We survived our drive, white knuckles, grey hairs, big wide eyes, a few ooos and ahhhs, a few quick drawn-in breaths, shoulders up under our ears, but we're here now.
I took the first drive heading out of Clarence Town (after our bakery 'stock up' - mmm yummy finger buns). I love when you see in these special little places 'Bob's Seat of Knowledge' (made out of a log of tallow wood) out front of the pub ...
I said to my co-driver turned navigator, get the camera ready, I need to record the patch on patch on patch roads around here. But of course, the road towards Newcastle improved (not greatly, but not worth photographing). I really need that 'eye photography' working - you know, see it and photograph what I see (and how I see it). Before we knew it, we were on the Newcastle Expressway to Sydney.
I haven't mentioned our latest audio book we're listening to 'Ice Station'. Well, I must say, it might be a good book, just not in this situation - an all out war in an ice station with killer whales lurking - mmm the book was tense, the driving was tense, the occupants were tense. Fortunately, we had control of the on/off switch.
We were surprised at the lack of rest areas - rest area signage would be helpful too. Maybe we missed that.. but we did have our eyes wide open. Smoko time and driver changeover were fast approaching. Then a sign loomed, so we thought that has to be it. I took the exit and couldn't understand what we were driving into, my brain was trying to process the road, the area, where we should be going and as I checked my rear-view mirror and saw it filled with a truck, I thought ... SHIIITT!! make a decision. Everything happens so quickly sometimes, I rounded the round-a-bout and into a petrol station. I thought the truck wouldn't turn at the round-a-bout and I was right, he went straight on. Beauty. But still, we didn't know where we were and; where's our rest area / smoko stop dammit! Obviously the caffeine level was dropping. Ivor took his turn at the wheel, back across the round-a-bout and into a bushy narrow road, pulling up where we could and that was it, our smoko stop. Turns out, we were in Morriset. Yeah, well, now we know and you too, not much more than when we turned off. But, we should have waited, just 15 minutes down the road was the more familiar rest area / service area signage and facilities we were expecting to see, Petrol, KFC, Maccas, SPACE .. you name it, everything you need for your (more relaxed) break. Ahh well.
Ivor, back at the wheel (for his real time), took us into Sydney. It is rather a spectactular drive through some of the 'cut outs', you have to acknowledge the job of a road planner.
Anyway, as I'm the navigator, I'd better concentrate. I was looking for the pattern, you know, like a knitting / crochet pattern, just give me the instructions to get us through. Except, there are none. You have to look hard at the map and work a way through, enough so that you can give confident instructions to your driver, especially when he says 'this doesn't look right'. What!? 'I don't care if it doesn't look right, turn here, NOW!' Some people have a navman for this job.
On the other side (of Sydney), Ivor has been driving more than his allocated time (at more than his allocated stress) and we need a lunch spot. Same problem. Where are the ... signs? Ahh, here it is, a lookout and information area. mmm nice view over Woolongong
but the cafe is closed :(
and yet again, not too far down the track, is everything we wanted; If only we knew.
First impressions of the caravan park in Nowra was, mmm, maybe it's alright, but a walk around changed our minds. As we want to be in the area for a week or so, we need a place to feel good and this wasn't it. The next option was to move out of Nowra, to Shoalhaven Heads (just 15 mins drive away). Tall Timbers has an interesting feel about it (maybe curious is a better description), but each of the van parks in this area is the same ... side by side, by side vans.
vans that don't go anywhere
this is the view from our little corner
but then the neighbours moved in
but just for one night!
They like polka music .. thankfully asked us 'is our music too loud?'
How would you answer ..??
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