Blog - Page 6 of 7 - The Land Down Under

Funeral

Whilst the last few were viewing the coffin and the country was preparing for the big funeral , we had a bit more time . So Anita went off on the train shopping in Northern Sydney with Ella and I enjoyed the lovely weather ( before the rains come ) by doing 3 walks!

Where did he come from ?

The day started with an unwelcome visitor , then two guests , two warning lights and a sunset beach walk to finish

After topping up the Buddha garden fountain and starting the morning exercise regime , I noticed a leech on my leg ! I could feel his teeth , so he never stood a chance . Bled for a while afterwards

Recovering from the blood loss we went to get Ella and Charlie on the walk in ferry from Palm Bay to Ettalong , then off for a brunch nearby

After dropping them back and Anita on a zoom meeting went on a ball chucking evening beach walk . Could have shown you a local Pelican, but Max saw it off !

And Max enjoyed the sunset , on the lookout for returning Pelicans

The serious frown , as I am off to check on the 2 red lights on the dashboard, could cause a few problems

Some very strange going’s on in the ferry “ terminal “ toilets – scantily clad ladies… Max and I escaped in the car warning lights flashing into the night

Brisbane Waters NP

Late afternoon hike into the National Park . No dogs allowed and nobody else there

Big hike down to a waterfall, often with Aussie waterfalls, lot of effort & not a great deal to write home about

Back to the beach

Max loved it after a lazy , ball- less Thursday

He was up to his old tricks of dropping the ball back into the sea . Pearl ok beach has a steep drop off with , large on shore waves and a almost rip like drag

Despite valiant attempts to keep Max from chasing the ball into the sea he ended up body surfing back on top of a great wave . Not sure he enjoyed it as he stayed clear of the sea from then on

A wet day in NSW

Rain , rain rain in Kariong. Anita found a Sydney Harbour jigsaw . Not everyone was up for it

Between showers explored Kariong and found there was a “dog field “ and pond . But forgot his ball

New pad in Kariong

In the new house in Kariong. A big friendly Groodle called Max ( Maximoo) , Tiger Boy the always hungry cat and two turtles little and large ( not their real names)

Kariong seems a small town just off the M1 highway north of Sydney on the central coast . Bit of a boring town , but surrounded by National Park ( no dogs ) and 15-20 mins to the coast , beaches etc

Early afternoon exercises , next to the pool , under a watchful eye

Beautiful hard sand , perfect for dog walking and ball chucking

He has a slightly annoying habit of taking the ball out to sea and dropping it

Out as quickly as possible, dangerous critters in there

Sandy poos much easier to pick up , Anita is the best

Lifeguard station shut so no point going in to take on the sharks

Paying respect

Today we decided to go over to Sydney and say good buy to HRH or as she is s as Lao known ( according to JFR ) big chief Sheila

Bit choppy on the Manly to Circular Quay ferry

Evening trip to Newport on the bus for a pub quiz at the local real ale bar , with Joss , a bloke called Alan from Rawdon and Mike from Halifax , plus a local Sheila . Came joint second by a point ! lost on Aussie speed skaters and Russell Crowe books

Back to Manly

Left the dogs in Newcastle, bless them , to head back for two nights . Stopped off for house instructions in the next sit which is on the way to Ella’s, an hour North in a place called Kariong. Looks good

Whilst Ella and Anita were having a mother daughter chat I went for an explore of the area . Freshwater bay , just north of Manly beach

Curl Curl beach – good waves and loads of surfers

Back home then out to the Manly 16ft Skiff Sailing club for steak night , $ 14 steak and chips , $ 13 for a pint of beer

Sunday

Quiet sunny Sunday , last full day In Newcastle before back for a couple of days in Sydney

As usual an early start , but with a difference. For a change we did a bit of pre dog walk yoga

Spent a moment or two , but couldn’t find any

And more

Off to the dolphin centre of NSW ( not Poole ) , famous for dolphins, not hoodlums harassing the bus station

Where the boats sail out dolphin chasing. Today most of the trips were booked by Indians and 2 coach loads of AFLW in fairly skimpy outfits or medical protection suits ( full white ppg ) . Vomit protection I guess as the bay was choppy and they were very merry

Leaving Anita in a cafe in Shoal Bay , I set off on a hike to Fingal Bay . Just as more bus loads of partying Aussie women were arriving

After a mega dune , arrived at Fingal bay

Where due to the wonders of WhatsApp location found Anita with her book

More beaches

Set off today for a Sunday brunch at a beach , of course . Birubi beach at Anna Bay , part of the Worimi National Park and conservation area

Traditional for Anita , curried chick pea and sweet potato and egg for me

Bit blowy so sheltering was the sensible option

Otherwise you were pebble dashed with sand from the largest shifting sand dunes in the Southern Hemisphere

Sadly the Philippino “ Sons of the Desert’ Society got here before us and the queue was too long .

Beaches

Today and yesterday were a day of beaches . When your near the coast in Australia that’s what you get . So your going to see a few photos of them with Anita in

Yesterday afternoon after a half day of rain and mourning for the Queen and Aussie TV blanket coverage we had a trip to a beach and met a turkey on the way

I told her it was a short walk . It wasn’t , but she was so pleased when we finally arrived, she happily took up the vanguard snake clearing role

A very sad day

Today there will be no blog out of respect for the passing of our wonderful Queen , Elizabeth 2nd . We both shed a tear

Anita asked a very good question. Relating to furniture. As the last age was the Elizabethan one eg our sofa is an Elizabethan sofa ( from Next ) . If we had bought it in King Charles ‘ s reign , what would we call it after he dies ?

