• Farmstay Albany

    Jan 11–15 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    After collecting our caravan from the Equestrian Centre, getting fuel and going shopping in Woolworths, we drive to here.
    What a terrific spot, it's so convenient to Albany but feels 'rural' with great views out to the sea and to the town of Albury. Roger has been forewarned that he's required to back the van onto this property - he does in is usual 'no hassles' way. Ian, our host, comes out to greet us - very welcoming. Assures us we're settling where we should, and leaves us to it. Does say we're to come along later and help feed their animals if we feel like it.
    We settle in, I get drinks and nibbles happening, while Roger gets tea going - a stove top chicken and vegetable casserole.
    We sit outside to enjoy the views while we have our drinks. Later while I'm inside the caravan I hear Roger chatting to someone so go out and find it's feed time for the alpacas (3) sheep (3) and chooks (2) as Ian and his partner are about to do that. They've also got 2 gorgeous brown Labradors - Cash and ? We enjoy a nice chat while they're feeding the animals, before we retire back to our caravan to have our own tea. The chicken casserole is followed by strawberries and banana with yoghurt. Roger has his shower, I do the dishes, and we relax until bed.
    12/01/25 Sunday. Roger gets up just before 6am, I get up as well as I know he has plans for us to go for a walk (drive there first) so I best keep things moving. We're going to go to a laundromat today to do our washing so I strip and remake our bed with our clean sheets and doona cover. We have our breakfast, which I follow with my shower, while Roger organises food to take for our lunch. Once I'm ready we head off after 8am.
    Arrive back with our washing done - do have some washing that needs to get hung out to dry. So Roger puts up our clothesline around a nearby tree to our caravan to the fence and back to the van again. Plenty of hanging space! There's a good breeze and this warm afternoon so it dries in good time. Relax about camp, again sitting outside with drinks and nibbles enjoying the view. Get to chat with Ian and Tonya as they go about on their property. Later in the day, I get a nice phonecall from Stacy - she is looking into booking flights for her and Robert to go visit Tegan and Lev in Calgary. Stacy has found some good flight prices - enjoy a chat before tea time. Tea tonight is reheated chicken and vegetable casserole, followed by banana and strawberries with yoghurt. By this time we've got the message that Stacy and Robert have flights booked now. Yay!! This gets Roger going - he uses his phone to jump online and book his flights for Canada as well! Going great - he's got his return flights the same as Robert and Stacy. I do the dishes, then it's my turn to get busy online - booking some Airbnb accommodation in Calgary for while we're all visiting - Tegan and Lev don't really have room for us all, and it's nice to give everyone some 'space'. Roger has his shower and heads to bed. I'm just doing this, then updating our budget books and I'll be ready for bed too. Very happy tonight - plans for our family reunion coming together ❤️
    13/01/25 Monday. 6am I get up and go for a run, while Roger gets organised to cook us breakfast. Enjoy our bacon and eggs with our favourite trimmings, then get organised to go out for the day - Roger packs food for lunch. We leave before 9am and go to the RV dump and water refill to do some 'housekeeping' and top up the ute's water storage - where I realise I've left my phone behind! Back to our camp we go - the take 2 as we head off for the Anzac Centre.
    We get back around 4.30pm. Roger straight onto cooking tea in the BBQ, chicken and vegetables getting roasted. I get our drinks and nibbles - bubbles and white chocolate coated freeze dried strawberries. You can guess who ate most of the nibbles lol! While tea's cooking Roger lets me know the Canada flights he booked yesterday have been cancelled and a refund is pending...Whoops, plans not as in place as we thought. By the end of the evening I'm realising we've got plenty of time to get it sorted - I'll wait to get the refund before we try again. Tea is great, roast with some boiled vegetables, we have yoghurt and fresh strawberries for dessert. Roger has a chat with our hosts while outside, then comes in for his shower, then bed. I've been booking an Airbnb for Calgary - as that will take the pressure off Tegan and Lev's unit. Then I do the dishes, writing this up before bed.
    14/01/25 Tuesday. Good down pour of rain last night. Cooler day today - both of us back in long pants. Get a call from Tegan - excited like us to be making Canada visit plans. We have to confess Roger's flights still need to be reorganised - this opens up opportunity to fit in with Tegan's camping plans......After Tegan's call we get up 7am and have our breakfast. Then I have a shower and we get ready to go for a drive back to Denmark - which we drove through on our way here from Peaceful Bay. We leave around 9am.
    Return from a lovely day out at around 5pm. We have our evening drinks sitting outside enjoying the views, and chatting with our hosts Ian and Tonya, and their young granddaughter (guessing 7 or 8?). Enjoying pats too, with their 2 lovely choc Labradors, Cash and Bowie. Tea tonight is leftover chicken and salad, followed by fresh strawberries and yoghurt. Roger has his shower and does the dishes while I get online and rebook his flights to Canada through Flight Centre. Goes smoothly - and Tegan gets her wish - Roger going earlier, 19 June, to fit in with camping plans. Then I get his travel insurance sorted too. I'll update our budget books and this write up, then bedtime like Rog.
    15/01/25 Wednesday. We get up around 6.30am, I decided to go for a run - do the same track I did a couple of days ago - 3 laps around the block. Come back to find Roger has my porridge ready for me so I enjoy my breakfast before getting changed and ready to leave. We had a lovely time at this Farmstay. Off we head at 9am. Going to the nearest supermarket - Woolies- to get a few grocery items and the Bakehouse for bread - where we get ourselves a coffee scroll and custard scroll as well.
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