On Tour With Jack Vintage
Sydney
We headed out of Canberra and over the Jamberro Pass (another twisting white knuckle ride...Pic from viewing point below) back to the coast and then north to Sydney.
Kiama
Kiama is a pretty seaside town about 120 south of Sydney. After being 'tourists' in Canberra for 4 days we decided to chill here for 2 more days before heading north. Below is a view from the other end of the beach of the park we stayed in.
The famous 'blowhole' and bennett family on the rocks!
After gatting fed up with toasting via the Bear Grylls knofe method we decided to lash out $10 on a Coleman 4 slice toaster which sits over the burner. It turns out that it is as much us as the proverble 'tits on a bull'. At the time of writing we are exploring other uses for said item before recycling it to the bin... (well we are in a green camper van_
We drove up a short path to a vieiwing point (pic below) . We were about to leave when a local guy stopped us in the car park and asked us to walk 100 metres to view the next estuary on the other side for 'the best view in the world' (next pic) make youe own mind up?
Karen swimming in the sea pool at Kiama (not).
Surely Thomas Twinning wouldn't approve of this Australian Afternoon Tea? Well Jack looks impressed anyway.
After Kiama we drove the 50km up the coast to Coledale and camped by the beach. It doesn;t get any better. Well apart from the RSL club we went to on the night for cheap booze. It was like walking on to the set of 'Deliverance' for you film buffs out there.
Andrew's older son Drew met us at Coledale and we drove the short drive to Sydney on the grand Pacific Drive over the Seacliff bridge., In our opinion parts are as stunnig as the Great Ocean Road. We stopped off at Audley for a spot of fishing on the way. Still no fish!!!!
Now you might be thinking that we sold out and stayed in a real bed in Drew's house in South Sydney. Wrong.........we stayed in the van on the driveway like bogan's (pikeys). The house is valued at 1.3m, neighbours seemed impressed in the morning when we had our brew up.
After a couple of weeks on the road we had forgot what busy is. so when we arrived in the centre of Sydney on a Sunday and crossed the Harbour bridge it was a bit of a shock. Theres a 6 minute video of us travlling across the bridge if youre interested but the highlight is getting 'beeped' at the end for being in the wrong lane and our subsequent expletives.
1st pic below is what the indigenous people of Australia would have been looking out too when Captain James Cook (who Andrew keeps reminding us comes from Middlesbrough) 'discovered' the country in 1770 via Botany Bay. Those on the tour (Andrew and Jack) who are British Passport Holders were overcome (Jacks Pic) by the experience, but still too tight to pay the $7 entry fee to the Natioanal Park. So we quickly drove through and stopped off for an illegal snap or two.
We spent 4 days in Sydney staying at Lane Cove in the North West.
Rare wild turkey at the caravan park (not really there's hundreds of them.
We had a rest day after being in Tourist central and took a walk bu the river. Andrew spotted a turtle in the water (no picture and not verified by Karen or Jack). The lizard we ran into was though. Jack not too convinced to turn his back on it for a photo op.
Over the last couple of weeks travelling it has become apparent that we have brought too much stuff (mostly Jack's) with us. We invested in an awning / tent to give us more space. Pics are of the 1st nights use. Ironically about an hour after the pics were took we had to fight with it to stow away as the wind was at hurricane strentgh (well it felt like it). Jack just managed a bit of glamping with the TV.
A tale of two cities. Andrew looking like he's spent the night with Keith Richards at Miami Ink (albeit drinking tea).
Same night Karen looks like she's been to a spa!
On the Tourist Trail..............
Taronga Zoo. Andrew is not a great advocat of Zoo's, 'they should be in the wild'. Ironically after seeing caged and captive animals all day we stepped outside and saw a fairy penguin swimming in Sydney Harbour as free as a bird (well they are).
Breakfast (pancakes with chocolate sauce) at Cronulla Beach to celebrate Mothers Day.
And finally the famous Manly Beach...........Jack having a great time in the playground.
Unfortunately not the perfect ending.....Those nice police from NSW pulled Andrew over for an illegal u turn and kindly gave him a fine of $242 and 2 points on the licience.
Not to be down hearted we headed back to the site for our dinner. Aussies eat beef sausages but we decided to lift spirits by treating ourselves to pork ones. We do love a good PIG............
After our time in Sydney we head inland to the Blue Mountains (and the cooler weather) for more adventure.
See you there.