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Port Macquire
After leaving Sydney it was nice to roll up to a quieter place. Port was still relativley big compaired to the towns we have at home. But all towns are big here on the coast, and appears that the auzzies have an obsession with big things - more later)
Once setted in the hostel we headed out mid afternoon. I spotted this english girl from on the bus and asked if she fancied joining us to invertigate the place. She was called Bryoney and was from Portsmouth. I swear she laughs more than Emma which is quite something!! Anyway we walked down to the jetty and looked out over the estuary. It was a lovely scene; clear blue water again, sand bars and parsailors. Ther was even a massive pelican watching us. There were a few young local boys fishing on the jetty with their dad supervising or as he called it " getting them out of the house away from their mother". We got chatting to him and he told us what seemed like his life story in 15 mins. I dont know why but since we have been travelling we keep getting complete strangers telling us all their stories and stuff you wouldnt normally tell people. This guy was telling us about how he used to live in Sydney but moved for a quieter life. His eldest son is now in the police force there and he doesnt hear from him much. He worries a lot as its quite dangerous there and his sond collegue was shot and ided there recently. It was so wierd as this guy was a big and hard looking but he told us this. We then watched his young son and mates catch this spiney finned fish and butcher it. He didnt smack it over the head he stuck a knife in its brain just behind the eye and it was still jigging about for ages. Then it was gutted and it was for tea apparently. Well it was nice and fresh.
We left the murder scene and walked down past all the boats and got accosted by people trying to sell us trips. We gave in and decided to go on a sunset cruise whcih was bring your own booze, hour and half for 4 quid. Bargain. We then walked on down the estuary to the sea. The estuary gets more narrow near the sea and looks treacherously rough. It is lined by rocks which are all painted by holidaymakers, travellers etc, to commerate their stay. Its really colourfull and if we had been bothered we could have done one, but it was so hot and we didnt. Time was ticking on and we rushed to the shops to get tea and booze and i bolted my dinner in order to get to the boat in time.
Sunset Cruise & the 'carpark' Downunder Nightclub
We had a prime postion at the front of the boat and all started to chill out when we headed up the river, drinking our beer and getting to know Bryoney. We passed lots of posh houses and moorings, a shell fish farm, a plastic palm tree (even the boat guy couldnt get why?!!) an old sailing boat. The boat driver was areal auzzie and quite amusing. He said it was his ides of real romance that a boat that old was still arond. Not what you could have imagined him saying with a rough beard etc. After we had annoyed the others on the boat and seen the sun go down (very quick) we headed in search of a loo and ended up in a bar. Emma and bry hadnt finished thier drinks so downed them in the loo and left the massive bottles under then sink. We ordered drinks which was a shmiddy ( bit less then half pint) or a schooner ( bit less than pint). We ended up with a few of the latter in really long glasses. We also ened up chatting to an arrogant auzzie and his loozer mate in a pink shirt. The arrogant guy said his mate never has any luck with women and was almiost taking the piss oyut of him. Is it any wonder with a mate like you i thought! He ignored us after they wetre joined by two dog-ugly girls.
We left the bar merry and tryed to find a good club and after trying to seek out this specific irish bar club we went into the palce called Downunder. The place was small and a dump but full of people and music. We were quite drunk at this point and danced away for a bit. Emma got quite abit of attention from some dodgy guy. It was only later we realised after looking out the dooor we were in a car park. I tell you no lie, it was waht looked like a multi storey car park and i stunk of petrol fumes. Time for more drink. I had plenty of watrer too as it is soeasy to dehydrate and its not nice feeeling rough in the heat here. So we partied away and chatted to lots of people and decided it was time to leave. We staggreed home accosting a girl form the hostel who was on her way to catch her bus at 2:00am. We sunk into bed and didnt wake till the morn.
The next day Bryony was bright as a button after pain killer ( these 21 year olds- how do they do it??) emma felt rough and i was tired. Me and Em went body boaringat the beach and arranged to meet with bry later in the afternoon. The walk to the beach took about a year in the heat and we were glasd to get in the water. We caught a few waves. Emma says it was a bit chip-choppidy. We had sarnies on the beach and rushed back to meet bry. We all headed towards the Koala Hospital and after a wild-goose-chase ended up there. I think the garage guy who we asked for directions didnt actually have a clue. We decided we were going to ran-sack the garage on the way back and get some chomps for our trouble.
The Koala Hospital
The hospital itself is set in the forest where you have to go p[ast massive spider webs (wondering where the spiders are) and fat cicadas that make sooo much noise and in sound waves. It was unbearable in some parts. Once at the hospital we could see all the Koalas in thier ouside pens. They looked so cute and out of it. Apparently they are such dosy creature and get stoned on the eucaliptus leaves. Then they fall out of trees and get really stressed and depressed if they cant find more to eat. A lot also get run over, attacked by dogs or burnt in bush fires. Most of the koalas ther were permanently injured and cant survive in the wild, and lot have cyhlamydia which is really serious. It was a shame that we couldnt ket to see them close up and it was so sad when you saw pictures of how badly hurt they get. They look like defencesless teddy bears. There was also stuffed ones and some baby ones pickled which upset me a bit. But people need to learn about them as more and more are getting injured. They have signs anywhere they are know to live to make motorists slow down. They are becoming more scare here which is scary as they only live here. After we had leared about the hard work they do at the hospital we headed home for tea.