It’s raining

Bathers way coastal walk

Today we are not going to mention the pre 6 am dog waking alarm or any other dog stories

So on a bright and breezy day , the week so far defying predictions of daily rain , we did a 12k walk – the Bathers way . Starting at Nobby’s beach surf club

Beaches , surf clubs , beach lidos ( swimming pools ) at a nice pace with multiple stops – bit of improvement work on the way

The ‘Bogey Hole ‘ , a semi natural swimming pool , battered by waves , not an average par 4 for me

Last shot of Anita for today – a nice house !

Hunter Valley

After another pre 6am doggy breakfast request , today’s plan was a Hunter Valley tour

After a coffee in Cessnock , the ( very avoidable) largest town and gateway to the valley we stopped at the first nice looking vineyard

A toss , with a double headed virtual coin and Anita volunteered to drive . Sipping and no spitting out of course

Beautiful vineyard and lovely wine . One other tasting couple so had the sommelier to ourselves – pretty much . Bit of an anti-vaxxer

Two vineyards further on , the sommelier’s recommendation of restaurant, we had lunch at Ben Ean

Back down the road and up the hill , next stop Ivanhoe vineyard.

The owner was a great fan of the Sir Walter Scott book

Our lovely and very knowledgeable Sri Lankan sommelier took us through another delicious range of wines and from our balcony pointed to where each grape was grown . We returned the favour by introducing her to Vivino

19 wines tasted today , all scored 4 or more.One wine scored 4.8 , but that was for members only

2 great vineyards , pretty close to each other with beautiful views and scenery and a warm sunny weather

Bush walk

Our two little “ fur babies “ are lovely but very early risers . Anita feeds them and I walk them . They are now in the bedroom ( bathroom & kitchen ) with us & do after an early start and with Anita working on line submitting tenders I did an early bush walk

The Yeularbah trail in Glenrock Conservation area

Mostly Gum forest and very noisy high pitched birds

After lunch set of into the Newcastle Wetlands. But they were too wet and not enough dry land . Even my old walking partner Andrew L wouldn’t have tried to get past the water hazards

Fortunately no Crocs and not too many bugs , just a few coots

Kookaburra and a low flying Osprey ( sorry no shots Andrew , but didn’t need a boat trip & 8 eagle eyed ornithologists to spot )

A Kookaburra with no sense of humour ( he didn’t laugh )

Mangroves and Aussies Rednecks on boats – un filmed , bit risky in the swamps

Followed the for – shortened swamp trip with a visit to downtown Newcastle. The highlight being a steelworks te enactment at the Newcastle Museum. Loved by the audience, especially the nursing home day out

The evening ended with Anita’s first ever dog poo pick up . She loved it

Dog in the bed

Neon and widget are lovely dogs , but night times are tricky. Anita tried to take them on and lost . By the middle of the night she had little Widget asleep next to her on the pillow – with me hiding from the grandfather clock in another room . Plan B will commence tonight

Dodging showers past Nobby’s . Never made it to the end

Fort Scratchley , the only place on mainland Australia to fire at the japs . They missed

Our mate Dave Price says he put the roof on it in the 90’s . No one here had heard of him & they were all pretty old

They all sailed home without a scratch in 1942 dear

I took no photos in Woolies shopping on my own whilst Anita prepared to teach in Redcar

First Housesit

So sitting , watching Louis Theroux in our new house , the first house sit . Just finished an hour long zoom to a 60+ beach volley ball master and author for a sit in Melbourne, in February, near the beach and Royal Melbourne golf club . More like an interview than we have ever had , no sit arranged at the end ! I think we failed , first ever

Pre party Moët . Heather the selfie queen

Best man , dug deep for Charlie dirt after being gentle first time – couldn’t find any

New smart Aussie outfit , first and likely last turnout

Said goodbye to Matt and Heather the day after Ella and Charlie’s wedding and the wind battered Airbnb on the hill

Our first pooches – Nero and Widger – waiting for “ mum and dad “ to come home – 2 Spoodles with a long wait ahead

Widger contemplating an early bed – go on mate we ain’t sleeping in that one

Typical ‘ show ‘ room , lot of shop window displays scattered around the house

But a nice view and a pool we won’t be swimming in

Wedding No2

Big day for Ella & Charlie – Aussie wedding

The wind and rain blew in off the Tasmin , but eventually the rain settled and we set off with Matt and Heather to Ku-ring gai chase national park . For the thickos the bit at the top of the northern beaches

Big night 2 for Charlie & Ella at the Bilgola surf club

Windy in Bilgola

Up in the far Northern Beaches in preparation for Ella & Charlie Aussie wedding. Blowing a Hoolie here .

Right on the side of the hill here on the way up to the plateau . Matt and Heather staying with us for 2 nights before the wedding

Ella and Charlie treated us to a trip to their local “ club “ . The RSL Ex Serviceman family club at Avalon beach , but anyone can go

Spent the morning at the Mall emptying the bank account as the wedding has been upgraded from Aussie casual ( thongs and beach shirt ) to Aussie smart ( jacket , shirt and blundstone boots ) -comparative pictures tomorrow when it’s safe to stand on our decking