{"id":365,"date":"2010-08-08T14:25:10","date_gmt":"2010-08-08T06:25:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mayl.id.au\/?page_id=365"},"modified":"2017-08-16T01:29:07","modified_gmt":"2017-08-15T17:29:07","slug":"sydney-pg-2","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/?page_id=365","title":{"rendered":"Sydney Pg 2 (Wiseman’s Ferry to Nambucca)"},"content":{"rendered":"

We now had to drive a huge loop because of a river(? lake?) blocking what would have been a direct route and it had added about 15 kms to our journey.\u00a0 Fine on roads made for a big campervan or fine when you have plenty of time, but we had neither.\u00a0 We had determined to enjoy the countryside anyway because the time could not be helped.\u00a0 Eventually the road began to widen a bit and at last we hit another road crossing ours.\u00a0 As I\u2019ve said, the map we were using was not a touring map and it was a holiday full of u-turns and this was yet another.\u00a0 We were so excited to see a more major looking road that we\u2019d taken it without really understanding the road signs. \u00a0And they had been vague believe me!\u00a0 I guess it’s always the same with road signs – if you’re familiar with the territory (and therefore don’t honestly need them!) you understand them very well, but if you’re new to the area and in desperate need of them they usually don’t reference the place you’re actually heading to!\u00a0 We very quickly felt uncomfortable with our choice and went back again to the smaller road and only a very short distance further on was the<\/span> highway, the one we wanted, and we now quickly made distance toward Pam\u2019s house.\u00a0 Pam\u2019s Dad had posted us a lovely detailed map of the journey from the highway and we turned off with confidence for once that we were on the right road.\u00a0 There was a huge<\/span> shopping centre on the right hand side of the road in Tuggerah which I\u2019ve been asked for often.\u00a0 Every time I saw a \u2018familiar\u2019 sight like this I just loved it and got all excited at finally seeing what it looked like.\u00a0 We continued down this road with countless roundabouts and soon got to Bateau Bay with only one more u-turn because we passed the turn off for Pam\u2019s street.\u00a0 As I saw the road sign saying Premier Way I got all teary eyed because we were truly there, at what had just been an address to me for the last number of years and, perhaps, because of the difficulty we’d had getting there at all.\u00a0 We easily found the house number and parked the huge<\/p>\n

\"Pam,

Pam, Otis & May<\/p><\/div>\n

lumbering van, and Pam and dear little Otis were out to greet us before we could even get out.\u00a0 It was so exciting.\u00a0 It was 1:30pm so I guess for the length of journey we\u2019d just completed it wasn\u2019t too bad.<\/p>\n

Pam introduced us to her parents who we had never met before even though I\u2019d known Pam well when she lived in Perth 16 years ago.\u00a0 She and Otis showed us around their lovely home and Pam and her Mum prepared a wonderful afternoon tea for us and we talked and talked.\u00a0 Otis was really wonderful and loving and sat on my lap a lot and gave me my doggy love dose that I\u2019d been missing, having left our own 2 at home.\u00a0 We walked to the little local shopping centre and had a quick look at that before going back and Pam and her Mum began preparing an early dinner for us so that we could eat and be on our way before it got too dark to allow us to travel.\u00a0 The meal was an absolute feast with the tastiest marinated chicken fillets and roast vegetables with gravy, bread rolls, and followed with apple pie and ice cream.\u00a0 Weren\u2019t we totally spoiled?\u00a0 We all continued to talk nineteen to the dozen and got on so well together it was a real shame that we could not stay longer.\u00a0 I was really impressed with how well they got on with one another as a family; there was a really warm and loving atmosphere in their home and a spirit of laughter and joy.\u00a0 But it was time for us to move on our way and after lots of hugs and waves we were on our way once more.<\/p>\n

