bye bye South West Rocks


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September 11th 2012
Published: September 11th 2012
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So, we say goodbye to South West Rocks today, 'bye bye' in baby speak which I catch myself using every now and then these days. I also catch myself waving like a baby too, as I am so used to imitating the girls. Tomorrow we hit the road for Sawtell, a whole 100 kms north. We are redefining my concept of taking things slowly tomorrow -- with a 10am check out here and a 2pm check in there. I don't think I have ever planned a route that will take 4 hours to travel 100kms before!

The drive out to yarriabini national park was worth it. Great views of the valley from the top of the mountain and we drove past some lucky old growth trees that survived the logging era. The picnic area was a little bit shady and damp though, probably because it had been planted out with hoop pines which don't at all belong to this part of the country -- they kind of seemed like awkward strangers standing around the edge of a school hall. Plus, we forgot the tables for the girls which strap them in to their seats, so the picnic got pretty feral
Getting a close viewGetting a close viewGetting a close view

Leila checking out the resident kookaburra
and I don't think much of the food ended up in bellies.

The next day we just had a lazy day at the beach, still in the hope of making beach babes out of our girls. We still have more work to do on this front, but they tolerated splashing about in the estuary again and being pulled about in a blow up baby boat. Lots more coastal holidays for us in store.

Today we did our biggest ever walk with the girls - a 3.2km loop track in Hat Head national park (called the Korogoro track). Seems crazy that we have previously done 25km day walks and now a 3km walk seems like a mission. That just seems to be the amount of time that the girls are happy to be contained in back backs, which is fair enough when they have so much exploring to do with their own limbs these days. The walk was well worth the grizzles towards the end because of the absolutely stunning views. We were not quite sure why there was a sign advising that only experienced walkers should proceed, but I guess national parks have to cover all bases. Granted
sunsetsunsetsunset

The beautiful sunsets we get from our cabin -- the sun seems to go down right in the saddle between two mountains
you couldn't take a wheel chair or push a pram and you had to watch your feet sometimes, but it was an obvious track the whole way. The walk finished with a picnic lunch (this time with tables for the girls) by the beach. Swimming at the beach in Hat Head village might almost be a highlight for me so far. As our swimming spot was right near the mouth of an estuary the water, though beautifully crystal clear, was a tea-stained colour from the tannin in the leaves. The sun made it seem like it was sparkling gold, and there was a view of a mountain across the bay that was cut off from the horizon by sea mist and low lying cloud -- it felt like swimming in liquid gold under floating mountains!


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Jono, Ameya and scribbly barkJono, Ameya and scribbly bark
Jono, Ameya and scribbly bark

Just above our cabin at Sandy Toes
doing the treedoing the tree
doing the tree

under a big tree in Yarriabini national park
headsheads
heads

The girls have found their heads
heads times twoheads times two
heads times two

and each others'
non conformistnon conformist
non conformist

Ameya doesn't like to be told how to sit in a chair!
the aftermaththe aftermath
the aftermath

after the picnic
afternoon tea on the lawnafternoon tea on the lawn
afternoon tea on the lawn

A bit of a Sunny Toes tradition that we established
the girls have a boat ridethe girls have a boat ride
the girls have a boat ride

South West Rocks estuary
surfie kangaroossurfie kangaroos
surfie kangaroos

On the green island walk that Jono did solo while all three girls rested
view from monument hillview from monument hill
view from monument hill

near trial bay gaol in South West Rocks. September seems a really good time to walk around this area -- the wild flowers are beautiful
granite slide in to oceangranite slide in to ocean
granite slide in to ocean

Hat Head national park
pandanas viewspandanas views
pandanas views

pandanas palms on the Korogoro track, Hat head national park
adventureadventure
adventure

See? We still haven't lost our sense of adventure.
mum and bub yogamum and bub yoga
mum and bub yoga

Korogoro track, Hat head national park
drinking the viewdrinking the view
drinking the view

Jono and Leila take in the view from the Korogoro track, Hat head national park


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