Coffs & Sneezes


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Oceania » Australia » New South Wales » Grafton
December 29th 2008
Published: December 30th 2008
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Caroline & NalaCaroline & NalaCaroline & Nala

Not suprisingly the dog could get out of bed before Caroline
DAY 52

29th December 2008

Monday

Title Coffs and Sneezes


So, whilst most of you, as in the population of England, were coughing and sneezing with the apparently “Australian” Flu, we were busy tidying the house and packing our cases ready for our onward journey. Today we were leaving Kruger Manor in Port Stephens to make our way North for New Year, Faye and Graydon were due back and around 2.00pm, after their Christmas break.

Our objective for the journey was to at least make Coffs Harbour before contemplating pulling in for the night. Coffs Harbour is a good 4 hours drive North from Port Stephens up the Pacific Highway. Any kilometre beyond Coffs was going to be a bonus in our long journey back to the Sunshine Coast.

I was out of bed at 6.00am neither Caroline nor the dog stirred when I snook out of the bedroom.

If I have a deadline its always on my mind until I can get started. I finished drying all the plates and bits and bobs and unloaded the dishwasher, then set about having a general tidy up, following on from Caroline yesterday.

Nala
Caroline & NalaCaroline & NalaCaroline & Nala

I Know Nala isn't as Grumpy as Caroline in the morning
came down at least an hour before Caroline so we played a while until she became too boisterous and she had to settle down.

She is really moping around this morning with that hound dog look, is it because we are going are what, I don’t know?

Caroline had her tea at 8.00am, then we just started to potter around, Caroline wanted a shower and went upstairs. 5 minutes later she called me as Nala had got in the bath whilst Caroline was in the shower. Later Faye confirmed that she sometimes puts Nala in the bath and runs the cold water to cool her down, Nala seems to love the water which is why I think that she does not leave us alone while we have a bath.

The downstairs cloakroom is tidy and so is the bathroom, most things are done and we just started to load the truck and trailer ready for departure.

We had to pop out for groceries so that we could make sandwiches for the trip, god forbid Caroline doesn’t have anything to eat whilst we are on route.

Faye and Graydon got back just after lunch time and
First decent every dayFirst decent every dayFirst decent every day

Nala would do her funny decent, every morning
the Nala went banana’s when she saw them, by the time we had handed back over all the relevant information, we actually got away at 14.21.

We switched drivers every hour to ensure that neither of us got too tired, also taking advantage of the numerous rest areas provided along the Pacific Highway, recognising some that we had stopped at 2 years previously.

At one point we stopped for coffee (& batteries for the GPS!). Caroline got the batteries and asked the chap in the petrol station for 2 coffees, his reply “if you want a decent coffee, then leave this one for dead and go next door”. Caroline not being one to argue the point over decent coffee, took his advice then popped into the coffee shop next door. 5 minutes later she was out sporting two skinny latte’s to see us on our way.

As we headed North the weather just got worse and worse, the rain was coming down in stair rods, even with the wipers on fast we had difficulty seeing any distance down the road. A bad storm was in full swing on the Gold Coast, we could see the spectacular displays
Bath Time PuppyBath Time PuppyBath Time Puppy

When Caroline got in the shower, Nala Jumped in the bath
of lightning in front and to both sides of us. Neither of us have seen lightning like it in England, the bolts of lightning seem to appear across the skies, they disappear and immediately new bolts of lightning seem to continue in another direction, seemingly striking the ground at certain intervals.

We got to Coffs Harbour at around 7.45pm and stopped for something to eat. Coffs Harbour was big and colourful not what I remember from last time and we weren’t that interested in staying the night here so we decided to drive on. The rain had stopped very briefly, the sky became a full orange hue and a rainbow appeared. The whole scene seemed like a bizarre twilight.

While we were at eating a man and his family came and sat on the table next to ours and engaged in conversation, it was a man that Caroline had seen when we stopped for coffee some 2 hours earlier. He asked us where we were headed, we explained briefly our plans, he said that he was headed to Surfers Paradise, Caroline looked surprised and said “you are not going to get there tonight, surely, that is another 300
Hang dog lookHang dog lookHang dog look

Nala, had that hang dog look all morning, before Faye and Gaydon got back
kilometres?” The man said “yes”. He already looked tired as he further explained that he had left Geelong yesterday, which is South West of Melbourne, the whole journey would be roughly 1700 kilometres.

Back on the road again, the weather hadn’t changed much, still raining, we kept to a slow speed and when you saw the fuzzy image of a truck bearing down on you, you just waited for the overtaking lane and let them pass.

A for the Pacific Highway No 1 it was only one lane wide in both directions for such a huge amount of freight travelling

We decided earlier on in the journey that we would look for a motel to stay in, there was no way we were going to battle with this weather and sleep in the trailer tent so on we went through to Grafton.

Grafton’s motels/lodges had no vacancies, it was 8.45, so we push on through, at the very worst case it was either spend a night in the truck, or push on another 450 Klicks, to the sunshine coast.

We are staying in Caloundra at Derek and Karen’s doggy sitting until Saturday 3rd of January
Water Shortage, what water shortageWater Shortage, what water shortageWater Shortage, what water shortage

The reason there is a water shortage is because I secretly drink it all
2009 and have a party in Mooloolah, at Ruth and David’s house, on New Years eve which we are looking forward to.

At around 9.00pm we rock up in to a small town called Ulmara, we drove down the main street looking for the local accommodation, there was a hotel, we pulled up outside and Caroline was going to jump out and ask if they had a vacant room, but getting out of the truck she stopped and said “Actually, I am not going in there on my own” so we thought better of it and found a B&B, we parked the truck and went to see if they had any vacancies, A bit like Jesus & Mary really as they had no room at the Inn, but the lady pointed to a place nearly next door and said that may have a room.

The B&B was called Woodfordleigh, and it was lovely a charming old Australian House well over a hundred years old and very tastefully decorated, you could have seen it in Homes and Gardens Magazine, the lady (Jenny) showed us around and it was perfect. We went to get the truck and pulled it along
Rainbow at Coffs HarbourRainbow at Coffs HarbourRainbow at Coffs Harbour

This is a short break in the rain before the storm really hits.
side the room we took, so it was easy to bring our gear in.

After a chat and a cup of tea, we retired for the day.

Another day, another place and another bed.



Additional photos below
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SunsetSunset
Sunset

A brief view of the sunset during a break in the rain. Once we are back on the road the storm hits the coast hard.


4th January 2009

now i understand...
HI! After reading your blog i now see what my naughty dog actually got up to! :-) I haven't used the hose pipe on her but rather I put the sprinklers on which she loves to play with. That is probably why she was a bit taken aback with the hose. :-) I looks like she had a great time! We found the ball-under the couch where they all end up. I will let you know the dates that we will be going away and will send you a ref this week! hope you are having a great time! Faye

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