Pacific Coast Highway

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October 6, 2008

Not every day is totally great. We spent a frustrating morning dealing with rental campers. I told you it was too good to be true. To make a boring story short we ended up driving a nice rental car out of Sydney at 2 PM. Joe didn’t seem to have much trouble driving on the left side of the road sitting on the right side of the car, but he is still turning on the windshield wipers when wants the turn signals and we both always seem to start to get in the wrong side of the car. I am sure glad Joe is doing the driving because there’s no way I could feel comfortable doing it. Because today is Labor Day there were “Driver Reviver” stands along the freeway offering coffee and cookies and we took advantage of that. Love the road signs. “No Overtaking” means no passing. And “How Fast Are You Going Now?” signs appear shortly after speed reduction signs. The Pacific Coast Highway here is Highway 1, the same number as the PCH in California. But, so far that’s where the similarities end. The drive today was beautiful. There’s been a lot of rain so the view is green and fresh. There are rolling hills of green pastures and dense forests of eucalyptus trees. We saw a couple of “Watch for Kangaroos” signs and one for koalas, but saw only more lorikeets, kookaburras, and eagles. When I ask locals about kangaroos, I get this, “Well, they’re nocturnal you know. They come out at early evening and early morning to eat.” So, I’m thinking…well, just where are they in the day? It’s not like they go underground into holes. Or do they? They seem kind of big to hide. Ed, if you’re reading this your trivia assignment is to tell me where kangaroos go in the day.

Anyway, here we are in Forster, still in New South Wales and it’s a fine town with manicured streets, the usual friendly people, and an interesting beach. We ate dinner from the grocery store...the same rotisserie chicken we get in the USA, cheese, and bread.
We are at the Barkley Inn, with “quaint and cozy” rooms which, of course, means old and small. But it’s clean and inexpensive and across the street from the ocean, so we are happy.

October 7, 2008

We slept in “a bit” so didn’t get on the road until around 9. We are driving as close to the coast as we can get and today that meant we traveled a few good dirt roads. From Forster we drove into Crowdy Head National Park with its “precious” white sandy beaches and eucalyptus forests. We went to a lighthouse and from there watched a couple of humpback whales breaching for about a half hour. They were putting on quite a show. We walked along the beach, then searched for koala in the trees, but found only one 6 foot long black snake in the road. It slid away quickly, so we weren’t able to identify it. But the real excitement was a small kangaroo hopping right in front of the car! When we got to the next park (Dooragan) Joe told an Aussie visitor there that we’d seen a small blackish brown-tinged kangaroo and asked him if he knew what kind it was. The guy smiled and said, “Yep, that’s one of those small blackish brown-tinged kangaroos.” But he did have other good information about islands in the Whitsundays, and he had me laughing. In Dooragan we drove to the top of a small mountain to the Laurieton Lookout (beautiful) and took our first hike in the rainforest to another lookout.

We stopped for a couple of hours in the town of Port Macquerie. Today we traveled through about a dozen towns and each one was prettier than the last. They are all so neat and clean with meticulous landscaping.. There are a lot of orange brick homes with red tile roofs; the combination pleases my eye. We ate a late lunch at Mike’s Seafood, where their slogan, “It’s All Good,” proved to be true. We carried our grilled fish and salads a few yards away to have a picnic on the shore. We watched a 1903 triple-masted sailing boat giving harbor rides and a few pelicans. People have painted the giant rocks of the breakwall with personal sentiments and drawings and we walked a half mile along the wall enjoying the “art.” We then went to the Macquerie Preserve and toured a restored 1890 home, bird watched some, then visited the Koala Hospital where rescued koalas are being cared for. We arrived at feeding time and got educated with good interpretive exhibits. I wanted to go because I’m afraid that’s the only way I’ll get to see a koala not in a zoo.

We are in Coffs Harbour for the night staying at a hostel. We are near avocado and banana plantations and Coffs Harbour is home of the “Big Banana,” a giant banana structure that I’m sure we must see tomorrow. Funny, when I hear “bananas” I don’t think of Australia. Coffs Harbour has the distinction (along with the big banana) of having the best climate in Australia. We can’t argue with that.

Joe has opened the car door for me more times in the last two days than he has in 35 years. It’s not because he’s suddenly more polite, it’s that he won’t admit that he forgets what side of the car to get into and acts like he is there on purpose to open the door for me.

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Photos

Forster Beach
Cool swimming hole!

Comments

[Connie]

Judy- How does this trip compare to the others you've taken? So far, your photos are gorgeous (as usual).

[J J]

It's Hard to Compare
Every place is so different, it's difficult to say how this one compares. It's easier traveling where people speak English and the drivers are very civil here, we think more polite than the USA. But, it's very expensive here compared to South and Central Americas. Thanks for your comments, Connie.

[Sandy]

kangaroos
"Scientists in Australia are trying to find out why kangaroo flatulence contains almost no green house gasses - unlike that of cattle and sheep." From the Discovery Channel. Suprisingly hard to find straightforward advice on where a kangaroo can go to get a good day's sleep, though. Are there coastal kangaroos?

[Sandy]

Kangaroo, aka "The Edible Icon"
"Potoroids . . . make nests while tree-kangaroos lie above ground in trees. Larger species of kangaroo tend to shelter under trees or in caves and rock clefts." "Kangaroo products processed for export, including quilts hand-crafted by kangaroos, kangaroo art prints, and kangaroo-made pottery, must undergo inspection by Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) officials." One of these paragraphs is true, the other is partially true.

[Ed]

Where do kangaroos go during the day?
Here is the answer and some other odd facts about your new friends. (I ate some once. If I remember right it tasted like liver, not chicken.) Kangaroos are marsupials found nearly exclusively in Australia, with some living in parts of Papua New Guinea. There are over 60 different species of kangaroos and they often live in groups (or mobs) of up to 50 kangaroos. But where do kangaroos live? This article will answer that very question and also look at six interesting facts about kangaroos. Where do Kangaroos Live Kangaroos live in varying and diverse climates across Australia and Papua New Guinea. Kangaroos can live in arid or cold conditions, in rainforests or deserts. They live on rocky mountains, in desert plains or in the rainforest. They are nocturnal animals, generally resting in shady areas during the day and eating at night. Some species of kangaroos are active in early morning and late afternoon. In Australia they live in all states and territories, including Tasmania. So now you know where kangaroos live, let’s look at six cool facts about kangaroos. Six Interesting Kangaroo Facts Fact 1: Kangaroos are really quite disgusting! They regurgitate their food the first time they swallow it so they can chew and swallow it a second time. Fact 2: Kangaroos are not farmed, but are hunted in the wild for their meat. The meat is actually quite healthy, being low in cholesterol and believed to reduce blood pressure. Fact 3: The kangaroo is an Australian icon. It is featured on the Australian coat of arms and is the symbol of the Australian airline Qantas. Fact 4: Kangaroos can go without drinking for up to 3 months, providing that there food contains some water. Fact 5: Red Kangaroos can reach speed of up to 70km/h (44mph) over short distances and can sustain a comfortable speed of 35km/h (22mph) for over 2 hours. Fact 6: Kangaroos are preyed upon by only 2 other animals- the dingo and the Australian wild dog.

[J J]

Kangaroos
Responding to Ed and Sandy.... Ask a simple question...I get an encyclopedia. Thanks for the responses. Now I know all about the roos.