Day 26: Fingal Bay (Port Stephens) to Lake Macquarie . . . Monday 19th November

Left and made for Newcastle, not an especially nice place as it is a centre for the mining industry, from there we set our compass for Lake Macquarie and on a whim visited what turned out to be an exclusive lakeside development called Murrays Beach. I went for a swim in the lake (very warm) and when I came back Maureen was talking to a chap who was there having a look round with his wife and her two cousins, who were visiting from New Zealand. Paul invited us to join him, his wife Lenora and her cousins Jan and Raewyn for dinner at their house that evening, which we gratefully accepted. They went off to show Jan and Raewyn the sites and we went off to spend a peaceful afternoon at one of the bays at Lake Macquarie. Paul had drawn us a map which was really useful as we would never have found them without it. They really did us proud with some lovely local scallops and prawns as a starter, followed by lasagne, finished off with apple pie and cream and coffee. They were really excellent and well travelled hosts and coupled with Jan and Raewyn, were a mine of interesting information about places and things to see, the consequence being that we chatted the evening away until we realised it was midnight. We thought we had more than put them out enough as it was and declined the spare room but did accept their kind offer of using the drive to park the van on and sleep for the night. I don't know if it was the food, wine (yes there was some of that), company or what but I had the best night so far and didn't wake up until Maureen poked me in the ribs to tell me not to wear our welcome out. They were all up and ready for a day out at some local gardens, so after saying our goodbyes and exchanging addresses we made our way off.

Day 26: Lake Macquarie to Wisemans Ferry . . . Tuesday 20th November

After leaving the "Finch" residence we made our way around the opposite side of Lake Macquarie, had breakfast at another of the beautiful little bays and then on to Wyong to get some travellers cheques changed up. While we were at the bank we got chatting to the "teller" and she is going to Northern Ireland the week after we get home in January and Kellee and her partner "Mal" have a 2 day stopover in London on their way, so after being on the receiving end of Peter and Lenora's generosity we thought a bit of good will on our part was in order, and we gave her our details and told her to give us a ring and let us know if they wanted "putting up" for a couple of nights. From there we made our way towards the Hawksbury River via Peats Ridge, Central Mangrove, Mangrove Mountain and then across the river at Wisemans Ferry (on the ferry, which runs 24 hours a day and is free . . . just like home!) We found a little site right on the river and it is really a beautiful spot, it is where the NSW water ski training camps are held and some of the local lads have been going through their paces and they are very talented. Maureen was giving my barnet a trim up when a couple of local lads came by and ripped me about my hair and said that it made me look ten years younger . . . well I told 'em . . . I'm 92 so I don't think I look too bad! One of them who was about 30ish, was an ex pat from Aylesbury in Bucks and has been out here ten years and is a chef at Palm Beach (Summer Bay), I really thought we were in for another evening of fine dining, but tonight we had to cook our own, Peter!

Day 27: Wisemans Ferry to Sydney . . . Wednesday 21st November

At 1 a.m. I could have sworn that I heard banjos playing, but perhaps I was just dreaming? The site was erring on the side of "Deliverance" and was dirty, the owner (a women in her early thirties wore a black baseball cap with a "nearly" matching pair of shorts and t-shirt all of which hadn't seen a washing machine since last Christmas, by the way nor had the toilets or showers seen a mop, but you would never be short of used toilet paper in an emergency. Most sites are good, some better than others, but you have to take the rough with the smooth (sound like my mother now). After making a hasty retreat we headed back across Wisemans Ferry heading towards Sydney. Made a turn-off to Mona Vale, Avalon and Palm Beach . . . your neck of the woods S&L . . . first stop Palm Beech, lovely beaches running along the peninsula with very expensive apartments and houses. Had a chat with Alf from Summer Bay "Home & Away" on location at the beach, we took just a few shots . . . Keith thought of sending jpeg's to the News of the World to fund our trip but decided against it. I didn't even know who he was, but Keith did . . . sad sod. After that excitement moved onto Whale Beach but unfortunately no whales today, then onto Bingolo Beach where we tried to find someone's car keys who had lost them in the sand, ended up ferrying him home to collect a duplicate set. Next to the Lookout over Bingolo Beech, took pics of kestrels but still no whales!!! Found a campsite just outside Sydney, very expensive for Oz $40 per night which equates to £19 pricey here but not expensive for England, good location because in the morning we can take a bus into Sydney to see the sights. You'll all be happy to know that you are not the only ones getting rain it's 9.30 p.m and we are having one hell of a storm but we are warm and dry but not so lucky for the folks in the tent next door, still thats life . . . we've all been there!!!!!!