Yes we took a wrong turn again \u2013 2 in fact – before we got onto the road that we\u2019d wanted along the coast.\u00a0 You\u2019re allowed to laugh, we did!\u00a0 As we passed Tuggerah shops once more David asked if I wanted to have a look around it, but we wanted to get some more miles done and I wasn\u2019t in a shopping mood even though we needed some groceries, so we carried on up the coast road.\u00a0 We did not want to go to Newcastle and as it was starting to get a bit darker we decided to stop at Swansea for the night and then worry about finding the Newcastle-skirting journey in the morning.\u00a0 The caravan park office was shut and David (\u201cBless \u2018im\u201d said through gritted teeth) chose which of the 2 available buttons you were supposed to push to get someone\u2019s attention.\u00a0 A sign said \u2018push button for after hours attendant\u2019 and another said \u2018push bell only in emergencies\u2019.\u00a0 Well there were 2 buttons and no bell.\u00a0 After no answer to the one he\u2019d chosen he pressed it again, and again, and a 4th<\/sup> time.\u00a0 I was getting a bit cheesed by then and he finally pushed the other and out popped a lady really quickly.\u00a0 He told her he hadn\u2019t known which to push and had pushed 1 of them 4 times and was it the right one.\u00a0 She didn\u2019t look all that friendly and said \u201cObviously not!\u201d\u00a0 But she was OK in the end and gave us a site for the night and the facilities were very nice.<\/p>\n

Fri 27th<\/sup> We woke when we woke.\u00a0 No alarms this time \ud83d\ude42 and had a wander around the campsite and the river which flowed down one side of the park.\u00a0 The grass was sodden and full of puddles from all the recent rains but we were not bothered in the least.\u00a0 When we were ready we set off once more to see what there was to see.\u00a0 We drove straight through Belmont without stopping but then got to Charlestown.\u00a0 We were still in need of groceries, and diesel too by now and suddenly when we got to Charlestown the words Charlestown Square popped into my head.\u00a0 Big shopping centre.\u00a0 Eyes light up and I ask David if we can stop.\u00a0 Well parking the van is another story because most undercroft parking is 2.1 metres clearance and our van was 2.9 so we circled the shopping centre twice and had to settle on parking in the bowling club across the road, hoping they wouldn\u2019t mind.\u00a0 We didn’t have a lot of choice!\u00a0 LOVED Charlestown Square.\u00a0 It was 3 floors I think, and each of those pretty big.\u00a0 We stopped for coffee and cake in a nice caf\u00e9 and the cakes were so prettily displayed<\/p>\n

\"Charlestown

Charlestown Square Cakes<\/p><\/div>\n

on the square white plates that I took a photo.\u00a0 David said he was embarrassed to be with me.\u00a0 Again?\u00a0 We also popped into Coles and got some groceries and were then horrified at the time and made our way back to the van.\u00a0 Got some fuel and set off again.<\/p>\n

The terrain was now very much \u2018town living\u2019 with each town running into the next to a large degree, but the roads were still hilly compared to what we\u2019re used to.\u00a0 We set out now to cover some distance and drove uneventfully through a stretch with no towns to speak of, to a little place named Karuah, with yet another large river that had a teensy parking lot and a few blades of grass next to it which people seemed to be treating as a picnic spot so we decided we\u2019d have lunch and pulled up too.\u00a0 I made some ham sandwiches and we boiled the kettle and had a cuppa to go with it and we fed the seagulls our remaining slices from the old loaf of bread.\u00a0 We had a<\/p>\n

\"Caravan

Caravan Boat<\/p><\/div>\n

bit of a giggle at this ‘boat’ nearby.<\/p>\n

David then came up with the bright idea that I drive for a while.\u00a0 He\u2019d offered once when we were still in mountainous country but it was frightening enough being in the passenger seat there was no way I\u2019d have driven.\u00a0 But now I felt that he more than deserved a break so dutifully climbed into the driving seat.\u00a0 I did a lovely kangaroo impression as we tried to proudly leave the little car park.\u00a0 It\u2019s been a long time since I\u2019ve driven a manual vehicle and this one was tricky \u2013 David had stalled it on several occasions.\u00a0 Anyway, I made sure I\u2019d stopped and used the clutch from standing a couple of times before I got onto the highway and then off we went again.\u00a0 I drove for about 100 kms all up and was horrified to be pulled over by a policeman who was parked by the side of the road at one point.\u00a0 My heart was pounding like crazy and because the indicator was on the left of the steering wheel (being a German vehicle) I put the windscreen wipers on instead of the indicator to start with as I tried to pull over.\u00a0 I\u2019ve never been pulled over before in all these years of driving.\u00a0 But all he wanted was a random breath test and the big blow helped a bit to still my nerves.\u00a0 I felt like a complete wreck as I started off again when he\u2019d done with me but it soon passed.<\/p>\n

