I've just checked to see if this blog is still alive. Since this is about travels we'd better put things up to date. In February when the weather was hot we hooked up the caravan again and drove north on the NSW coast and stayed at Scots Head for 2 weeks. Meeting with relatives for some of that time. We've stayed here a few times, and it's a great place at the caravan park to be close to the sea, in a nice park with shade. There is some lovely green hinterland to see as well. We went one day to the Bellingen market to view some of the things offered there for sale. There is some great fresh produce, and at stalls in the area near Scots Head. Very nice bananas. Lovely days to have an early morning swim, then breakfast and morning tea, read, do a sudoku, swim, lunch, sleep, swim or walk along the beach, have dinner in van, or at a restaurant, talk, fall asleep.
At Easter school holidays we travelled to North Narrabeen (about 1/2 hour drive!!) to the caravan park and took the 3 grand children to enjoy the experience of caravan camping, and later were joined by their mum and dad and a small tent as well. It's good to be close to home so that we can do some family shuffling around. The beach is not too far away to walk and there is the lagoon close by as well, also a large ocean pool to swim in as well. We're thinking of doing that again in January - will have to get to book in very soon.
There was also another visit to Hong Kong in early June. Another place we enjoy visiting since we've had daughter no 2 living there for 11 years. She was finishing up, so one of our purposes was to bring some things home! We enjoy the busyness, development, transport of HK, and have had lots of visits over the years. Maybe we won't be going there as frequently now.
In September we tried our first 'cruise'. A nine day one in and out of Sydney to New Caledonia, which included 2 days at sea each way and 4 stops, one in port at Noumea and the others at anchor and tranporting us to shore by tender (life boat). This was an enjoyable experience. There is lots to do on board, including plenty of food to eat and activities and entertainment to participate in.
There was also a short visit to Wiseman's Ferry to stay a couple of nights with the purpose of meeting with people who worked in Manila Philippines at the organisation that we were involved with in the 1980's. Great to catch up with people after so long, in a lovely setting, which is also only about an hour away from home by car, on the Hawkesbury river.
For 6 days in October we joined a tour with friends to the central west area of NSW. One night in Canowindra with the purpose of taking a hot air balloon flight. Since the opportunity was offered we decided to do it! We had a wonderful calm, cold early morning to have this experience, so we certainly enjoyed it, even though a little nervous to start. We stopped for lunch, morning tea, afternoon tea as we travelled, sometimes at lovely old country villages, or towns. A ride on the zig zag railway in the Blue Mountains was the first event. The remainder of time was spent in Bathurst, but with trips out to Orange area for a field day, to Hill End to the historic gold mining area, some visits to old dwellings in Bathurst and to a great dinner at Abercrombie House. A lot was packed into 6 days.
What will be next? There are a few things in the planning, but we must get to and decide when to book a few days at North Narrabeen in January (2012), if there are any spaces left! One day soon was may add some photos.
