Bumper & Tin Tin Tripping

Julai - September 2020
A trip up the east coast of Australia from Melbourne to Coffs Harbour.
Then to Daryl’s in Sandy Beach.
Then Woolgoolga Lakeside Caravan Park....
Possibly further north.
Baca lagi
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  • Hari 17

    We have arrived!!!!

    27 Julai 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    All that ringing around from home...
    All the recommendations from Daryl and Martine ...
    This is a spectacular caravan park.

    And we are in!
    And settled.
    Takes 10 minutes to set up.
    Mainly unpacking what had to be secured to drive...
    Winding the awning out ...
    And positioning the table and chairs.
    So, so, so easy.

    We are both on the one site so, a little crowded.
    But wait till they move out next door.
    We will have so much room, if it wasn’t for Covid, we’d be holding a rave party.

    Emily had work and a meeting this morning so left Sandy Beach about 11.30am.
    On site at 11.40am.
    My kind of trip.

    Then a quick “Hurrah. We did it. We are here.”
    And back to Sandy Beach for the Postie bike.

    I went in Tin Tin, our runabout now, to the supermarket and back to get supplies for a few days.
    My fridge is still operating as a freezer until we eat all the food in there.
    Running off the second battery at the moment.
    May keep it as a freezer or may be easier to each have our own fridge.
    Not sure yet.

    Emily finished work about 3pm.
    Walked the beach and sandbanks on the lake.
    Beautiful day.
    Though all the rain has caused lots of mud to be flowing through the lake out to sea.
    Will settle soon, I imagine.

    We forgot to bring the shanks out of the fridge.
    That was dinner tonight.
    Daryl is refusing to part with them....
    ( “Shanks? What shanks?”)
    So roast chicken and salad instead.
    Watched some TV with Emily in Bumper, Line of Duty.
    Then onto my bed to write this.

    I am sleeping in Tin Tin after all.
    Seems to be OK.
    Total blackout curtains ... I don’t think anyone knows I am in here.
    We originally were going to both sleep in Bumper as we have only booked one site.
    But this works better.

    We also ran an extension lead from Bumper to Tin Tin so I can turn on my heater if needed.
    So basically powering 2 vans.
    Stealing electricity probably.
    ( Continuing the theme of the trip really.)

    Have a look at the photos.
    Baca lagi

  • Hari 17

    Woopi ... more photos

    27 Julai 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    We have had a lovely, lovely day.

    Emily went One Wheeling on the grass by the lake.
    These cabins look beautiful and have an amazing view over the water.

    This area is just across the road from our sites.

    Katrina, one teaspoon is from O’Reilly’s Tree Top walk, I think.
    Daryl did that with Dad.
    And the other is a prize Dad won for a tennis competition.
    Lovely memories with both.

    Goodnight from Stage 3 of this adventure.
    We are here .... and we are set up.

    Xxxxx
    Baca lagi

  • Hari 18

    Quiet day

    28 Julai 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    A couple of lovely walks on the beach.
    Then Emily grabbed me for some ‘Island hopping’ in the lake.
    The tide was coming in and we waded from sandbank to sandbank in ankle deep water.
    Marvelled at the flow of the water and the colours.
    Most spectacular blue, turquoise and aqua.
    The water is crystal clear again.
    Then headed back.
    The ‘Islands’ were fast disappearing under the incoming tide....
    Fun and really barely knee deep.

    Deep enough for Lacey though.
    She made a couple of wrong steps and was suddenly swimming.
    Not a swimmer our Lacey.
    She was most determined to stay on one island sandbank, which would not have remained an island for much longer.

    No convincing her though.
    ( Well, she probably would have been convinced when the water came up to her chin.)
    I didn’t wait that long.
    I carried her.
    Yes.
    I know.
    I’m a woos.

    Saw people exercising in the park....
    Turns out it is Tai Chi ..... each Tuesday.
    Looks like fun.
    We had a great quiet day.

    Xxx

    Oh...
    PS Daryl came to visit and bought the shanks with him.
    Baca lagi

  • Hari 19

    Extra photos.

    29 Julai 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C

    Promise I won’t mention shanks again.
    Well probably till we have them next time.
    That girl can cook.

    ( I can hear that chorus of “Just as well....” from here, by the way.)

  • Hari 19

    Beautiful day ...

