Forster Tuncurry

Monday 11 April - Well it rained really heavy all night and a bit of the morning so we went for a drive around Tuncurry just having a look around and the rest of the day was just reading or sewing and chilling out again. Tomorrow is our last day in Tuncurry so I imagine if it is fine it will be the beach again and just filling up the car with petrol for our trip up near Coffs for two days before heading into Wooli.

Sunday 10 April - We went to the markets in Forster this morning which was OK and then we headed off to the beach again which was lovely. So another relaxing day.
We got back to camp and this couple with three kids have camped just about on top of us, they have a caravan with an annexe and then put up this large outdoor pegola that leans right against our van where they and all their friends hang out all day yapping on the top of their lungs and just being pests. They even brought their washing machine that they have set up at the back of their van.

Saturday 9 April - It turned out to be a lovely day, John went off on his charter (charter boat, what charter boat?) sorry couldn't help it. I did the washing and cleaning up and headed down the beach. Just after I got there a group of locals turned up and introduced themselves and before you knew it I was one of the elite group, by the end of the morning I knew who was who and all the gossip and I also managed to get a little sunburnt as I couldn't get a way from them.
Once I could break away I headed back to camp as John was to ring when he got back for me to pick him up. Well I went to pick him up and he came over to the car and said that he had just dropped the biggest @##%ing fish that he had ever seen (so I guess he was a little unhappy, don't you think?) He just about had it in the boat a 50 kilo cobia and they couldn't get it in the boat in time, so they lost it, the skipper who has been running the charter boats for years reckons it was the biggest cobia that he had ever seen, oh well, the only consolation is that they managed to catch a lot of other fish so he didn't come home empty handed, we just need to keep it frozen somehow.

Friday 8 April - Yeah! it is a lovely fine day, so off for a swim this morning, John as usual got talking to a guy in the water and came out looking a dried up prune after at least an hour of talking or waffling. So it was home for lunch and back for a fish, but no luck there so off for another swim after John finished a long conversation with a guy as we were packing up our fishing gear. With John in toe there is no such thing as a quick hello and move on it turns into a marathon conversation.
Fingers crossed for the sea to be calm tomorrow and an abundance of fish in the ocean as John is booked on a deep sea charter tomorrow. I hope he has a great time.


Thursday 7 April - Weather wasn't the greatest so we went sight seeing today, we headed south down to Seal Rocks, we passed through Pebbly Beach, Bennetts Head, Smith Lake, Boomerang Beach and stopped at a lovely little craft cottage and had lunch in Green Point. Even though the weather was terrible we really got a suprise on how lovely the beaches are, the water was so crystal clear and just absolutely lovely looking spots.

Monday to Wednesday 4-6 April - Just chilling at Tuncurry, we have had a bit of rain and when it clears up we head down for swim. We have managed to go fishing, John caught a lovely estuary cod that he had to throw back as they are a protected species, what a bugger. John has had a crook hip since South Australia so we finally got it looked at now that we are in the one spot for a while. He had a cortisone injection after x-rays etc, so fingers crossed it helps out.

Sunday 3 April - We couldn't believe it we woke up to a lovely warm morning. So after John washed the car we headed down the beach and had a couple of swims before lunch, the water was so clear and not that cold. The little enclosed beach is so pretty with nice white sand. We went back to camp which is a short walk through the park to the beach and had lunch. We headed in to town to get the usual bread and milk etc and I managed to get a hair cut that was badly needed, I asked for a trim but came out considerably a lot shorter.
Tonight we walked over to the local bowls club for the meat raffle, (we had no luck) John thoroughly enjoyed his "Tooheys Old" schooners though, funny that. We put a couple of dollars in the pokies after dinner and then walked back to camp.

Saturday 2 April - Another long trip but yeah we made it we are in Tuncurry which so far looks like a pretty spot, we had a quick drive to familiarise ourselves with what is what today and tomorrow, weather permitting we will peruse it much better. We are camped right next to the ocean and there is a man made rock wall that is on both sides to give you a very protected little beach very much like "Little D-/bar" at home at the entrance to the lake. Fingers crossed for some fine weather.

Gulgong

Friday 1 April - Wow what a long day, lots of really bad roads cutting across to Gulgong, we got there around 3pm and left the car on the van as we had an early start the next day for another 500klm.
We camped at the Gulgong showground for $12 which was a real bargain as most caravan parks are twice as much as that and more. We had hot showers and power included in that, so we just chilled as we had nearly another 500 klm to go tomorrow.
I know Michelle had been here on a school excursion when she was in 5th class, you will notice Gulgong on the $10 note.
When we left the next morning we were absolutely blown away by the beautiful old town. We have seen a lot of towns on our trip and a lot of them old but this was unbelievable, as we drove through the old town it was like being in an old movie, the streets were really skinny you could just imagine the horse and carts going through the township. So pretty we will have to come back some time to take photos. Apparently the museum is really good also.

Griffith

Thursday 31 March - We organised to go on a trip around Catalia Fruit Farm so before we got there we went out to McWilliams Wines and I managed to taste test a few nice wines and purchased a couple.
Then it was up town for a quick bite to eat before going to the fruit farm, we arrived at the farm and there ended up being 18 of us waiting to do the tour. The owners turned up,first Joe the husband handed us all a large bunch of grapes to eat and the wife Sharon was such a hard case, she was telling jokes and was very informative about how to propogate the various citrus fruits and plants in general. So off we went nice and cosy in her little mini bus with old scolloped fringe all around the top of the windows, very italian. She drove us around the orchards explaining everything and then we watch a dvd all about the farm, it was great.
When we got back we had taste testing of all the goods that Sharon makes, some of which were jams, relishes, sauces, honey, wines, mustards etc etc.
Then we headed back to town to fill up with that "cheap" fuel from the day before, we drove up and down the street and couldn't find the petrol station, there was a petrol station with no name on it and no bowsers and we thought "NO" that can't be it there is nothing left they couldn't demolish it in less than 24 hours, but guess what they had. As they say he who hesitates losers. So early night tonight as we have nearly 500 klms to go tomorrow.

Wednesday 30 March - Arrived at Griffith, set up the van and drove around town checking it out. The main street was so long it seemed to go forever. On the way up with noticed a United service station with diesel fuel 10cents cheaper than any of the others. I suggested we fill the car up and John said we will do it tomorrow.