Now, a small observation while it crosses my brain.\u00a0 We could not believe the number of signs all along the highways.\u00a0 Just about constant reminders of speed limits and signs that say things like \u2018what speed are YOU doing now?\u2019 and letting you know that \u2018speed cameras are used in NSW\u2019 and on and on.\u00a0 We\u2019ve never seen such frequently signposted roads and were amazed by it.<\/p>\n

I finished my drive with crossing a narrowish bridge.\u00a0 Help!\u00a0 I just concentrated on staying marginally inside my side of the white line, knowing that I wouldn\u2019t be hitting the side of the bridge doing that \u2013 after all, trucks use the road.\u00a0 Then a big truck came the other way and he needed to be well on the white line so I had to move to the left a bit.\u00a0 Eyes shut and David\u2019s saying \u201cYou\u2019re fine!\u201d.\u00a0 Hehehe.\u00a0 We got to Taree on the other side of the bridge and I was happy to feel that I\u2019d done my share of the driving for this trip.\u00a0 I gratefully parked it and rubbed my poor aching leg from where my foot didn\u2019t reach the floor and I\u2019d been holding it in the air the whole journey.\u00a0 We had a little walk around Taree and in their poor little old shopping centre.\u00a0 It was a sweet small town and I\u2019m glad to have seen it, but not my cup of tea.<\/p>\n

From here we got our heads down again to get some more distance because we had an appointment to meet with Pat, my long-time email friend tomorrow for lunch.\u00a0 And this time we did not want to be running so late.\u00a0 We achieved about another 100 kms to Port Macquarie.\u00a0 Yes, yes, we got lost and had to do several u-turns in Port.\u00a0 I had a teensy snippet of a map as to where the caravan park was that we were heading for here, but the map did not extend beyond about 2kms from the park itself and none of the roads on it shared the name of the road we were on from the highway so it\u2019s no wonder.\u00a0 But we got there in the end and booked in and were right next to a groyne made up of large rocks and each one had been painted by various visitors over the years.\u00a0 All perfectly legal apparently, and far better than leaving them to be graffitied in bad taste.\u00a0 There were some beautiful ones and some sad ones, and notes from people all over the world who had been and left their mark.<\/p>\n

I should say that we\u2019d been sleeping way better in the van than we had in the poor little hotel in Sydney.\u00a0 It was just a foam mattress set up on boards, as campervans are always done, but it was much more comfy.<\/p>\n

Our evening in Port Macquarie was something we\u2019ll never forget.\u00a0 Oh dear.\u00a0 I do not<\/span> want to write this part.\u00a0 There we were, sitting in a perfectly good campervan in a perfectly good caravan site, comfortable and safe and at peace, when some bright spark suggests that we go for a walk.\u00a0 I think<\/span> that bright spark was me, but let\u2019s not be too sure about these potentially painful accusations.<\/p>\n

We got out of the van and stood for a moment admiring the stars and I showed off my amazing skills by pointing out the Southern Cross constellation to David and telling him which way was north from looking at it.\u00a0 It was about 8pm and we groped our way in the dark to the beach and walked along the sand for a little while until we came to a car park and then went up the steps to the road.\u00a0 The guy that had checked us into the park had told us that the town centre was \u2018right there!\u2019 (waving his arm slightly to the right of where we now stood) so we walked straight up from the beach and down the street that was in front of us.\u00a0 No sign of anything remotely like a corner deli, never mind a town centre.\u00a0 \u2018Hmmm,\u2019 we thought, \u2018rather backwards here!\u2019\u00a0 We passed a lawn bowls club with a burly security guard standing at the gate though, so we knew that the oldies were something to be feared.<\/p>\n

Now on our right was a very tall holiday apartment block that was still in the throes of being built, and near to that was an even taller structure with a metal aerial with some large drum-looking things on it.\u00a0 A telecommunications tower I believe.\u00a0 You will see why I\u2019m telling you this in a while.<\/p>\n

