Hello Again!

Well it's been two weeks and there's so much to tell. So we thought we'd get started straight off and then hopefully we might just keep you up to speed......

So, where to start???? Well, we are both fine. Managing well with the campervan. It's ok to drive, eats petrol which we didn't figure, but now we know!! Sleeping is fine, we are so tired from all the fresh air we've been getting! Anyway, we have stayed in a variety of sites, from fully equipped Butlins style, to middle of a field in the bush with kangaroos, possums, echidnas and a pit toilet for company. All good. Without power we can still use everything apart from the microwave, which we've never used anyway. Had some little problems in the first few days...... being: Failure (of the hire company) to mention the 2nd safety valve on the gas tank, filling it up because it was empty (when it comes full!!!) and the full water tank (35L) running out after a day (when it comes full!!!). Hmmmmm, thanks guys! Oh and the -3 degrees on the first night in the Blue Mountains! Still, five sleeping bags, a ruby murray and a beanie just about did the trick!

You'll be pleased to know the weather is now getting warmer. Around 22 degrees at last count. The shorts and flip flops have made guest appearances!

So it's taken us 2000kms and twelve days to get from Sydney to Coffs Harbour (normally 5 hours drive we think) where we are now. But it's all good because we've been in and out of hicksville, to the beach and to the bush and it's been great so far. We haven't got lost because we haven't really got a plan! Not unless you count three trips over the harbour bridge to get out of Sydney. The first time was great "what a way to leave Sydney, in a campervan over the Harbour Bridge" we cried. Funny that! Not so funny the third time!

The places we have stopped so far are: Palm Beach (saw them filming Home and Away for those that are interested) Oberon in the Blue Mountains, Mudgee, Gulgong (Western style town in the outback, they did stare at the foreign campervan!!!) Hunter Valley, Newcastle (which is pretty ming) Port Stephens (which is absolutely beautiful) Great Lakes National Parks (again beautiful, unfortunately one lake was a little eggy!), Port Macquarie, Armidale, Dorrigo, Bellingen (where the annual jazz festival was in full swing so it wasn't so bad that we had omitted the showers for a couple of days, talk about hippiesville!) and now Coffs Harbour. We have mainly done lots of walks in the National Parks, been over some massive sand dunes, seen loads of wildlife which we always like! Dingoes, wild Koalas, black cockatoos, Brush turkeys (which gave us a fright), possums, echidna and only 10 mosquitoe bites so far. 9 for Kate, clearly, ladies are sweeter!!!!! Oh and got up close and personal with a python and three of the four most venomous snakes in the world [at a fete, ahem!]. Been to a Koala Hospital, eaten ice cream with mars bars, fudge, peanut m&ms, chocolate buttons and hundreds and thousands in for lunch (!), been wine tasting, drank champagne out of plastic mugs and read about four books each. Really it's just the high life!


So in a word, we're having a ball. The conversation is a little on the none-existant side! But when we're two of the four population in these towns there's not much call for making friends especially when two are brother/sister/husband/wife combo!!! What do you say?! Not a lot! You'll be glad you're not here cos you'd all get an earfull of gobbledegook!

Enough said.

Have fun people

Love

Kate and Rich xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx