May 2024

Returning Juanes to Colombia

This trip is a road trip to Sydney from Brisbane to take our Colombian friend to the airport to fly back to Colombia after his month stay here. Read more

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Trip start
May 16, 2024
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Day 1
Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 5:00 PM
⛅ 20 °C
Altitude: 7 m
Australia Hamilton -27.434971, 153.07440227°26’6” S 153°4’28” E
Leaving home
May 16, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
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Day 1
Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 7:25 PM
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 19 m
Australia Merv Edwards Reserve -28.239155, 153.56625928°14’21” S 153°33’59” E
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Kingscliff Accommodation
May 16, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
A nice AirBnB. Actually associated with the motel next door even though it's a separate house. Big and beautiful!

One day I'll listen to my mum when she would say "all you need is somewhere to rest your head at night"... Until then I'll keep finding cute places like this to spend a few hours in and waste money lol.Read more
Traveler So beautiful, love the colours and interior deco
5/18/24Reply
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Day 1
Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 8:00 PM
⛅ 21 °C
Altitude: 14 m
Australia Faulks Park -28.257305, 153.58025528°15’26” S 153°34’49” E
Taverna Restaurant
May 16, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 21 °C
Taverna is a Greek restaurant that we've been to before and is always perfect and delicious.
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Day 2
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 7:10 AM
☁️ 18 °C
Altitude: 15 m
Australia Fingal Point -28.200531, 153.56905928°12’2” S 153°34’9” E
Fingal Head Lighthouse
May 17, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C
A rainy morning, which kept all the people away. So we had the whole headland to ourselves. Always beautiful walk there and watching the waves roll in.
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Day 2
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 9:16 AM
⛅ 19 °C
Altitude: 82 m
Australia Cosy Corner -28.640003, 153.63610528°38’24” S 153°38’10” E
Byron Bay Lighthouse
May 17, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Had to stop in at the most easterly point to show Juanes the closest point to Colombia in Australia. (Probably not, I didn't do the measurements, just symbolic). Beautiful pod of dolphins swimming past too.Read more
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Day 2
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 10:26 AM
⛅ 18 °C
Altitude: 204 m
Australia Beatties Creek -28.591702, 153.45994428°35’30” S 153°27’36” E
Crystal Castle
May 17, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 18 °C
Weather was starting to turn bad, so we headed up to Crystal Castle instead. Alex and I have been here a bunch of times, but it was nice to show a newbie around the gardens... Until it started pouring with rain, thankfully they give out free umbrellas.Read more
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Day 2
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 1:58 PM
⛅ 20 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Australia South Head -28.875364, 153.59183928°52’31” S 153°35’31” E
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Ballina
May 17, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
I don't think we had ever been to the Breakwall of Ballina before in all our stops. So it was nice to have a look around that area for a short stop. They also have made the big prawn into a stand-alone feature in front of a huge Bunnings now lol.Read more
Traveler Who is taking photos, so crisp and clear. :)
5/18/24Reply
TravelerNot Alex, lol
5/19/24Reply
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Day 2
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 3:36 PM
☀️ 21 °C
Altitude: 6 m
Australia Iluka Bluff -29.395919, 153.37346829°23’45” S 153°22’24” E
Iluka
May 17, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Quick stop at the bluff to get among the waves while the weather was nice.
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Day 2
Friday, May 17, 2024 at 4:40 PM
⛅ 19 °C
Altitude: 4 m
Australia Running Creek -29.519469, 153.18871629°31’10” S 153°11’19” E
Tyndale AirBnB
May 17, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
Greeted by emus at our AirBnB, I thought it was amazing they were there in the afternoon but they also had breakfast with us too. A family of about 5 it seems.
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Day 3
Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 9:37 AM
☀️ 18 °C
Altitude: Sea level
Australia Andersons Beach -29.428067, 153.36593829°25’41” S 153°21’57” E
Yamba
May 18, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 18 °C
Nothing like a morning walk in the sun at Yamba. So many memories of doing this myself, which carried over to Alex, so I hope Juanes appreciated the beauty of this area with us.

Went out to the Blue Lagoon for a look. First time I've been there since mum passed, and of course, it made me think of the stories of her there as a young girl, which got me in the feels. It's a pretty place for a cry lol.Read more
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Day 3
Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 12:27 PM
☀️ 21 °C
Altitude: 4 m
Australia Taloumbi -29.465486, 153.22579329°27’56” S 153°13’33” E
Sanctus Brewing Company for lunch
May 18, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
I've been here a bunch of times, but the food was so good I had to post about it again.
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Day 3
Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 3:47 PM
🌬 18 °C
Altitude: 7 m
Australia Rocky Point -29.56947, 153.33802129°34’10” S 153°20’17” E
Red Cliff and Broomshead
May 18, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
We had a fun adventure out to Lake Arragan to try out the inflatable raft again. But the weather was starting to turn bad with a lot of strong wind. Which made it a very interesting experience. Went up to the Broomshead bluff, no tears here though because I think the wind would have been at least 100km/h up there, Juanes was being lifted up by the wind when he leaned into it. Guess Mum wasn't in the mood for guests today.Read more
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Day 4
Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 9:33 AM
🌬 17 °C
Altitude: 36 m
Australia Park Beach -30.274708, 153.13393130°16’29” S 153°8’2” E
Coffs, Urunga and Nambucca
May 19, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C
Can't take a newbie down the coast without doing an obligatory photo stop at The Big Banana. Last time we went to the Butterfly House we saw a lot of interesting and big butterflies, but this time we disappointingly saw very few.

The boardwalk at Urunga is always a gorgeous stop. The colours there are so pretty on a nice day.