At the next intersection we decided that the town centre would perhaps be slightly to the right, after all that was the direction the guy had waved so we turned right.\u00a0 This was a long, straight, and very uneventful road with just housing on it and we walked quite a distance down it still in hope of finding something of interest.\u00a0 But no, we could see the end of it now and it just veered sharply to the right so we decided we\u2019d follow it back to the campsite and maybe see the town in the morning seeing as we\u2019d had our little walk.\u00a0 Almost at the end of the street was a road to our right named the same as the one our caravan park was on but we decided to continue to the bend we could see anyway just to walk a few more steps for the exercise.\u00a0 So around the bend we went and it then kind of turned right again to complete our square.\u00a0 But there was no caravan park, no beach, no tall building and no telecom tower.\u00a0 Oh!!!\u00a0 So we kept walking thinking that it would have to turn up sooner or later, and\/or we would get back to where we\u2019d come up the steps from the beach.<\/p>\n

There was an Irish Pub on our right and a few other places each side of the street.\u00a0 Not town centre stuff, but civilisation anyway.\u00a0 Then other shops and restaurants and a petrol station, most of which were shut.\u00a0 Then we got to a bridge over a river which was a bit of a mystery because we had not gone over one thus far.\u00a0 Mrs Genius suggested that we look at the river to see which way it was flowing because it would surely be flowing towards the ocean, so we looked and it was flowing to our right.\u00a0 Well we\u2019d walked 4 sides of a square and the ocean should have been on our left so I thought maybe it was a tributary that flowed the \u2018wrong way\u2019 til it met the main river.\u00a0 (Genius one minute and fool the next!)\u00a0 We again tried to look around for the tall building, but because it was under construction there was no one home to have lights on and it was not visible at all.\u00a0 Then I looked up to find the Southern Cross but even it had got it in for us and was nowhere to be seen.\u00a0 So we carried on walking still.<\/p>\n

When we got to a garage that was open I asked David to go and ask for directions, but you know what men are, he wouldn’t, and we continued walking.\u00a0 Then there was an intersection with a huge world globe in the front of a building on one corner and I got all excited because I\u2019d seen it before, but that just turned into a fit of the giggles because I couldn\u2019t remember if I\u2019d seen it while we were walking; and if so in which direction, or whether I\u2019d seen it when we\u2019d been lost while driving.\u00a0 And if we\u2019d driven past it I couldn\u2019t remember in which direction.\u00a0 The next intersection was more residential looking and we got our hopes up that we\u2019d found where we\u2019d started from, though what it was doing this far up the road I don\u2019t know, so we turned left and walked along but it felt really wrong and we soon turned back.\u00a0 First sensible thing we\u2019d done all night actually!<\/p>\n

Discussions of ringing for a taxi ensued but we didn\u2019t know where we were to ask him to get us and rolled around with laughter over that!<\/p>\n

We\u2019d pretty well decided that we would have to walk the entire journey in reverse now even if it took all night, but soon we came upon a video rental place and My Hero decided it was time to ask for directions.\u00a0 The boy was very nice as we asked if he could tell us which direction to go to get to Town Beach, but looked horrified when David said we\u2019d gone out for a walk from the caravan park and got lost.\u00a0 He told us that we were completely on the wrong side of town and pointed directly at right angles to the road we\u2019d just been walking along.\u00a0 In other words, the exact direction that the river had been flowing.\u00a0 Oh dear!\u00a0 He began to give instructions on how to walk through town, took a second look at us and then changed it to \u201cWalk all the way to the end of this street and follow it around the bend to the left at the end and keep walking\u201d.\u00a0 Hmmm, why did I just feel that we\u2019d been given the dummies version?<\/p>\n

So we dutifully set out, and took a short cut.\u00a0 Hehehe never could do as I was told.\u00a0 But we had our bearings now and did stick to straight lines.\u00a0 And do you know what?\u00a0 We found the town centre and everything!!!\u00a0 Too tired, and by now decidedly cross legged for need of a toilet, to stop and admire it much though, but we were soon safely back at the campervan.\u00a0 Two and a half hours we\u2019d been walking.\u00a0 At least it wasn\u2019t as hilly as many places we visited, and we did sleep well.<\/p>\n

