So much to see, I am already losing track

Here we are in Lane Cove National Park, just outside Sydney.  We arrived in the region yesterday and spent a part of the afternoon on Bondi Beach.  I couldn’t come this far and not see this Australian icon.  Very nice!  Great waves, soft sand, cute shops on the street in front of it.  We would have stopped for a beer overlooking the beach, but we still had some driving to do, so we settled on a child’s ice cream cone from Macca’s. We are spending way too much time in there…

On the way to Sydney, we stopped the day before in a quaint town called Mollymook.  It was a great beach, crescent shaped, where we put our camp chairs down to read a little.  But the lure of walking on the beach and checking out what people are fishing for was too strong, so we walked over to the rocky shelf where Leon found a squid hiding in the cracks.  I have to tell you that the sand on the beaches squeaks here.  Leon says it barks.  The locals say all beaches are noisy.  That’s the first time I’ve ever heard the beach.

We camped in the nearby fishing town of Ulladulla where I made the best shore dinner – grilled prawns, some sort of white fish with yellow fins and some pasta with Parma Rosa sauce.  Not bad at all…  there wasn’t a camp kitchen nearby to socialize in, so we had a quiet dinner for 2.  The next morning, we found some lovely Rosella birds pecking away on our picnic table.  They are colourful green parrot-like birds with blue heads and red chests. We also saw a tree full of cockatoos in the area.  It’s nice to see so many birds when we are camping.  Over here, at the park, we have also seen a daring possum.  He keeps darting here and there, obviously with a purpose.

Yesterday, on the way here, we stopped in a town called Kiama, right on the ocean.  It is famous for its blow hole.  As we drove into town, Leon noticed the school back onto the beach where surfers were practicing.  I am wondering if I can arrange an exchange here next time.  It’s school holiday in this state as well and surfing school seems to be the equivalent of our ski school for spring break.  What a neat way to keep your kids in shape.  Those kids on Bondi beach must be exhausted when they get home each night after a day of surf lessons.  Oh, and the water is getting warmer as we are heading North, thank goodness.  It’s closer to what the Atlantic is like in the summer with the Gulf Stream.  However, the beach sand is not boiling this time of year.  I haven’t got the nerve to go for a swim yet.

Dinner last night was cooked at the bbq where we met a lovely couple – he originally from Brazil, she from NZ.  We enjoyed chatting with them as we ate at the camp kitchen.  Another lovely end to a busy day.  The sun is finally shining and it’s warm enough to stay in shorts during the day.

As usual, I will upload the pics later.  It’s time to head off to Sydney for a day tour and perhaps even a nice dinner at Harbour Front.