    29 Julai 2020, Australia ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Had a lovely day today.
    Emily went walking early before she started work.
    Lacey and I headed off a bit later about 8am.
    Brilliant sunshine.
    About 21 degrees.
    The tide was out so wandered the sandbars in the middle of the lake.

    I walked into Woopi along the beach.
    Perhaps a kilometre....
    Woopi is the same distance along the beach from our camp as the walk along the beach into Cowes from the caravan down there.
    Talked to lots of walkers along the way.
    Went to Crazy Sams.... just needed a couple of things and the supermarket is too far away to walk to.
    Really enjoyed the walk.
    Will do that a lot.

    Pulled the deck out on Tin Tin and read on Kindle.
    Lacey curls up next to me and we wave to everyone who comes past.
    We are on the main entrance/exit road into the caravan park.
    Everyone looks and waves.
    Lots of people stop to chat.
    One lady asked if she could have my job when I retire.
    Found that quite funny.

    A young couple walked past and really liked the idea of the deck.
    They had driven past in a bright green Volkswagen camper yesterday and gave me the ‘thumbs up’.
    I thought they were surfers.
    We chatted.
    Turns out they are on a working holiday around Oz, and are from Germany.
    Matt and his girlfriend Jess.
    They are working here picking blueberries.
    They get paid $7 a bucket load.
    Worked 6 hours today and picked 10 buckets.
    I think that was between them.
    Not a lot of money.

    They loved Emily’s bus and are here for 2 months I think.
    We arranged to have them over for dinner.
    Will be lovely for Emily to have young company here.
    Emily is also heading into Coffs on a Friday for a group that meet once a week, hoping to meet people as well.

    We had shanks for dinner!!!!

    Lots of walks and playing in the water.
    Along the bush road into the park, Daryl pointed out all the bats hanging upside down in the trees.
    Well tonight we saw them all leave and fly towards the sea ...
    There were hundreds.
    And they did not make a sound.
    It was fascinating to watch.
    I took a photo but unfortunately didn’t think quick enough and only got a few in the shot, the tail end of the group.
    Love the photo though.

    That’s it for today.
    I write this each night laying in bed.
    Feels nice.

    Xxxxx
    Baca lagi

  • Hari 20

    Again, other photos.

    30 Julai 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Apparently there is a resident lizard here.
    Almost tripped over him on the step to the shower block.
    He was relaxing in the sun.

    Other photos, showers are huge with large dry space area.
    Just lovely facilities.
    And what a bonus having a dog wash by the beach.
    Baca lagi

  • Hari 20

    Great day, lovely night.

    30 Julai 2020, Australia ⋅ 🌙 17 °C

    Beautiful day again today. 21 degrees and sunny though windy.
    Walked Lacey on the beach.
    Emily had a computer man arrive to declare that her computer was safe to use from home.
    ( Read ‘Bus’ there.)
    Organised from Canada.
    They found a man in Coffs Harbour and he turned up.
    Fascinating man.
    He and his wife had sailed the world for 5 years in his yacht.
    He didn’t blink an eyelid at a Hiace or Coaster.
    All OK.
    He left.
    Martine and Scout arrived for a walk.
    Emily had finished her meetings so we played around the creek and ocean.
    More work for Emily
    Except she rode her Postie to the supermarket ... mainly for dog shampoo.
    ( We did leave in rather a hurry.)
    I forgot several things!
    Scissor cut Lacey’s hair.
    She was rather long and ‘ knotty’.
    The scissors did have some trouble cutting through all the sand in her coat though.
    Big go through the coat with the dog brush...
    All the knots gone.
    Off to the dog wash that they have at this caravan park.
    I have a new dog!!!!
    She looks beautiful, and smells devine!

    So, we had been using my fridge as a freezer.
    But the 2nd battery was not coping that well as I haven’t been driving anywhere really to recharge it, so had to take all the no longer frozen food out of the fridge and cook it.
    ( Well, Emily cooked it.)

    And she said “ Keep an eye out for Matt and Jess. We can feed them.”
    While I was doing that, I also installed ‘Fairy Lights’ in Tin Tin.
    The last few nights I was trying to figure out what was wrong, because as soon as the sun set, I could not see a thing.
    ( Old age.)
    But once the ‘Fairy Lights’ were in, I was in heaven ....
    Sight restored.
    Yah !

    No Matt and Jess.
    Went looking for their van.
    Not there.
    Started to worry.
    They had been invited to a free meal for desperate people last night and were hesitant to go.
    So we decided that they had been kidnapped by White Slavers.
    Really started to worry.

