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We left home at 10:07am, stopped for fuel and then headed for Coffs.
Once we got past Coolangatta, the traffic was light. As we approached Ballina, I suggested a coffee stop, so off we went and just on the outskirts, we came to a halt, as there were roadworks and a monstrous bank up of cars, so we did a U turn and managed to take a wrong turn and asked a local for directions. Eventually, we got back onto the Pacific Hwy and stopped at "The Big Banana" for lunch.
Arrived at the Aquajet Motel at 2:11pm.
The motel room was very good.
Dinner was Subway Foot long. They were YUMMA.
Tomorrow, we head for Newcastle.
Our route from Home to Coffs Harbour, NSW - 331 kms.
Typical traffic.
Crossing the Clarence river, Harwood.
Banana Split at The Big Banana.
We left AquaJet Motel at 8:50am, stopped for Brekky at Maccas (9:19am - 2 sausage and egg McMuffins and a Coke later, we left) heading for Newcastle.
Once out of Coffs, the traffic was light and flowing.
Marg was a bit slack today, she didn't take any photos, I did. We stopped on the way for a coffee and some sangas.
We arrived at Reign Inn Motel, Newcastle at 2:37pm.
The room was nice with a Queen bed. Dinner was sangas. Very YUMMA.
Tomorrow, we head for Ted and Karen's Apartment in North Sydney.
Our route from Coffs to Newcastle, NSW - 383 kms.
Brekky at Maccas Coffs.
At Reign Inn Motel with all our friends.
We left Reign Inn at 9:06am, stopped for Brekky at Maccas (9:20am - 2 sausage and egg McMuffins and a Coke later, we left) heading for Ted and Karens.
As we had time on our side, we couldn't meet up with them until after 2pm, we drove along 'Beach Road' through the Central Coast to Avoca Beach.
As we were driving, we spotted the Norah Head Lighthouse turnoff, off we went. Naturally, the Lighthouse stood out like a beacon... hahaha... We parked and noticed a souvenir shop, we walked over hoping to buy a coffee. Nope. But we did buy 2 miniature lighthouses. Chris the volounteer said as we spent $30, he would ring the 2 volunteers that give tours of the Lighthouse and said they would give us a personal tour without climbing the steps to the top. It lasted 40 minutes and was bloody great.
After leaving the Lighthouse, we continued along 'Beach Road' to Avoca Beach, where we bought pies and sat in the mighty Navara at the beach carpark, eating them.
We headed back to the M1 motorway and drove to Ted's daughters' home and stayed and chatted for awhile, before heading to Ted's apartment, on the 30th floor in North Sydney. I took photos.
For dinner Ted drove us to the Kirribilli Club, which had magic views of the Bridge. Also the meals were very YUMMA.
Back at Teds, we slept on the pullout couch/bed. It was surprisingly comfortable, even for my size.
Tomorrow Ted and Karen are taking us to Manly and the Opera House, we were going to catch a train and the Manly Ferry.
Our route from Newcastle to Teds (North Sydney) - 194 kms.
Marg at Norah Head Lighthouse.
Me at Norah Head Lighthouse.
Norah Head Lighthouse views.
Norah Head Lighthouse views.
Norah Head Lighthouse views.
Marg at the Lighthouse.
Inside the Lighthouse.
Inside the Lighthouse.
Inside the Lighthouse.
Inside the Lighthouse.
A beautiful view.
Holiday House.
TV Channel 9 Head Office.
Night View - TV Channel 9 Head Office.
Looking South West.
Marg... Don't fall.
Looking South West.
Looking North West.
From the Club balcony.
View from our Dinner table.
The Bridge looks magnificent all lit up at night.
After a good night's sleep, I was up just after 7am, while Marg kept sleeping. Eventually, the 4 of us were up and off to Manly.
Originally, we planned to catch a train from North Sydney to the Opera House then the Manly ferry to Manly and then back to Circular Quay and back home, BUT the weather was suss, so Ted drove us.
Heading to Manly, we drove past the Middle Harbour YC, I competed in the Aussie titles there, WAY BACK in 1972 and 1978. We arrived at Manly and parked 2 cars from the Manly Mall, walked towards the beach and stopped and had coffees at Starbucks.
After a nice coffee and a short walk along the beach area, Ted then drove us to the Opera House.
The carpark under the Opera House is just unbelieveable, it just winds down and around the Opera House in a monstrous circle. If you drove fast, you would get giddy.
We walked around the outside paths of the Opera House, it is absolutely stunning, a hell of a lot better in person. I took a few photos and the views were stunning.
We were back at Ted and Karens just after 4pm. Dinner was pizza, I thought it was being delivered but we actually went to a pizza place. The pizza was bloody YUMMA but the highlight of the evening was when the Asian waitress served us and Ted spoke to her in Thai. That actually floored her, Ted speaks a couple of languages and the waitress was 'all over us' from that moment onwards.
