Must say felt good to get some sleep. Decided to try to get to the bike shop for around 8:30 to pick up me steed. I had picked the hotel I was at because it wasn't too far from the bike shop. So I woke up about 6 and lollygagged about and tried to figure out how to pack things again. So far I'm pretty happy I do not have too much stuff so far. So I got me bike gear on and managed to put my smaller suitcase in the larger one and fill it with everything. I only had to carry me soft bag and helmet so that worked pretty good.   This suitcase was now pretty hefty however...but it was easy to carry it all this way. So with lots of time to spare I went to the front desk to settle up and get a taxi...not into doing the bus again...right about here I realized the error of me ways. Parramattor road....seems to be the main artery into downtown Sydney. Can you say rush hr......it was a line of cars in the way I needed to go far as the eye could see both ways......frig...no matter where ya are there is always a traffic problem.
 
So the gal at the desk helped me out and ordered a taxi on her ipad....7 minutes to arrive...and he did. We packed up the car...the lil guy couldn't pick up the suitcase.....so I had to grunt it into the trunk. Then off we went...right into bumper to bumper traffic...my driver was from Korea...nice guy....eyes lit up when he saw my samsung phone. Took us about an hour to go 4 kms....and as we got about a block away it started to pour out. This is not good I was thinking....but it is what it is.   We found the bike shop.....got out in the pouring rain...feeling poorer...35 bucks to go 4 kms...sheesh. There was a basement shop with a driveway...I walked in that way and there was me bike...all ready to go. Thought that was cool.  
 
It only took about 20 mins to do the paperwork and sign my life away, Selena was great...and I got a cool new map...but she made me pay for it...full price....and with that I got to get started on loading up the steed. Once they found out how many RT's I had ridden and km's they said...dude...you got this call us if you need anything. So with a target of leaving about 9....I managed to get out at about 10:30. Hmmmmmmmmm ah well..tiss a holiday. I had the gps routes already loaded and only had to select day 1...and I was ready to go...sort of.....had to get over the first ride in a new town where they ride on the friggin wrong side of the road jitters. The bike has about 100k kms on it but it seems in good shape with a few road rashes but all good.  

On the plus side the rain stopped. Ohhhhhh and they gave me new tires... metzlers.. sigh.... sooooo let me sum this up for you. New tires are great.....but they are very slippery when they are brand new for a bit....now....put them on streets that got a bit of a rinsing. They now become super slick. Greeatttt. With that off I went...avoiding right turns till I got me sea legs and was trusting the bike . After a few blocks I was good to go....  

Started to follow the sage advice of the all knowing GPS gal mostly because I really didn't look at a map to see where I was going that day...just had an idea of the direction that was about it, and I couldn't tell east from north etc etc. I was kinda not liking the first bit of trying to get out of the city....its fairly narrow roads and nothing goes straight for very long...no idea what direction I was travelling. I just put blind faith in the gal....I was going to go to Bondi beach...but with the rain...and grey clouds hanging around decided against it and to get on me way. I had to get to Bateman's bay...where me first hotel was.   Soooo as expected...I was being cautious with the tires...had to pass a guy...made a lane change and just gave a lil gas....back end slid out quicker than I could verbalize the f bomb in me head. It even beat the traction control but I think it kicked in a bit. Got it under control and was off......it seems that Sydney is big.........it took forever it seemed to get out of the city and with a final left turn I was into the park area. Once I got there it was really like a different world....traffic lightened up and it was kinda like a jungle.....and it was misting......not quite raining. The temp was fine though. One thing of mention....not sure if you remember the Subaru brat....it was a car sort of but kinda like a truck....well...a newer version of these are here....everywhere. Saw one with a 6 liter in it...serious overkill.
 
I was rubbernecking the whole time...all sorts of different trees....and stuff. Was starting to settle into the fact I was finally riding again...and in a cool part of the world. Now I was warned big time to be careful in evenings and to try to not ride at night at all cuz of the wildlife n all. Enough folks told me about the kangaroos but they added in Wombats, horses, goats, emus, sheep, cows, donkeys, eagles (they eat the road kill and if you surprise them.....bad day for him and you), and several others that I can't remember.   The roads were getting wetter and I had to take it easy. The road got really interesting...nice bike road cept for the tire thing and the wet thing...so had to take it real easy. I found a river crossing that floods....with a marker to show how high....well it was above the bike and my head when sitting on it. Not much traffic.....and I found a road that went off the beaten path a ways so figured I should check it out. Nice road that led me to a retreat to do team building....a gaggle had harnesses on and looked like they were about to do some rappelling in the area....and it was a cool area.... right on the water...found my first watch out for the Roos sign....and.....it started to really rain. I had to put me gear on, not expecting that....
   