A small after-thought.\u00a0 If we had not been so busy being Scouts and looking at which way the river was flowing when we crossed the bridge the first time, we\u2019d have seen a HUGE tourist map on the other side of the road with a complete map of Port Macquarie\u2019s roads and landmarks.\u00a0 We saw it on the way back after the directions from the video store guy because we were on that side of the street the second time.\u00a0 Why am I not surprised?<\/p>\n

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Sat 28th<\/sup> and we awoke, had our toast for breakfast and another little walk around the groyne with the painted rocks and the edge of the beach.\u00a0 Now I mean<\/span> little walk; we didn\u2019t want to never be heard of again, you understand.\u00a0 Hehehe.\u00a0 Today we were to drive to Scotts Head, not very far up the road and meet with Pat and her husband Barry.\u00a0 I was so excited about finally meeting the woman of the myriad emails and the owner of the voice that would drive men mad (husky and sexy) that I had spoken with on the phone a few times.<\/p>\n

We drove for about 50 kms up the Pacific Highway, only going through a couple of very small places and felt to be now very much into rural NSW.\u00a0 When we were almost at Kempsey there was a tourist bay by the side of the road and we turned in to \u2018use the facilities\u2019 and see if the office was open, which it was.\u00a0 We enjoyed looking around their shop and picked up another couple of maps, but they were no better than the one we had \u2013 larger scale but identical in that they only had the major roads on them.\u00a0 We\u2019d been told by Pat and Pam that Kempsey wasn\u2019t worth looking at, even though the shop was showing off that it was the birth place of Slim Dusty, Country Music Singer, so we continued on our way up the highway.<\/p>\n

A little further north was a place named Clybucca which I\u2019ve been asked for at work, so we thought we\u2019d stop there for morning tea to break our journey and see what it had to offer.\u00a0 Well it seemed an awful long way, and when the road signs started counting off the distance to Macksville we realised that Clybucca must have been that BP garage with 3 houses around it that we\u2019d noticed some time ago.\u00a0 I don\u2019t even think the speed limit dropped in honour of the place, let alone a sign (in the state that loves signs) to say we were there.\u00a0 So whilst we did see Clybucca, we didn\u2019t know we were looking at it at the time.<\/p>\n

We were now looking out for our turning to Stuarts Point.\u00a0 It was a small road off the right of the highway which led to the 3 places, Stuarts Point, Grassy Head and Scotts Head before leading back to the highway again.\u00a0 If you will forgive an afterthought from way back, the countryside here was much like the Bathurst area of the Blue Mountains, green like we\u2019ve never seen in WA with thick undergrowth of ferns and green climbing leafy things growing up tree trunks as well as the dense population of trees.\u00a0 Even down south of WA it is pretty green, and the trees are thicker and perhaps taller than these NSW ones, but nothing much in the lines of undergrowth \u2013 you could always walk easily around bushes and make your way through it on foot; here you\u2019d need your best wellies and a scythe at the least.\u00a0 It was really beautiful country and as for the whole journey to date I didn\u2019t want to take my eyes off the road for fear of missing the view.\u00a0 I was still giving my mobile more attention than it\u2019s ever had though, watching the town names change as we travelled and getting excited as each new name that I recognised popped up.\u00a0 During some of the hills and dales on this stretch of back-road my reception cut out all together.\u00a0 It\u2019s a small, rural place where retirees and holiday-makers make up most of the population so there\u2019s no reason for there to be city quality coverage.<\/p>\n

We came to a choice of turning left or going straight ahead where there were some houses, which we presumed to be Stuarts Point and decided on straight ahead to have our morning tea and a little look while we were here.\u00a0 It was a sweet little place with the most beautiful<\/p>\n

