Saturday and Sunday February 13 and 14 – Packing….and Farewell to Sue and Jim

Packing up is stressful…especially when what you started out with suddenly doesn’t fit into the same limited space. How can Ray always have his bags neatly lined up by the front door ready to be loaded the night before, and I am scuffling around getting Suzie to sit on my suitcase so I can close it minutes before the deadline for leaving? But as always, somehow I managed it.

On Sunday morning, we had big hugs, tearful goodbyes, and last minute pictures and left the house around 10:00 a.m.  in Jim’s SUV heading to the airport to pick up our rental car. On the way we did some last minute sightseeing at the Dr. Chau Chak Wing of the UTS Business School.

What an amazing building built of yellow brick and curved and molded into some amazing patterns. It was hot in Sydney. I read that it was 90C but Sue says that was not possible. But it was hot!! The sun penetrated through our skin as we loaded up the rental car and prepared to leave…all beside a noisy helicopter launch/landing pad….and not before another round of goodbye hugs. Jim and Sue have been the most wonderfully gracious, relaxed, and generous hosts and we have had a great time with them. It’s not such a bad idea living with another couple…..you have a friend to do the cooking with!!

We had a lovely drive from Sydney to Canberra  passing through little rural towns including Mittagong, Bowral, Moss Vale and Sutton Forest. We saw a little blue/turquoise/yellow train touting along beside the highway. We passed through wide open pasture land with beautiful horses and sleek black cows grazing gently in the open space. We passed vinyards, and meadows protected by hedges.We shared a delicious BLT in the Shaggy Cow at Mittagong for lunch. When we walked in there were three highland cattle staring out at us from the wall of the café. Fabulous, fabulous pictures/paintings (?)!! I loved them!! And there were wind turbine farms on the horizon shortly before we drove into Canberra, The rest of the journey was completed on highway which could have been almost anywhere in the world.

We didn’t have a lot of time in Canberra but enough to feel it a very peaceful and ordered town. The buildings are modern, the streets beautifully wide and tree lined, and everything had its place including the man-made  lake. The exciting part was going into Parliament House. I don’t recall seeing pictures of this and it surprised me with its modern architecture and ethereal look. The inside was finished with marble floors and columns, display cases of gifts received from foreign dignitaries, and wooden floors you could see your reflection in. The House of Representatives was beautifully finished in a dulled turquoise and grey colourscheme.

Parliament House, Canberra

House of Representatives

Leaving Canberra we found the B52 to  Bateman's Bay. We travelled through pretty, rolling, and gentle countryside with the aroma of eucalptyus in the air, juxtaposed  to the dark green fir-like reforestration in the background. Beautiful bay, grey, piebald and palomino horses abounded in the fields. Slowly, fog started to roll in, the skies started to darken, and before we knew it we were all alone save the heavy traffic in the opposite direction, heading down long steep descents and hairpin bends in dene fog reminiscent of Scotland and England. We noticed a sign to "Misty Mountain" and wondered if the name bore any resemblance to the conditions we were experiencing. We hadn't noticed climbing "up" but the downhill was long. There were several "safety ramps" for trucks, and buses ....and cars if required. It was quite a ride! Beautiful!! 

Then we arrived in Nelligen and the fog disappeared, the sun came out, and we were on the coast and heading to Bateman's Bay. It was around 7:00 p.m. I think when we got there, and we were worried about getting somewhere to stay. We drove into about the first place we saw that had "vancancy" and got a room. It was basic....very basic....but clean. The guy directed us to the "Soliders' Club" for dinner.....we were quite amazed when we discovered it was a gambling place! However, as we have travelled down the coast today, we realize that is very normal! A very different atmosphere to what we are accustomed!! Then we headed back to the hotel for a good night’s sleep.