    Oh.
    No.
    Look.
    That’s them.

    Emily chased their van as they drove in.
    “Free food. Bring containers”

    So they arrived and we had dinner together.
    Filled their containers.
    “No, we can’t.”
    “Yes, you can”
    Etc....

    Had a wonderful night.
    Lovely young couple.
    Lots of laughs and stories told.
    ( Yah. New audience!)

    They left about 9pm.
    So much food... but all shared really well now.

    My fairy lights are amazing.
    So happy.
    Did not show up that well in the photo though.

    Great day.
    Happily ensconced in bed with my fairy lights.
    Very comfortable bed.
    Clean dog.
    Just lovely.

    Xxxx
    Baca lagi

  • Hari 21

    Not much today.

    31 Julai 2020, Australia ⋅ ⛅ 16 °C

    Very quiet day.
    It was sunny but a bit windy.
    Emily worked.
    Part of her job today was to create an Australian symbol out of ‘Post It’ notes.
    A team building exercise.
    ( Her job confuses me, often.)
    Photo attached.
    Apparently there was a team meeting while she was doing this.
    Everyone watching ...
    And much laughter coming from Bumper.

    I read, a lot.
    Walked the sandbars and beach with Lacey.
    That is always so much fun.

    Decided to borrow 2 of Daryl’s boogie boards to try our hand at riding the tide as it raced into the lake.
    Haven’t done it yet but we have to give these wetsuits a real test soon.
    Hope to pick them up this weekend.

    Daryl is also going to deliver my kayak on Sunday in his Ute.
    When I used it for the first time on the lake while we were still at Daryl’s, I broke one of the buttons that lets you separate it into 2 pieces.
    I was too enthusiastic!
    So hence it is stuck in full size mode and I can’t fit it into Tin Tin.
    Can’t wait for that to arrive.
    Really keen to get into that on a daily basis.

    Daryl and Martine and Scout came for drinks at 5 pm.
    We sat at the picnic table just opposite our sites in the beautiful lawned area on the lake’s edge.
    Lovely night.
    They bought so many nibblies, we didn’t have dinner!
    They left about 7pm.

    Set up Tin Tin for an early night.
    And that’s it.

    Mum’s back is playing up again.
    Hope you are feeling better today, Mum xxxxx
    Thinking of you heaps. ❤️
    Xxxxx
    Baca lagi

  • Hari 22

    Saturday ... Saturday ...

    1 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    Mind you, they all seem like ‘Saturdays’ now.
    ( Sorry )

    Beautiful sunny day.
    We walked the kilometre along the beach into Woopi.
    Lots of people on the beach.
    Well ‘lots’ for up here.
    Surfers in the water.
    Children jumping the waves.
    Just a lovely walk.

    I bought new thongs.
    I had worn the others out.
    And we had breakfast in a beautiful garden courtyard of a cafe.
    Then back to purchase a boogie board for Emily.
    She decided she wanted her own.
    Did you know that the right size for a boogie board is if it comes up to your navel when it’s standing on the ground?
    Me neither.
    Seaside towns are amazing places to learn new things!

    Walk back along the beach to camp.
    Were thinking of heading out in Tin Tin to explore ....
    Then Martine rang.
    They were on their way with the kayak and bike.
    Yah!

    They arrived and were promptly ( but nicely ) told that they should not be visiting.
    No visitors allowed because of Covid.
    Oh.
    Apparently, it is in the Terms and Conditions when we booked in.
    Nobody reads those because they never really change, do they?
    But, really ... of course things have changed now.
    Just I didn’t think to read them.

    However, just in front of our site are cabins.
    They front the lawn that runs down to the lake.
    We had Friday night get together there last night at one of the tables.
    That is public land.
    The very nice caravan park lady said, “Just go down there.”
    So we did.
    The bike is too big for me.
    I can’t reach the ground so that went back.

    But the kayak was here!!!!
    Said goodbye and thanks to Daryl and Martine and carried the kayak out over the sandbar to the water.
    Emily went first, with Lacey riding point.
    I said “Make sure you clip Lacey’s lead to your belt, Emily. We don’t want her falling overboard.”
    Off they went... down the lake.
    It was low tide so deepest place might be 4 feet.
    Shallowest ... about 2 inches.
    Had to keep an eye out for those bits.

    Emily rowed back with a very wet Lacey.
    Yep.
    Went overboard.
    Emily grabbed her by her collar as she floated by the kayak.

