Trucking, Wine, Caves & Rain

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So, after settling into what it's like to live in a van (cosy and novel we'll say at this stage). We stepped on it towards the Hunter Wine Valley.
We stayed in the woods in Broke on our first night and it was a shock to say the least, the tin housed dunnie was a big contrast to the En-suite Harbour view room, but we sucked it up & chowed down on the kangaroo chilli I knocked up on the camping stove (first of many feasts - I'm thinking of bringing out a cookery book).
In need of an education to add to our joint interest in all things wine we had a great time sampling wines from the Hunter Valley & learned lots from our tour with Tyrell's (great wine & apparently they sell it at crazy prices in Tesco's so get down there for a bargain, they specialize in Chardonnay).
Stayed in a campsite & met a funny couple from Warrington & another couple from Amsterdam: who as they were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary & their 50th birthdays they were halfway through a year of "Only Feasting" - damn good idea!!!!
We then drove all the way to Newcastle going through Darlington, Gateshead, Lambton, Wickham, Wallsend & Hexham (a mass migration of geordies????). I chilled on the beach listening to Silverchair whilst Thom had a run in with a few sea-birds (see the photo's).
We then drove on to the Blue Mountains where the rain started up again, so after a couple of day's hiking around in the wet, we descended into the Jenolan Caves to escape the weather. Thom's driving was tested to the max on insane gradients in hail out of this area, as we made our way on the long road back to Melbourne in hope of some sunshine.

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Photos

Mitzy Matilda
This is the message everyone gets when we create tailbacks as we drive at 80Kmph everywhere we go to save on the petrol. It so far has induced many a colourful insult or hand jesture & alas only one donation of one dollar from an old bloke who thought it was a great idea.

Mitzy Matilda
The graffitti says East Bris Crew. Let it be known we are not an never will "Represent" the East Bris Crew (at least we didn't get a van with Piccachu on it though)

The Grand Tour of 'Home'
This is the kitchen. The eskie is our fridge freezer, sink with pump action tap (boiler is our re-fillable water tank there). Behind the unit there is the bedroom/dining room/living quarters/wardrobes.
Am I talking it up a bit too much?

Hunter Wine Valley
Drove stupidly up a very steep unsealed road to get this pic. 2 days after we'd signed a contract saying we wouldn't drive on any unsealed roads - you only live once (fingers are crossed we get the bond back)

Vines
Audrey's Vineyard

Tyrells Vineyard Tour
This is a wine presser. The reason wine differs in price so much is always down to which pressing of the grapes it comes from. First being the most expensive, cheapest being the last pressing where they chuck in the stalks and stuff too.

Breathaliser
So you can find out when you need to stop tasting the wine so you can still drive: Reading should be below 0.5.
Thankfully Thom was the designated driver on this day & his low blood sugar meant he defied this machine! (that's something they don't tell you at the hospital) his reading was 0.00!! after tasting a vast array of tyrell's finest.

All in a Day's Work
The fruits of our laborious day tasting wines.
Bottles from Tyrell's, Cricketers Rest & Verona Vineyards

Nobby's Beach - Newcastle
Listening to Silverchair on full blast & chillaxing on the beach

Kamakazi Sea-Birds
The reason this pic is not straight is cos Thom was running away from a flock of these dive-bombing birds.

Nobby's Head
At the end of Nobby's beach funnily enough

Blue Mountains
The best of a bad lot of hazey pics - it's the Eucalyptus that creates the blue mist (and the name).

Irrate Photographer
They really do not like Eucalyptus haze these photographers.... messes up their work

My Lara Croft Impression
Moments after this was taken I sprang off the edge of this mountain and found the mystical Goon