Racing up highway 1 we got to our next destination - Coffs Harbour. This was the first time we were to enter a city that felt like something in the states, with loads of traffic and large restaurant and fast food chains on the side of the road.

The campsite here was brilliant and the first one that had a waterslide. Well Andrew D was in his element as he braved the freezing cold water to slide down it as many times as possible. Unfortunately pesky kids kept getting in the way.

The big attraction in Coffs Harbour is The Big Banana. The first big thing built that started a craze around Australia to build big things. After numerous attempts to set the camera to automatically go off to get us both stood proud in front of the thing we set off to look round it.

There was a theatre presentation on bananas. Andrew D thought it was good, but I sat there thinking how surreal and how not entertaining it all was. However the most surreal show was yet to come further up the coast (coffee pots attending Miss United States…..)

The best thing at Big Banana was the giant toboggan run they have. Andrew D predictably nervous and rightly so after the incidents in the Far East, Andrew B was raring to go, so we queued up and got our toboggans, these are like a plastic tea tray with a break that was slightly doggy.

We got dragged up a very steep hill with are nerves racing. Coming down was fun but as there was only one track it got a little annoying when the person in front of you went slow. After about fifty million goes on the thing we had probably the worst food of anywhere. It was only chicken and chips but somehow they made it taste rubbish. Which was very disappointing as being hardened backpackers eating out is a real treat.

We spent the next day reading our books around the campsite as it is a cheap way to kill time. Also it gave Andrew D further chances to get down the waterslide.

The campsite also had complimentary internet and for the one and only time in Australia it actually worked.

We only stayed 3 nights in Coffs Harbour and looking back we should and could have stayed longer as it was one of those places that just felt right and had everything you would and could need.

Our plan was to make our way from here up to Byron Bay which is said to be the promised land, but there was a big blues concert on and all accommodation was sold out, we decided however to take the longer route inland.

This would lead us over the mountains and away from the sea for the first time in a good few weeks.