Day 37 - Good bye Port Stephen, hello Sydney

---

I woke by the alarm today. It was a difficult job to wake up today! Normally, I wrote my blog on the move, mostly during, or straight after the events that occur. Yesterday, that didn’t happen. I was simply too engaged in what I was doing. In order to blog. This was mainly because there was no, ‘bus time’, and my phone died after unsuccessfully attempting to video the dolphins! So last night I spent a couple of hours writing the blog, retrospectively writing the blog, then labelling all the photos. People often say to me, not to stress about missing a day, but it is important for me to record my days, because I make my blog into a book for me to remember my travels well. As they are detailed of events, thoughts, and feelings, when I read the books a year later, I go straight back to that place. So, it simply had to be done! Hence my extreme tiredness first thing this morning. I always pull round after coffee!

I hadn’t quite pulled myself round when Angelika arrived at my patio for breakfast. We agreed to meet at 8am for a breakfast of last nights leftovers. I actually enjoyed anti pasti for a change. I also have a prosciutto and cheese sandwich for later, on the bus.

Today is a bitter-sweet day. I can’t believe that today will be our final full day as a group together! Our final dinner as group, but also our last meeting with our tour guide Lyndsey. Then tomorrow I will meet with Bernard, my nephew who lives in Sydney. OMG…. I’m so excited to see him! It’s been 6 years since I saw him, briefly. I’m feeling quite emotional today!

We are meeting at Bruce the bus at 8:50. As I was already late getting to bed last night, I decided to do all my case sorting, and leaving preparation before bed. So I didn’t have much to do this morning.

I made myself a coffee to go. Any extra caffeine will be helpful this morning, hand my key in, I’m good to go!

We are setting off for a vineyard tour at Tamburlaine Organic Wines in the Pokolbin. It is a short drive from Cessnock in the Hunter Valley.

We drove over the Hexham Bridge. This bridge is a well used pair of road bridges that carry the Pacific Highway across the Hunter River from Tarro to Tomago in the Hunter Region of NSW. It comprises two separate structures; a steel truss bridge opened on the 17 December 1952.

We were met at the winery by our host for the tour. We were given hi viz vests in preparation for the tour. We arrived the first vines to hear how, and why they are planted, and nurtured in a he way they are growing, but I was struggling! I simply have no interest in wine stuff. It’s more than that today, my ear had popped out during the journey this morning, so I am on less hearing than normal, which is at about 30%! She mentioned the bird sounds, and explained about the black cockatoo…. I heard nothing. I would have benefited from my hearing aids today, but hindsight is a wonderful thing! I was trying hard to continue, with the tour, but my face, and body language is arguing with that. I am now forward thinking the rest of this tour. It’s not looking positive for me. I have very little smell, very little taste, hearing, it is worse than normal, and to make it worse, I don’t drink wine. I want out. Luckily for me Lyndsey read me. She asked if I would prefer to sit inside, which was a blessing for me. I’m feeling very frustrated about my lacking of the senses right now.

I returned to the member’s bar. The lady there made me a cappuccino. I was quite emotionally frustrated with myself. It was good to sit quietly for a while, but also to be supported by Lyndsey. Before we left, I got the opportunity to explain myself to the tour guide, so that she was able to understand my actions. I did not react out of disrespect for her, but frustration for me. Although, when the group did return to the members bar for their tasting session; I did enjoy watching their interaction with the tasting session. On reflection, this emotional wave that I seem to be in today, it could also be related to the sadness of ending the tour, leaving friends, but also the excitement of meeting with Bernard, and starting a new holiday experience! Who knows!!!

We left at 1:45 to continue on Pacific Highway in the direction to Sydney. At around 3pm we left The Hunter Valley, and entered The Central Coast.
Driving through the mountains ranges. These roads were built by the convicts in the 1800’s.

1825 the NSW Government began work on an inland road to connect Sydney to the Hunter Valley, a distance of 264 kilometres. Up to 720 convicts worked on, what was originally known as, the Great North Road and built stonework including buttresses, culverts, bridges and 9-metre-high retaining walls. The road was completed in 1836. Due to ongoing improvements, and modernisation, the original area of the road is now closed to motor vehicles, but can be walked.

We went through the Northconnex tunnel. It is the newest tunnel in the area, built in 2020. It is a nine kilometre twin tunnel linking the M1 Pacific Motorway at Wahroonga to the Hills M2 Motorway at West Pennant Hills in Sydney’s north.

We are starting to close in on Sydney now. It is 4:10pm. We should start seeing the recognisable sights soon. We got the first view of Sydney Opera house, and the harbour from a distance.

We arrived at our hotel, Vibe, at about 4:15. We all went straight to our rooms to settle in. I put my case in the room. There was a personalised greeting in the TV! Wow! I met Angelika for coffee, then had a shower, and got dressed for tonight. It’s our final evening. Therefore our final dinner together. Lyndsey will have dinner with us, then we won’t see her again as she is leaving at 5am. Whereas the group will have brekky together at the hotel tomorrow before we check out.

We all met at 6:15 to sign our thank you card for Lyndsey before going up to the rooftop restaurant for dinner. I have been texting with Bernard to let him know that I have arrived in Sydney. He is only 15 minutes away, so he is coming to the hotel for drinks either us. It feels so surreal!

I ordered a Salted Espresso, as it’s our last night! Dinner will be a 5 person share plate. Then, I got the tap on my shoulder. I practically jumped out of the chair! It’s Bernard. We hugged so hard. I cried, of course! Aw…. I felt so emotional… again. It’s definitely been an emotional day, all day for me today. He joined the group for dinner. It was all so easy, it’s like I saw him only yesterday!

We chatted about all of the things that we can go whilst I’m here with him. I’m staying with Bernard for the next two weeks. I am sad to be saying goodbye to the group tomorrow, especially Angelika, we’ve spent a lot of one to one time together. It’ll be emotional. But, at the same time, I can’t wait for my next phase with Bernard, to start!

---