One not so big banana

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After waking up in a condensation filled station-wagon, we both enjoyed the $30 luxury of a hot shower. Clean(er) beings, we checked out late at 12 pm and headed for the nearby beach at Crescent Heads where there were 2 surfers catching the waves. The beach was wonderfully sandy and warm, and other than the surfers we had the entire thing to ourselves. We walked back to the car and while sitting reading the map, I spied what we believe were dolphins surfing the waves right in front of us. Feeling spoiled that I have seen Minke Whales in Orkney and dolphins in Greece I was rather chuffed that Andrew and I got to see some by pure chance at a quiet beach.

I then got back into the car (a couple of driving lessons learned including the fact that we have to break very gently on approach to roundabouts), and drove us to Nambucca Heads, a good half way point to Coffs Harbour where we were due to meet with Sophie Wilson a friend of mine from TUBBS (The University of Bristol Barbershop Singers for the few of you I have not told of the rather fantastic musical group I sang with at University). Andrew and I walked the foreshore amongst the mangroves enjoying a few G'days from the locals before getting abuse from a woman who had nearly let her child get run over by a car crossing the road for staring. The view of the waves and the sand bar were not however ruined by the words she shouted at Andrew.

We drove the rest of the journey up to Coffs Harbour and -parked up at Emerald Beach where we waited to be collected by Sophie and Kelly. On the way we passed the Big Bananna. It's not that big to be honest and was not for us the main attraction of Coffs – that was dinner with Soph and Kelly.

Sophie soon arrived in a huge four by four to drive us over to the harbor jetty for some food and a good catch up. Sophie and Kelly recommended a place which did pizza for $12 and a really lovely Australian beer for $6. We had a lovely chat and a reminisce of past times at university.

Wednesday 19 June - Coffs Harbour

We initially awoke on Emerald beach at 5 a.m. when a crowd of surfers took to the waves. At 8.30 I got up to have a walk along the beautiful sandy Emerald Beach and the neighboring Moonee Beach before walking up the coastal path for my first close encounter with some kangaroos. They were incredibly tame but I approached them very slowly and carefully watching them hop around the cliff tops.

At 9.40 we drove over to Sophie and Kelly's current residence. Sophie and Kelly are working as an au-pair for two wealthy Indian doctors who live in a beautiful sea view house with its own spa, swimming pool and huge walk in wardrobes. Andrew and both adored the house. The Indian couple have two young children - a six month old baby girl and a three year old girl who goes to nursery three days a week. Sophie and Kelly nurse and clean up after the children as well as ironing the husband's shirts, doing the laundry and washing and cleaning and cooking all the meals from pre-selected recipes. I would struggle to do the job they do with as little time off as they have. The benefit is however the use of a four by four, pool and spa and the Australian weather.



We spent the day washing some of our clothes and enjoying a fantastic fry up which the girls cooked up having felt guilty about staying in their warm beds when we were out sleeping in the car. We whiled away an afternoon laughing at the stupidity of babies and the hilarious straining noises they make when they are going through the motions, and talking about the latest TUBBS news being the engagement of Iain and Harriet by way of a Barbershop Proposal following a rather moving quartet performance of the John Denver song, “You fill up my senses” or as we know it, the “shite in the forest song” care of my Father. After many goodbyes, we headed off to our night's rest stop at Byron Bay.

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