\"Stuarts

Stuarts Point<\/p><\/div>\n

view.\u00a0 We weren\u2019t sure if we were looking at a river, or an inlet of the ocean, because we knew all three places were on the coast but the water strip was narrow with a green hill the other side.\u00a0 It was so picturesque and the water was so clear that we just stood there for a while taking it in.\u00a0 There was a caravan park there, a real estate agency, butcher, bottle shop (got to have alcohol!), garage (for want of a label for the 2 petrol pumps on the side of the road, and a deli\/caf\u00e9\/general store.\u00a0 We went into the caf\u00e9 and David asked if they did \u2018real coffee\u2019 or just instant.\u00a0 I wanted to be swallowed up \u2013 how rude!\u00a0 But he was right, they did not do real coffee.\u00a0 We decided on a cold drink from the fridge and a chocy bar each. Why oh why did I pick up the only peppermint aero they had?\u00a0 Once we\u2019d paid and sat down and I turned it over to open it I could see that the wrapper had been \u2018oily\u2019, though it was dry now.\u00a0 Sure enough the chocolate was really badly heat affected \u2013 all white dots.\u00a0 Sometimes it doesn\u2019t affect the taste but this one sure did, it was horrible.\u00a0 Half of the chocolate experience is the smoothness isn\u2019t it girls?\u00a0 This was just \u2018bobbly\u2019 tasting.\u00a0 Yuk.\u00a0 I only ate half of it.\u00a0 I suppose I should have taken it in and asked for something different but you just don\u2019t.\u00a0 Never mind.<\/p>\n

We then set out once more to get set up in our caravan park so that we could ring Pat to meet us by noon for our lunch.\u00a0\u00a0 She had asked that we ring her from the top of the hill (hmmm \u2013 plenty of those around anywhere in NSW) and she would meet us at the caravan park.\u00a0 We drove quite a way down the road that we\u2019d had a choice of before seeing Stuarts Point.\u00a0 More beautiful, hilly, woody scenery all along the narrow road and quite a few bends in the road, then a T-junction and it was left back to the highway or right to Scotts.\u00a0 Not far down here we climbed a steep hill and we could see where an amount of land had been cleared on our left for housing plus a few houses beyond that.\u00a0 I realised that this was probably the hill Pat had meant to ring her from as it was way different (massive) than any of the other little things.\u00a0 Well as we got to the brow of the hill and peeped over, the most incredible sight was spread out below us.\u00a0 There was Scotts Head, with all its houses on lots of other hillsides, and the ocean and bays with green hills and sandy beaches spread out in front of us, better than any picture postcard.\u00a0 I\u2019m a mass of goosebumps as I recall the incredible beauty that had so suddenly appeared.\u00a0 Just awesome \u2013 words can not describe.\u00a0 We had both stopped in our tracks and David slowed the van to a crawl as there was no other traffic.\u00a0 As we got over the hill he pulled to the side of the road and I rang Pat to tell her where we were and she said she\u2019d come and meet us at the park, so we found it easily (yes we did, aren\u2019t we clever?) and booked in and parked the beast.<\/p>\n

\"Campervan

Campervan taken on top of Mount Panorama<\/p><\/div>\n

I was hopping from one foot to the other as David was trying to be domesticated and plug in the site electric to the van and all sorts of stuff that could wait.\u00a0 All I wanted to do was get to the gate to meet Pat!!!\u00a0 He eventually took the hint and grabbed the camera and locked up and off we went.\u00a0 Now Pat is not a one to have sent me millions of photos so that I would recognise her, so I was a little hesitant, hoping that I would know her when I saw her, but there were no problems.\u00a0 She was just coming out of the little office after asking which bay we were parked in, so it was hugs and mega excitement all around while<\/p>\n

\"Pat

Pat (right) & May<\/p><\/div>\n

David was videoing it all, and then Pat told him what to do with his camera so that he could get a hug too.\u00a0 Talking nineteen to the dozen doesn\u2019t come close to us two and David was hard pushed to get any words in edgeways for a change.\u00a0 Pat drove us all around Scotts Head, up all the hills to see the amazing views, down to the little river, and to show us where her friends lived before we popped back to her house to pick up Barry who had not been quite ready when we rang.<\/p>\n

