9-12 October: Returning down under…

Author: Mrs A

Location: Sydney, Australia

Wednesday: We finally stepped out of Sydney International Airport into a gloomy grey spring day, drizzle in the air and a chilly southerly breeze blowing. It was around 7.30am, yet our lovely friend Jenny was there to pick us up, breathing sunshine into our morning.

Before long we were back at her apartment and the kettle was on – yes, US folk, an electric kettle. You can’t beat a nice cup of tea after 29 hours of travelling!

The drizzle progressed into torrential rain and throughout the day we did all our washing and drying with a short afternoon nap. We needed to get ourselves rebooted ready for a jovial evening.

Jenny and David had invited mutual friends, Colin and Di over for dinner. We last saw Colin and Di on our travels through Provence a couple of years ago, where we spent a fun weekend in their gorgeous French villa helping to celebrate Colin’s birthday and eating and drinking fine food (for a change, ha ha!).

It was a fun catch up with lots of laughter – keeping us awake til after midnight and staving off the jet lag…or so we hoped.

Friday: Another wet and gloomy day where jet lag provided another early awakening. During the morning a friend called to let us know our friend Eric had been taken into hospital on Tuesday for surgery to remove a tumour. It turned out the hospital is just 20 minutes drive away from where we were staying with Jenny and David. It’s funny how fate intervenes.

We jumped in the car and paid Eric a visit. It was great to see him in such good spirits despite what must have been a painful procedure, and we had a good chat and laugh with him, and are hopeful the surgeons have been successful in removing all the cancer.We finished off our day with another meal at Jenny and David’s local family owned Italian restaurant – more delicious food concluding with a Limoncello (two each for the boys!), in that great Italian tradition. Cheers!As much as we have loved our time with Jenny and David, we’re hopeful our house will be ready for us to move back in tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

7-12 September: A brief return to city life

Author: Mrs A

Friday – location: Newcastle

We continued our journey south, watching the temperature drop a few degrees and the skies turn grey and heavy with rain. We were to have a somewhat gentle introduction to city life, with an overnight with our friends Karen and Chris in Merewether, Newcastle.

Tassie’s been here before, and was soon running from room to room, exploring every nook and cranny before crashing out on our bed exhausted from all the excitement. We meanwhile relished in fast internet speeds, and relaxed with a cup of herbal tea to catch up on news.Tea progressed into champagne, and the four of us then went out for a delicious local curry – Mark and Chris careful not to overdo the cheese and nibbles before we went!

Saturday-Wednesday – location: Sydney

After a delicious breakfast in Newcastle, we moved on for the last leg back into Sydney. We’d booked caravan storage in Marrickville, quite a central location, but this meant driving through Saturday afternoon traffic on one of Sydney’s busiest arteries, Parramatta Road…not really designed for towing.Mark drove excellently despite the stressful conditions, and before long we were emptying the last of our freezer bits and pieces and heading to our friends’ apartment in Matraville, not far from Botany Bay for a delicious roast lamb dinner and a well deserved glass of red wine.

Sunday was Mr A’s birthday, so we were joined by about 30 friends at a pub in the city for drinks and nibbles and a general catch up. Much fun and frivolity ensued of course.Monday and Tuesday were earmarked for the all essential medical check ups, with good news for Mr A’s eye pressures, less good news for my airway (but a new procedure to try in October), and some steroid injections into my foot to allow some comfortable hiking in the USA.

We got all our jobs done and managed to fit in a couple of cups of tea with friends too. Sydney was back to its usual sparkling self:

Wednesday was a final packing day as we fly off to Los Angeles in the morning. We started with an early morning walk in the Malabar Headland National Park. Mr A and Jenny walked, while I (on doctors orders not to use my foot much, post injections) did a little bird spotting – mostly wattle birds, New England honeyeaters, lorikeets, cockatoos and fairy wrens. What a pretty area and great time of day to enjoy the sunrise and birdlife.Mr A took the opportunity to catch up with a bunch of old work colleagues for lunch while I had a hair cut. Lovely.We finished off our day joining Jenny and David for dinner at a local Italian restaurant. Fabulous food and company as always.While we are away, Miss Tassie will be staying here at her luxury pad in Matraville for the next month. She’s settled in nicely, already solar mapping out the apartment. Apparently the new chairs on the balcony suit her, while she is also finding the colour scheme elsewhere works with her glossy blue coat. She’s in good hands here.

Monday 19 March: Feeling very lucky!

Author: Mr A

Location: Bulahdelah, NSW

Lucky in so many ways…that we went to such an awesome wedding yesterday and shared in the happiness of our friends getting hitched. Lucky also that we have headed off today for our next big trip, 6 months of caravanning around this beautiful country, initially heading up the east coast. Also a lot luckier than the folk in Tathra, on the NSW south coast, who have just lost their homes and caravans in the terrible bushfire. We were camped in the caravan park ourselves a few weeks ago. Really terrible destruction down there, it’s hard to imagine how devastating it is for these families to lose everything. Also lucky that after having my eyes checked this morning all is still well and the stent (fitted a few years ago) is still working properly to reduce pressure and save further deterioration in my vision.

This is my first post for a while, it has been a tough few weeks and I haven’t really felt like writing, so today decided to reflect on a great weekend, and count our blessings.