Then, it was down to Nambucca for lunch and a walk along the painted path.Read more
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Day 4
Sunday, May 19, 2024 at 3:22 PM
🌬 18 °C
Altitude: 16 m
Australia Rocky Islet -30.877162, 153.07054930°52’38” S 153°4’14” E
Trial Bay Gaol and Smoky Cape Lighthouse
May 19, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 18 °C
The afternoon stop was at Trial Bay Gaol. A little bit disappointing that they charged full price when the viewing tower and the big cell block were under construction, and we couldn't view them.

But we got to see kangaroos up close at both the Gaol and the Lighthouse. Might have even got to see a rogue whale at the lighthouse, but it was a bit too far out to be sure. It seemed too big to be a dolphin to me.Read more
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Day 5
Monday, May 20, 2024 at 8:11 AM
☀️ 14 °C
Altitude: 37 m
Australia Calwalla Reserve -31.455955, 152.93096231°27’21” S 152°55’51” E
Port Maquarie
May 20, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
Arriving in the evening we grabbed some Turkish, which was delicious as expected. Then we went to sleep and woke up to some stunning views of into the ocean.

A bit after breakfast, Juanes and Alex jumped in the water for a short time while I went to refuel the car.

Juanes also had a ride of a camel along the beach. A perfect day for it too. One of the people told us the dolphins were jumping the waves, but we didn't get to see that today.

Finally ending up at the Koala Conservation Hospital which did such an amazing job during the bushfires. To help support the hospital, we got Juanes an adoption of one of the koalas named Murwillumbah Bobby, after where he is from.Read more
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Day 5
Monday, May 20, 2024 at 3:05 PM
☁️ 16 °C
Altitude: 20 m
Australia Anna Bay -32.770104, 152.06751832°46’12” S 152°4’3” E
Shark and Ray Encounter
May 20, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C
Special moment for Juanes here to feed the sharks. We all for to rub and feed the stingrays and rays. Exceptionally friendly staff and a really great moment for all of us.
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Day 6
Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 11:20 AM
🌬 17 °C
Altitude: 8 m
Australia Obelisk of 1870 to Celbrate Captain Cook's Landing -34.004436, 151.2174634°0’16” S 151°13’3” E
Captain Cook's Landing Place
May 21, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C
Quick stop at the landing place of Captain Cook in Botany Bay. Not a place Alex and I had been to before because it's a bit out of the way. Unfortunately, it is heavily under construction, so it was difficult to see much of it.Read more
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Day 6
Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 1:30 PM
🌬 17 °C
Altitude: 10 m
Australia Wattamolla -34.137677, 151.11789934°8’16” S 151°7’4” E
Wattamolla Beach and Sea Cliff Bridge
May 21, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C
Stopping at Wattamolla Beach, the guys had a swim in some inflatable rings that Alex brought with us. A beautiful place where the river meets a waterfall meets the ocean.

Then, continuing down the coast to go over the sea cliff bridge.Read more
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Day 6
Tuesday, May 21, 2024 at 5:05 PM
🌙 16 °C
Altitude: 8 m
Australia Kiama Harbour Light -34.671987, 150.86297534°40’19” S 150°51’47” E
Kiama
May 21, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
Arriving at our stop for the night in Kiama to visit the blow holes. Unfortunately, the water was calm, so the bursts were not as intense as they could be.
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Day 7
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 11:04 AM
☀️ 12 °C
Altitude: 661 m
Australia Fitzroy Falls -34.64782, 150.48247634°38’52” S 150°28’57” E
Into the Clouds - Fitzroy Falls
May 22, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Heading up into the mountains today and stopping at one of the most beautiful locations to view into the valley of the Blue Mountains and the waterfalls, Fitzroy Falls. An easy and very rewarding walk along the lookouts.Read more
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Day 7
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 2:39 PM
☀️ 14 °C
Altitude: 682 m
Australia Bowral -34.483586, 150.42462234°29’1” S 150°25’29” E
Bowral
May 22, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C
A brief drive-through my ancestral town of Bowral. First visiting the "birthplace" of Mary Poppins.

Then, an emotional stop out to pay my respects to my grandparents and great grandparents. Later this year, we have a family trip planned to spread my mother's ashes there and put up a new memorial plaque.Read more
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Day 7
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 5:27 PM
🌙 11 °C
Altitude: 743 m
Australia Bullaburra -33.72828, 150.41795133°43’42” S 150°25’5” E
Dome Sweet Dome
May 22, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 11 °C
We love a quirky AirBnB and this one definitely applies, cute little dome away from home.
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Day 7
Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 6:58 PM
🌙 9 °C
Altitude: 945 m
Australia Katoomba Falls -33.727077, 150.30288833°43’37” S 150°18’10” E
Katoomba Night Walk
May 22, 2024 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 9 °C
Not well advertised, and when arrived it was ironically not well lit. But what a great experience. No people in the walk around, just getting to enjoy everything lit up and pretty at night.
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Day 8
Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 8:05 AM
☀️ 7 °C
Altitude: 874 m
Australia Wentworth Falls -33.725705, 150.36916633°43’33” S 150°22’9” E
Wentworth Falls Area
May 23, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 7 °C
A walk to get the legs warm, we did a nice track caked the Den Fenella Track. A downhill track to a lookout, travelling along a small creek flowing over rocks before finally going off the edge of the cliff.Read more
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Day 8
Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 10:31 AM
☀️ 13 °C
Altitude: 752 m
Australia Katoomba Park -33.73118, 150.30186633°43’52” S 150°18’7” E
Scenic World
May 23, 2024 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C
No trip is complete to Katoomba without a stop at Scenic World. Feels like each time I go there, it gets better. Two cable cars and the steep railway as well as the walks in the lower section.
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