Back home and a quiet night.
Tomorrow, we leave Ted and Karens and head to Gundagai for the night.
Where are we??
At Manly... or did you already guess that.
Opera House.
Marg and Karen.
Marg.
Karen, Ted & Marg.
Circular Quay.
Marg.
Heading back to Ted and Karen.
Final view before we left.
We left Ted and Karens at 9:30am, crossed the Bridge at 9:32am, and didn't stop until 11:25am for a coffee, as we had brekky at Ted and Karens before we left.
At 11:58am, we diverted into Goulburn and stopped at Bryants Pie shop, where we bought some very YUMMA pies and drove to the nearby park and ate them. After a very pleasant lunch in the park, we continued on. Stopping at the 'Dog on the Tuckerbox' at 2:15pm. I bought a stubby holder.
We arrived at the Gundagai Motor Inn at 2:28pm. The motel was quite nice.
Dinner was sangas. Very YUMMA.
Tomorrow, we head for Euroa, Vic.
Our route from Ted and Karens to Gundagai, NSW - 377 kms.
Guess where Marg is...
Goodbye Sydney.
Goodbye Sydney.
Lunch at a Goulburn park.
We left Gundagai Motor Inn at 9:47am, and didn't stop until 11:46am at Albury, where we bought pies for lunch and sangas for dinner.
The traffic flowed and we arrived at Euroa Motor Inn at 2:21pm. The motel was quite nice.
Dinner was sangas. Very YUMMA.
Tomorrow, we head to Dads.
Our route from Gundagai to Euroa, Vic - 336 kms.
My photographer must have been BORED.
Nice feet.. though...
Euroa Motor Inn.
We left Euroa Motor Inn at 8:47am, and didn't stop until 11:04am at the Black Rock Yacht Club, where I had been a member from 1960s to 1980s. I took a couple of photos, the Cerebus is not looking flash. We eventually arrived at Dads at 11:14am.
It was a very emotional time, when Dad and I met in person.
Our route from Euroa to Dads - 190 kms.
1st time Dad and I have cuddled since Oct 2019.
Great views of Melbourne.
Great views of Melbourne.
Black Rock YC.
It has been nearly 3 years since we had physically cuddled each other (thanks CoVid).
We had caught up with friends and also contacted the owners of our 'old' Scarlet St House and organised a tour. It has changed heaps and looks beautiful. (I will be creating a webpage of our house showing the house as we left it and the house as it is now. The owners have modernised it.)
We caught up with DC and Janet. Stickman did a surprise drop in, after he saw Dad walk past his place.
Visited Southland and Thrift Park shopping centres, our old haunts.
Saw the Mentone train station (my old station) renovations, I did not like it at all. There are now 4 set of traffic lights within 200 meters and the scheduling is shit, you manage to catch the 4 of them.
Dad and I dropped into the Black Rock Yacht Club on Saturday for Race 1 of the Icycle Series, but due to blowing like buggery, it appears that the race would be cancelled and no one was there that we knew.
Leeann (sister) dropped in, which was excellent. I hadn't seen her since June 2017.
Tomorrow, we head to Marg's brother Paul in Essendon. (Marg is one of 11).
Marg, Dad, Me and Carol having coffee at Southland.
Dad, Leeann and Me.
Dad and I at the Black Rock YC.
We were members for many, many years.
It was great to catch up with them again. The weather is a tad suss..... COLD.... BLOODY COLD...
Saturday: drove out to Aunty Maria (Mum's only sister) at Gisborne and had coffee and chatted for over 90minutes with Maria, Kylie (Maria's eldest daughter) and Marg and I. It was great catching up again, we hadn't seen them since July 2017.
On the way back to Essendon, Brian (one of Marg's younger brothers) and Helen (Brian's wife) rang Marg and spoke for nearly the whole trip back to Frans.
At Niddrie, we stopped at one of Marg's younger sisters' Fran and were lucky enough to catch up with Jeff (Fran's husband) and their 3 kids. Jeff and his 2 sons were off to Gippsland to drive a tank (Jeff's birthday present).
Sunday: We have Marg's family lunch at Paul and JJs.
It was great to catch up with Therese, Fran, Jimmy and Pete. I can't remember the last time that I had chatted to Pete (it was many years ago). Jimmy rode there on his new E-Bike, it was a very nice bike.
Lunch was absolutely YUMMA, Paul did most of the cooking. Stunning.
Tomorrow, we head homewards.
Family Get Together Lunch
Therese, Fran, Marg, Jimmy, JJ, Paul, me and Pete.
Family lunch.
Paul and Marg.
This is the address where Dad was born way back in 1930.
I assume that this building wasn't there in 1930.