Once back we met some new people from our dorm; Paula who just started to work at the hostel, Julie; a forty something trendy mum working for Pepsi promotions when at home and Rodger ('Rodge the Todge' as we came to know him later, although he doesnt know that); a fourty summat who has worked as production manager on TOP GEAR. We had a good old banter with them, and i ate my tea and the rest of what julie had cooked YUM!!! It happened that we were all heading up to Byron Bay and decided to meet up at the Art Factory Hostel. Me bry and Em then headed out to the Observatory via a coast walk past the beach and up to a magnificant view of the coast.
The Port Macquarie Observatory
We thought it would be cool to do some star gazing through the telescope but it was cloudy. As it turns out they do a presentation on the stars. We gave them $5 and were ushered into a small lecture room which had dodgy carpet and reminds me iof a church rooms. It was good in an old school way. Some of the geeky astrologers set up a projection for the laptop and we all sat in anticipation. We were right geeks and sat in the front row. As the talk kicked off we were first shown this really old and knackered but "very valuable" uv painted mechanical model of our solar system. It was wicked and we all got a bit excited. Then we were shown around the nights sky through the net. The projection shows the night sky as it would be over Port Macquarie if theere was no cloud. We visited the milky way and lots of star and we saw how the zodiac signs are all upside down as we are in the southern hemosphere. They were easy to see when the actual figures were displayed on top of the stars, showing almost a dot to dot. Another science geek with a toupe, who was well funny managed to incorperate a salespitch into the presentation. He tryed to flog us a plastic braclet which was actally a light up lolly too, a spinning top and a calender. I have to admit i was quite tempted by the bracelet as he was doing such a good job. He then showed us this flying heicopter blade thing which hovered over us and fell. It wasnt for sale but he said he enjoyed playing wioth it so he would show us anyway. Me bry and em were in hysterics at this point whilt most others were looking not amused. We then put on our 3d glasses and took a trip into the stars and planets which was really fun. The night them came to and end and i was so so tired i was gald. We left with a joy in our hearts knowing that when we get old and geeky and loose our hair we may still be fun.
As soon as we arrived back at the hostel we hit the sack. I was typically not tired now and laid in the dark when everyone elce was asleep wondering what time it was and getting more and more fed up. I evetaully dropped off at some horrible hour and wondered why i couldnt sleep the next day. I maen we ahd had hardly any sleep sice we had arrived in auz!!!!!!!
The next day i was in a foul mood and made sure everyone knew about it. Me bry and em headed off in search of the Rainforest walk and after many hour walking hot hills minus water we arrived absoloutly fagged out. We took a guided tour on high boardwalks throught the coastal forest of Sea Acres. There we saw lots of vines and ferns, a gecko, bush turkey, kookaburra, ciciadias and the stranger fig. The bush turkey is funny looking thing;all black, bald red head and a saggy yellow neck- Attractive, and thats the male. He mooched about scrating up all the leaves and stuff on the forest floor to make a massive pile (the nest). There he monitors the temp of the eggs and buries them/ adds more leaves ect to regulate the temp. The stranger fig is a fantastic tree. The seed is deposited in the tops of trees by a bird where it sends thin roots down the host tree. When they reach the floor the roots get stronger and thicker and then join togeater crishing the tree in between it. The fig is then left with a hollow in the middle of it where the host tree rots and dies. The forest floor is very fertile but also very thin. The trees have butress roots which go out for ages to stabalise the tree. When the british came over and wanted to breed cattle and farm the land they cut down the forests. After the land had been used for a short while the land was no longer fertile as ther were no nutrients going back into the soil. As a result the land was useless and much of the australian rain forest have been destoryed.
After our tour we sat down in the cafe and got told to b***** off as we ate pur own sarnies. we sat outside where we got accosted by a hungry and far too tame bush turkey. After lunch we headed down to Shelly beach. It was so big and beautiful with a small smattering of surfers. The sea had lots of red bits in it from the strong currents battering the seaweed. Ther was a carved statue of this guy called Harry, a tramp who lived on the beach. The council wanted to get rid of him but the townspeople petitioned to have him stay as he kept the beach clean. Whe he died a statue was made and he has a tiled spiral written to commerate him. It tells of the thong tree he hung all the lost flip-flops on. and then went and had a walk along the whole beach, returning just in time to leg it up the hill and hop on the bus home. THANK GOD
When we got back we had tea and chilled out to prepare for the night we had in store as we are stupid idiots; We booked up a bus to take us to our next destination- Coffs Harbour. The bus left at ten to get us into coffs at 12:30. As i happens the bus trip was an hour longer as some people were missed and stranded. We would arrive at Coffs Harbour tired out after no sleep the night before with A TENT TO PITCH AT 1:30 IN THE MORN, WITH THE ONLY HELP IN THE FORM OF A SMALL PENCIL SIZED TORCH. Sounds like fun ?!!........
We said goodbye to the folks at Port Macquarie, knowing we would see them at Byron Bay again, and headed off into the night......
......TO BE CONTINUED
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