    We took turns.... I loved it.
    So relaxing.
    You can drift....
    Or paddle...
    Whatever you like.

    Lacey stayed in the kayak.

    On my next turn, I left Lacey on the sandbar with Emily.
    They were just wandering.

    Apparently, Lacey is really ‘my’ dog.
    ( Emily is constantly stressing this point to me.)
    Always searching for me ... Must be a little dog thing.
    And when I went off without her, she scanned the horizon, ignored the ‘speck’ that was me on the water and took off to find me.
    Flying though the water, up into the public picnic ground ... searching for all she was worth.

    All I heard from 200 yards away on the water was Emily’s frantic scream “Somebody grab that dog!”
    Somebody did.
    Emily emerged down the boat ramp with a Lacey held very tightly in her arms.
    I was pretty glad.
    I did consider my options from the middle of the lake when I saw Emily crashing through the water giving chase.
    There weren’t that many.

    And a fisherman called out to me as I rowed back.
    “I caught your dog for you, love.”
    We had quite a conversation.

    So.... Lacey will kayak with me from now on.

    Emily’s little dog, Mo, was the same.
    If he lost sight of Emily, he would fly off in search of her.
    Chased a car once because he thought she was in it.

    Emily headed off on Burner the postie bike to the supermarket.
    Matt and Jess, the German tourists came to say hi and then we went to check out their van, “Miles”
    WHAT A GREAT NAME FOR A TOURING VAN!
    Wish I had thought of it.
    Will be stealing it another time.
    (Their friends had suggested “The Green Miles” but they thought the movie was too sad so “Miles” it was.)

    Nice set up.
    Shorter that Tin Tin, and they have a kitchen, so not as much room but great anyway.

    And they and Emily are going to try their hand at surfing tomorrow morning.
    I am going to watch!
    Should be fun.

    Xxx
    Baca lagi

  • Hari 23

    Sunday Beautiful Sunday

    2 Ogos 2020, Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    What a beautiful day.
    Up at 7am to be ready for the boogie boarding and surfing that the young ones were going to do.
    Met up with Jess and Matt at ‘Miles’ and set off walking through the caravan park out to the beach.
    A one minute walk down a sandy path through scraggy bush that opens onto the ocean vista.
    The sight of that magnificent blue water, white breaking waves and pure white sand takes your breath away ... every single time.
    It was a magnificent day.
    Sunny and warm already.
    Walked towards Woopi ... almost to Teabag Corner.
    So named by Daryl as Martine was ill recently but still insisted on going in the water.
    Daryl said all she could do was flop up and down like a teabag.
    Hence the name.
    ( only known to an exclusive few....)

    Emily and Matt headed in.
    Emily with her wetsuit and boogie board.
    Matt with his long board.
    Matt is trying to learn to surf.
    I have included a picture of him showing us on the sand how You Tube told him to do it.

    Jess, Lacey and I were the cheer squad on the sand.
    And they had a ball.
    Then Jess headed in as well.
    I hadn’t thought that I would.
    That was a mistake.
    I will be in there next time.

    They were in the water an hour and a half with a 10 minute break in the middle.
    Lovely, lovely time.
    And Matt was nearly standing up...
    Lacey in the meantime was digging to China.
    And then would promptly stop and sit in the hole.

    Talked to so many people ... and dogs.

    Headed back about 10am for toast ( first time I used the George Foreman ), avocado and bacon for a very late breakfast.
    Emily headed off for her first 5 hour session... getting a new tattoo.

    I changed into bathers and shorts.
    It was hot!
    And set up the hammock and read with Lacey curled up on my legs.

    Matt and Jess came and borrowed the kayak for a paddle on the lake.

    Then a couple of hours later, I went kayaking.
    I remember paying a bit for wheels for the kayak.
    Best thing ever.
    I latch Lacey’s lead onto my belt so I am hands free.
    She leads the way and I tow the kayak across the grass, down the small ramp, through very shallow water onto the sandbar, and launch.
    I now put the wheels ( they fold up ) into the back of the kayak under the rubber netting.
    It’s brilliant.
    Means I leave nothing on shore and can finish wherever I like.

    Beautiful on the lake.
    I paddled and then drifted.
    Loved it.

    Emily’s back.
    She’s pleased with the tattoo so far.
    Spaghetti bolognese for dinner.

    Shower.
    In bed now. 7.25pm.

    Xxxxx
    Baca lagi