We were introduced to Barry and he drove now as we set off for our lunch, which was a mystery tour for David and I.\u00a0 It was wonderful sitting in the back being entertained and talking, talking, talking as we watched the scenery go past.\u00a0 We went by the \u2018new to us\u2019 road to the highway and headed north, so all new territory for us to look at.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t feel that we were heading north because unknown to us we had gone under the highway on the little country road and approached it from the west so when we turned left onto it we both thought we were heading south.\u00a0 We knew we weren\u2019t because the signs were counting down to Macksville, so yet again it was completely disorienting.\u00a0 I had no difficulty at all with having the ocean on our right to head north, which is apparently the problem most Aussies have when they change coasts, but the east\/west thing was<\/span> a problem.\u00a0 Every time someone said \u2018inland\u2019, well to me that\u2019s east, and there was no shifting that in my head!\u00a0 Weird isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n

As we drove along, Barry was telling us about the speed cameras on the highways and that there were a lot of them and we swore that we hadn\u2019t seen any.\u00a0 \u201cOh I bet you have!\u201d he said \u201cI\u2019ll show you when we get to the next one.\u201d\u00a0 Here came one of the huge and familiar signs on the side of the road that said \u2018Speed cameras are used in NSW\u2019.\u00a0 Yeah, big deal, they are used in WA too.\u00a0 But what we didn\u2019t realise was that this one, unlike our signs, actually meant it.\u00a0 A little further was another sign with similar wording, then on the other side of the road the back of the sign for oncoming traffic and there, next to it WAS a camera.\u00a0 We had not had the faintest clue that the cameras over there are fixed in place.\u00a0 In WA they are set up for a short length of time while the chap sits in his van reading a book and then he moves it somewhere else, yet the (very few) signs are there all the time and never mean that there\u2019s really a camera nearby.\u00a0 How amazing.\u00a0 We\u2019d potentially been zapped countless times as we travelled.\u00a0 What a sobering thought!\u00a0 In the distance that I\u2019d done I know that the van got to about 5 k\u2019s over the limit a couple of times as I was going down a hill.\u00a0 You live and learn don\u2019t you?<\/p>\n

Soon enough we got to Macksville.\u00a0 In my job I\u2019d been asked for this place regularly, and in the early days had terrible trouble finding it because it sounds so much like it ought to be spelled Maxville!!!\u00a0 But I now knew the place well and it was wonderful to be seeing it for real.\u00a0 The people that ring and ask for it are usually older sounding gentlemen asking for fishing tackle shops or ladies asking for \u2018frock shops\u2019 (a term that always makes me smile because it\u2019s so old fashioned and cute), so I wasn\u2019t looking around me for the punk clothing stores and body piercing studios!\u00a0 It was a very pretty town \u2013 nothing to Scotts, but it had its own country charm and I liked it.\u00a0 We stopped at the RSL Club (never been in one of those before) and had a leisurely drink and, you guessed it, talked lots.\u00a0 Hehehe.\u00a0 We sat near the window on what had been ground level on the hill outside where we\u2019d parked but here was about 3rd<\/sup> floor height.\u00a0 Well what an incredible view!\u00a0 We were looking over a large expanse of river with little green islands in the middle and all the waterbirds doing their peaceful, timeless thing.\u00a0 It was so relaxing.\u00a0 An absolute world class view.\u00a0 To say nothing of the company of friends, old (long-standing might be better?) and new.<\/p>\n

Then Barry said that we should be moving on to where they\u2019d planned for lunch as they stop serving at 2pm.\u00a0 Just as well he knew that, so we hopped back in the car, which was quite hot despite the reflective shield they\u2019d put over the windscreen and drove a short but very pretty and very hilly, winding journey to Nambucca Heads.\u00a0 I can\u2019t remember the name of the place we lunched at I\u2019m afraid but we sat again near a window and were overlooking the estuary of yet another wide river.\u00a0 NSW is absolutely riddled with wide rivers!\u00a0 It was a really nice \u2018open\u2019 view, though we were too busy talking and eating to put it to its full use.\u00a0 We all chose the fish and chips, and glad we did it was delicious, and had a little drinky poo.\u00a0 What do the rich and famous have that we did not share on that day?\u00a0 Absolutely nothing!<\/p>\n

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We now had to drive a huge loop because of a river(? lake?) blocking what would have been a direct route and it had added about 15 kms to our journey.\u00a0 Fine on roads made for a big campervan or … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":110,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-365","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/365","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=365"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/365\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3809,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/365\/revisions\/3809"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/110"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mayl.id.au\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=365"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}