Last Day in Sydney off to Wine Country

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Last Day in Sydney

We're up pretty early as we've got to figure out transportation. I had tentatively booked a car for a week so we could drive up to Brisbane, but deep down inside, still want to rent an RV (caravan as they're called here).

We sit down on the bench and call the Caravan rental place that I had seen online last night. They've got a 2 berth that I had checked out last night, with a shower and toilet. we can have it for the week and drop it in Brisbane. We make arrangements and go have breakfast

After getting seated and placing an order with our waitress, we talk about what to do. Our breakfast comes, and we experience the weirdest coffee to date. It's a long black. I guess that's coffee and water, but haven't quite figured it out. Maybe it's a shot of expresso watered down. still not sure, but it's bad. again, enjoy the differences. Oh and there was no ketchup. i don't know if they believe in it here.

We arrive at the caravan place after hailing a cab with the craziest driver ever. and sit and wait. we're a little early at 11:45 but there's a few couple ahead of us. We get a great rental agent and lot guy who give us a ton of tips and can't beleive that it's -40 back home. They complain about the cold rainy summer and how it should be a little warmer towards Brisbane.

After checking everything out, I get in to the wrong side of the vehicle. Now I know you want to hear that I got into the right side of the vehicle but there was no steering wheel there, but I did get into the correct side of the van. It's just bizzare as you can imagine, to get into the passenger side of the van and drive. Man it's a few days before I get my head around that.

Trish navigates us to me missing the 1st turn off. Dammit. now i've got to find away to get us turned around and headed in the right direction. not usually a problem for me, but now I'm driving a camper on the wrong side of the road.

I get us headed in the right direction and we learn that the directions take us right through the heart of Sydney and over the Harbour Bridge. cool!! but then I remember how cocked the streets were in downtown. and that i'm driving a camper on the wrong side of the road. FAK!!!

Luckily there's a tunnel that bypasses the surface streets and we end up at the bridge. pretty painless. over the bridge and into north Sydney. at 2:30 the traffic is jumping. It takes us about an hour to get onto the open road and head into Hunter Valley. On of Australia's biggest wine region.

We arrive in Hunter Valley where I get a little messed up and have to get back on track. I do a 3 point turn around and head back to the intersection we should have turned at. Suddenly a a calm assertive Trish say "Wrong Side" and I correctly get on the "right" side of the road. I was really impressed with that girl. Most would have freaked out, especially with the on coming car, but she handled it like a champ. Enough that I had to mention it.

We get to our 1st caravan park and book in. I'm impressed, a pool with a spa, hot showers and a camp kitchen, this proves to been the norm for the parks on the trip. Australia's got it together and embrace the caravaner's.

We cook up supper (which we had gone grocery shopping for earlier. i have to mention it again, there's nothing like being in another grocery store, different from your own, which is a great reason to travel on your own) and again crash early with plans to visit wineries in the morning and perhaps stay another night.

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Photos

Driving the Caravan
on the wrong side of the road!

Lindemans
sigh...the only good part

Wyndam Estates
Wet Vineyard