So there I was at the side of the road pouring out and I had me rain pants half up one leg...hopping around..trying to do it with dignity..and a car pulls up on the highway and stops beside me.....the guy rolls down the window....I did a freeze frame and stopped.....One leg in a bizarre position....barely balancing...I look at him...he looks at me...he laughs...and says "Sorry mate...thought you were my buddy who has a motorbike!" Water is pouring from the sky at a copious rate...I grin....give a nod...and commenced to hopping around like a blind kangaroo....
 tugging at me pant leg...finally it slid on. That was easy.....not. Hmmm that was odd.....to say the least. Either way I was snug as a bug in a rug...and the road just got crazy good. But it was pouring out and I was in a crazy thick forest it was dark in the shadows and the roads were slick. This went on for a while.....and then I popped out of this cool forest and there was the ocean....great view.   I was on the Grand Pacific Drive.....too cool. I was ultimately heading along the coast now to a place called Bateman Bay.    Seems it was almost where Sydney ended up. It was discovered first by Capn Cook (not morgan) but he passed on it...and then found the harbour that Sydney is now in.  
 
So the rain seemed to slow up....but not quite so couldn't shed the gear yet....but everywhere was a view....beautiful coastline.....and Christian had put in points of interest in the routes I ended up in this residential area up on this high point and it was a hidden lookout. No way I would have found that. Too cool.   Below me was a wicked view and a cool village...so I wandered into it found the beach to take some pics and found a place for a Latte. Just a small village...not sure what people do there except surf....eat...etc.....Time to hit the road again. This road went on for a bit but eventually it put me into the main hwy....not so scenic.
 
Well....I have a gripe about drivers back home. Why is it that people drive slow in the fast lane? It is very annoying on Anthony Henday. Well got on the main hwy here and discovered an Australian ism.....it seems based on my limited exposure...everybody here seems to drive in the fast lane in big road clots.....pulling over seems very rare. The left lane (remember they drive on wrong side of road here so the left lane is the slow lane) is almost empty at times and the right lane is plugged. Ohhhh and another thing....you can split lanes here on a bike. Its just regulated more than in other places I have been. WAHOOOOO! On the negative side seems the police here are revenue collectors of the best kind for the gov. They give fines for anything I have been warned. A guy whilst riding removed his foot from the footpeg and stretched his leg.....pulled over....144 dollar ticket. A guy left his window open on his car 3cm...and walked away.....a hundred and some dollar ticket. Seems you have to secure your vehicle if you are to be more than 3 meters from it....uhhhhh wowser.....but its okay to have an open beer in you lap...but you can not drink it. So far I have not seen a lot of police...yay.
 
Well me butt was saying time for a break so I saw a rest stop on the hwy and pulled in. Hopped off me bike and popped me lid off and I heard a "Heyyy whats the camera on your helmet for?" A couple of gals were sitting on a bench and they wandered over and they ended up bending my ear for a while. Karen and Janice, they gave me a bunch of tips and wondered why we build basements in our houses back home. Seems Holmes on Homes is on cable here....did not know that. I'm finding it interesting...soon as I talk to anyone....they know I am Canadian. I begged my leave and as it was nice now I also stripped me rain gear off and packed it up and with that hopped on the bike again and hit the road. The rest of the ride was pretty uneventful.....and soon enough I found me hotel just outside of town. Unpacked, changed.....and went outside to get some supper at the restaurant...it was a beautiful eve.   
 
Well I stopped to take in the view...peaceful. Somewhere in that I looked up to watch some big birds flying over. Just about crapped my pants....these big birds were bats. Huge ones....I could only stare as hundreds of them were flying over and they were huge. They were the size of dogs.......I made a beeline for the restaurant. Bob the dude who checked me in....chuckled at me as I pointed at the sky and manage to get out bats....big ....omg....wtf..... he just said...Ya mate...they grow big around here. He said they were fruit bats they head out at night and back in the morning.... wowser....did not expect to see that. Oh and Cockatoos are flying all over the place too, people seem surprised that we think they are exotic pets.
 
After a great steak and chatting with the staff at the hotel for a while decided time to crash. It was big time dark out and a bit of a walk to the room outside....lets just say it was a fast walk with hands flailing over my head the whole freaking way.....slammed the door. Cool day....Auzzieland is full of surprises.