A wet start

You know what it’s like. You are six weeks out from the start of a trip and you have all the time in the world to get prepped. And before you know it, there are two days and you are in the same position. Consequently I am sure we have packed* too much and the car and the van are bulging at the seams.

* thrown together at the last minute.

We got off to an early start which was pretty remarkable, with a rare fine day which makes travelling so much easier. The eastern part of Australia has been in perpetual spring, so the highway cut a broad ribbon through lush green fields of the Southern Highlands. As we pottered along at a sedate pace I reflected on the many years we had been on this road in its various forms. My first trip (in opposite direction from Sydney to Canberra) was in 1968. There was water in Lake George at that time also. My, how the road has changed! Back then it was quite dangerous – narrow, crests – the odd overtaking lane encouraging unnecessary boldness, perhaps better regarded as foolhardiness.

Jen required that I drive the Sydney leg along the M7, M2 and Northconnex tunnel to emerge on the M1 which theoretically would be our route all the way to Cairns, almost 2,500 kilometres and 43 days away. Jen’s confidence was misplaced as I missed the exit to the tunnel and we found ourselves heading in the wrong direction towards the City of Sydney, requiring us to traverse some very old paths along the Pacific Highway through Pymble, Turramurra and Wahroonga to find our way back on course. It is funny how driving along this well-worn road transported us emotionally to the trips of many years ago when we would dodge and weave through mysterious shortcuts, engendering a smugness for having beaten the traffic. But not on this occasion.

I have mentioned before that for Jenny, it is about the journey, whereas I am more interested the destination. And so we get used to various diversions to see an interesting site, or catch up with an old friend. On this occasion Jenny made contact with Kerry (sister-in-law) for a coffee and chat at the Garden Cafe at Ourimbah, just off the highway. It was a familiar stop as this had been the cafe of choice to catch up with Jenny’s dad and others of the Sinclair clan.

When I think about the choices I have made in life, a recurring theme has been the tendency to let advice from folk wiser than me go unheeded. So when my friend John Mann, fellow traveller, told me not to stay at the Australian Motor Home Village at Twelve Mile Creek, I dismissed his advice. I was reminded of this about every two minutes as a B-Double thundered down the M1 about 50 meters from our motorhome.I was reminded of this as I stumbled through ankle-deep mud to get to the primitive “amenity” block. I was reminded of this as we navigated the pot holes and sink holes on the roadways and began thinking we would be better off with a submersible vehicle.

We visited Jenny’s brothers, James and John, at Medowie and shared a meal with them at a nice pub, the Junction Inn, at Raymond Terrace. It was bit noisy but the food was wonderful, and it was good to catch up.

Day Two sees us at Port Macquarie where the roar of the B-Doubles has been replaced by the low rumble of waves crashing on the stone walls of the breakwater, and the cooling sea breeze keeps us nicely refreshed. We arrived here in the early afternoon, with Anne and John Mann waiting for us, keen for a walk to find a coffee shop. There must have been a referendum of the coffee shops to close on Saturday afternoons, for finding one open was difficult. But we eventually succeeded.

It had been a pleasant and relaxed drive up the highway to Port Macquarie, interrupted only by an excursion to Tea Gardens to catch up with our old neighbours, Tony and Trish, from Kambah from many years ago. It is time for an early night after a couple of days on the road. Anne has made a delightful and mild curry for dinner, so we are refuelled and refreshed and ready for sleep.

Tomorrow awaits with church at the local Uniting congregation (the minister and our friends Steve and Glynn Larkin bolted for WA when they were advised we were coming) and a bit of touring in the district.

Only two days down, but already many good moments.