We left Paul and Jennys at 9:35am, and headed to Mike and Elly's home in Moama, NSW. We hadn't seen them in many years.
Stopped at 9:58am at the Calder Park Service centre at Maccas for Brekky (2 x sausage and egg McMuffins later, we left).
We arrived at Mike and Ellys at 1:42pm.
It was great catching up with them. During the arvo, Mike and I rode their E-Trike around their compound. What a blast, riding the E-Trike.
Dinner was a barbie, cooked by Mike. It was very YUMMA.
Tomorrow, we head for West Wyalong, NSW.
Our route from Paul and Jennys to Moama, NSW. - 237kms.
Calder Park Maccas.
On Elly's E-Trike.
We left Mike and Ellys at 9:29am, and headed to the Ardeanal Motel, West Wyalong. At 11:16am, we stopped at the Jerilderie bakery and bought pies and sangas, for lunch and dinner. there is definitely a routine forming. At 12:41pm, we stopped at the main park in Narrandera and ate our pies for lunch. They were YUMMA. At 2:28pm, we filled up the mighty Navara, ready for the next stage of our road trip.
We arrived at the Ardeanal Motel at 2:44pm.
Dinner was sangas. They were YUMMA.
Tomorrow, we head for Coonabarabarn,NSW.
Our route from Mike and Ellys to West Wyalong, NSW. - 406kms.
A Beautiful view.
A typical day.
Bugger all traffic.
Lunch at a Narrandera Park.
Marg relaxing at Ardeanal Motel.
We left the Ardeanal Motel at 8:13am and headed to the Azalea Motel, Coonabarabran. At 9:30am, we stopped at Forbes Maccas for Brekky (2 x sausage and egg McMuffins later, we left). As we had plenty of time to waste, we thought that another visit to Parkes Dish was in order. Our only other visit to the Dish was 4th May 2008. At 11:48am, we were out the front of Leighton and Pauline's Peak Hill Caravan Park (I think that they have sold it), I took a photo as we had stayed there on 14 occasions. At 1:23pm, we stopped at the Gilgandra Bakery and bought pies and sangas for lunch and dinner.
We arrived at the Azalea Motel at 2:49pm.
Dinner was sangas. They were YUMMA.
Tomorrow, we head for Goondiwindi, Qld.
Our route from West Wyalong to Coonabarabarn, NSW. - 425kms.
Another Beautiful view.
Shock, horror... Maccas for Brekky.
Flooding near Forbes.
Flooding near Forbes.
Wearing Uggies must be a fashion trend.
The DISH.
Marg relaxing at the Azalea Motel.
We left the Azalea Motel at 8:10am and headed to the Goondiwindi Motel. At 9:34am, we stopped at Narrabri Maccas for Brekky (2 x sausage and egg McMuffins later, we left). At 11:29am, we stopped at the Moree Bakery for pies for dinner. At 1:35pm, we refuelled at BP Goondiwindi Service Centre and stopped for a coffee and sangas for lunch.
We arrived at the Goondiwindi Motel at 2:28pm.
Dinner was pies. They were YUMMA.
Tomorrow, we head HOME. Yippee....
Our route from Coonabarabarn to Goondiwindi, Qld. - 355kms.
Narrabri Maccas for Brekky.
Lunch at the big BP Service Centre, Goondiwindi.
Goondiwindi Motel.
Marg relaxing at the Goondiwindi Motel.
Our unit.
We left the Goondiwindi Motel at 6:54am and headed directly to HOME (don't pass GO, don't collect $200). At 9:34am, we stopped at Warwick Maccas for Brekky (2 x sausage and egg McMuffins later, we left). At 10:36am, we stopped at road works for 17minutes 18seconds - BLOODY LONG TIME.
It is absolutely magic going on our Road Trips
The rest of the drive was roadworks free.
We arrived HOME - ALL SAFE AND SOUND at 12:23pm.
By late afternoon, the mighty Navara had been unpacked and many loads of washing had started.
Tomorrow, we relax.
BUT it is also absolutely magic to be back in your own bed....
Our route from Goondiwindi to HOME. - 403kms.
Warwick Maccas for Brekky.
Along Logan Motorway.
Nearly Home
Our highrise in the background.
After unpacking, I visited my local Coffee shop.
All my friends had given me the arse.
Welcome Home.
The weather is a tad damp.
I waited for a day of sunshine, so I could get the mighty Navara washed. It has been raining everyday since we returned home last Friday. This morning I took the mighty Navara to Espresso Car Wash in Harbourtown. It was hand washed and the boys did a great job. It took an hour and I sat in their Cafe and read my iPad and had a coffee.
Cost was washing-$40 and coffee-$5 for $45 in total.
I was more than happy with their price.
The mighty Navara.
Still in good shape for a 15yo.
Taken at Jay's place.
Attacking the Mighty Navara.
