the people that get up early saying good morning so cheerfully. I do not really want to be cheerful at 7am in the morning I want to go loo and back to the warm bed but after trekking across campsite I do not feel like a lie in, just want to go, which upsets the boys. Well the motel was fantastic I cooked the salmon for dinner and jim behaved like a baby getting a bone stuck in his throat, we said it was the salmon getting his own back! Took him about an hour of sticking his fingers down his throat and making me and robin feel sick before he got the bone, what a baby, why could he not just eat some bread like a normal person. Any apart from that we had a lovely evening in, watched”flushed away” on the sky channel and chatted and were warm. It was still raining outside!
Quick update on the person who murdered his wife in waiau when we were passing through. He had been living rough but was found yesterday and appeared in court charged with murder today. Had meant to keep the newspaper but left it somewhere.
Feb 27th
Fishing again, we had arrived in waikia hoping to fish the river but there was a big competition going on with 700 competitors so jim was a bit disappointed as everywhere we went there were other people, but he did try and we went to some very obscure places drove the car through some very deep puddles and walked a long way through prickly bushes, however, luck was not with him and we caught a big fat zero. Quite late in the day we made our way to Christchurch and settled down for the evening.
Feb 28th
Roamed around Christchurch, went to Oxford and Cambridge, watched them punting down the river, walked into a dance festival and danced our way out. Watched street entertainers, admired the tram all decorated with flowers, had the most enormous Sunday lunch ever and walked along the river after seeing the cathedral and churches and other old buildings. Jim nearly climbed into a derelict house as it had so much potential. Are now getting excited about going to Oz tomorrow.
March 1st
Travelling all day, took car back, going down a few bins on the way trying to find a tube to keep jims fishing rod safe! He was gutted as we finally had to pay for one but then glad he did when the bloke in front had to put his through instead of carrying it on! Think he could of sold his tube for double then, but he wanted his fishing rod safe! Flight good, found somewhere to stay and got cab to the Marco Polo in Summer Hill.
Phoned Narelle and chatted, we are going to catch up later in week. Then Jim went out to explore and hunt and gather as robin was hungry. Apparently we are staying in the area which is most like Dagenham! Never mind the train goes everywhere and cannot wait to get started on Sydney!
Feb 2nd
Up and out, caught our first train, must say the man selling tickets at Summer Hill train station was not at all bothered about keeping people waiting and while we were on the train (only 10mins) it was lovely to see people rushing and late for work and very busy, made us appreciate how lucky we are not working! We went to try and sort out a tour of china, which is proving very difficulty and also to see if we could change our ticket to South Africa, we were sent here there and everywhere but see loads of Sydney on the way and got our bearings, well we have to go finalise tomorrow as we did not finish by 5pm! Went for a stroll through the gardens of government house and then went to see the Sydney Opera House, well we didn’t get there until 6pm and they were having a show starting at 7pm so Jim asked if we would like to see Midsummer Nights Dream if we could get tickets. Well I always thought I would be dressed up and clean and having maybe a champagne dinner or picnic before I went to the Opera House but it was the last night of Midsummer Nights Dream so I went and asked if they had a dress code. No!, they don’t!!! Well we had been running about all day and I had left the deodorant in nz so I know I was smelly and scruffy and in flip flops but I went to the Opera! It is a lovely building but cause we hadn’t fed robin we bought a very posh sandwich with no crusts! And went out onto the balcony to await the start of the show. A boat in the harbor P and O Aurora was just setting sail, we could hear the band and everyone was waving flags and making loads of noise on board, so we waved back and made loads of noise too (we are quite good at that) (I think maybe this morning when I turn on the news I will hear they have introduced a dress code at the opera house to stop the riff raff!!
It was fantastic, even Jim really enjoyed it. However, robin gobsmacked us, I had thought he would be a bit board but in the interval he was explaining the story to Jim and got really into depth about the characters and had understood all of Shakesphere words (of which I had a few questions) he had also remembered and understood all the opera and there was one woman that I couldn’t understand. Am soo please we took him, maybe he will fit in at posh school!!!! I also think we may have to concede that Robin does want to be an actor and will probably always want to be an actor. Was late when we finished so we had mc donalds and back to summer hill on train. My photos of the Sydney Bridge do not do it justice at night it is absolutely spectacular and the area around the opera house and bridge is very like canary wharf.The trains here deserve a mention too, not only are they very clean, they are double deckers, We were in shorts, tees and flip flops yesterday, much warmer than New Zealand, did not realise we liked the sun soo much. (less washing too!!)