So feeling a little dusty after the weekend’s celebrations, and root canal treatment this morning, we collected our caravan from its parking spot outside our local bowlo, and pointed the Cruiser north. We had originally thought we would only make it to Wisemans Ferry today, but after a quick getaway decided to push on up up the freeway to Bulahdelah, a small RV friendly settlement now bypassed but looks still to be thriving, with the first donation camp beside the river being full. We carried on to the edge of town and found a nice $18 site on the showground, maintained by volunteers from the Lions Club. Plenty of room, nice grassy spots, toilets and water. Starting to feel a little excitement now that we have months stretching in front of us of the travelling life.The plan is as follows; head up the east coast of NSW this week, through the rain by the sound of it, then meeting up next weekend with some fellow Zoners just north of Coffs Harbour. Then making a friend’s property in western Brisbane home for Easter, then more friends in Noosa for the following week. After that we actually haven’t decided more than “keep the ocean on our right”, we tend to only book about 3/4 weeks ahead. Most likely we will go up into the Northern Territory before heading down the centre to be back in Sydney mid September.

We are again travelling with our “adventure cat” Tassie, who seemed quite excited when we pulled up today and there is a new view for her. However, we have left behind our big double kayak, after using it for the last weeks down the south coast. It’s just not practical to travel off road with the 7.3 metre kayak balanced on the top of our roof racks. Instead we have put the little inflateable boats back in the car.What else are we doing differently on this trip? Well we returned to to our pre-travel regime of fasting two days a week. Cutting out pies and snacks, and getting back to our fighting weights. It was a fasting day today, so tempting as it was being a little hungover to pile some fatty stuff in on the road, we resisited, and the first food since the wedding dinner last night is one of Catherine’s amazing veggie Pad Thais. Just delicious! It’s hard not to treat every day like a “holiday feast”, but when you’re travelling long term thats a recipe for getting over our recommended weight, as we did last year.

So here we go, we’re on the road again!

Friday-Monday 9-12 March: Ulladulla to Sydney

Author: Mrs A

Location: Ulladulla, Berry and Sydney

Friday was a big driving day as we left Merimbula and began heading north back to Sydney. Our destination for the night was Ulladulla, and the four hour drive felt like eight as Miss Tassie fidgeted and mewed for treats the whole way. As soon as we were unhitched on our bushy headland site we decided to explore, leaving Tassie to catch up on her 22 hours sleep!There was a lot of birdlife around our camp, with yellow robins, honeyeaters, fairy wrens, black cockatoos, wattle birds all flitting around. We climbed down to the beach and discovered pelicans, white bellied sea eagles and pied cormorants – a veritable sanctuary of feathered creatures.Our stay was brief, however, and the following morning we headed back on our way.

The next stop was back in Berry with our friends Barb and Omar. We parked up at the top of their property, treated to fantastic views over the district.That evening we enjoyed a delicious night out at the local Thai restaurant where other friends Alan and Jo joined us, entertaining us with stories of their goats and life on the farm.

Sunday morning we said farewell again and set off up the highway back to Sydney. We unhitched at Narabeen Lakeside caravan park (just a 20 minute drive from our home, should it not be rented). It feels quite strange to be so close to where we have lived for 14 years and yet be on fairly unfamiliar territory. Unfortunately they do not allow any pets on site, so we then drove Tassie to Hornsby to stay with her fur grandparents, Rosemary and Richard. She spent a few months with them last year, so it was lovely to see her settle comfortably in with them immediately – first jumping onto Richard’s lap for cuddles, then snuggling onto a cushion beside Rosemary. A busy day for all of us.

Today, Monday, I will not dwell on, but it was a very emotional day. We farewelled our friend Tim in a beautiful service at St Joseph’s College in Hunters Hill, followed by food and drinks at the Woolwich Wharf Hotel. There were many tears shed, some laughs, and plenty of beautiful memories shared. We caught a taxi home, physically and emotionally drained for a quiet evening. I took a sunset walk up to the Narabeen Headland to clear my head, and to remind myself how fortunate we are to be amongst such beauty, with so much to live for.A lovely quote caught my eye on a bench at one of the lookouts, an apt thought to end the day on:

Goodbyes are only for those who love with their eyes. Because for those who love with their hearts and souls there is no such thing as separation. – Rumi

Tuesday 6 February: And we’re off!

Author: Mr A

Location: Kendalls on the Beach, Kiama

So today was the day when our preparations came to an almighty climax…steady…and we left Sydney for Phase 1 of our Second Big Trip. Our new tenants arrive tomorrow, the house was being inspected this afternoon, and we thought we had everything pretty much under control with only our bathroom to clean after our showers this morning. So perhaps the house sensed we were deserting it, leaving it to cope with the vagaries of another bunch of strangers moving in. Whatever it was, Murphy’s Law operated and as I turned the shower tap on Catherine shouted out from some distance away “Why am I getting soaked?!” The shower head had decided it was a good time to play up and water was spurting all over the room.

A quick text to our property manager, who wasn’t even supposed to be working today, and their plumber turned up less than an hour later. Now that’s good service! He soon had the problem under control and we left the house a little behind schedule at midday feeling a little nervous about what we will find when we return in October. Casting doubts aside we drew away and headed through reasonable (for Sydney) morning traffic. Tassie was a little restless (for new readers she’s our other family member – the Burmese camping cat), but some serious brushing from Mrs A sorted her out.

We only had a short trip today and we were soon pulling into our home for the next two nights in a small caravan park in Kiama. We haven’t stayed here before but first impressions pretty good, especially when we saw a poster on the check in desk advertising a farmer’s market tomorrow! We set up on a nice grassy site and then found the beach within staggering distance. Just what we needed after the stresses of the last few weeks, trying to get everything organised.So here’s the plan in summary.

Phase 1: NSW South Coast Wanderings. We are planning to just amble down the coast, meeting up with various friends on the way, taking our big double kayak as we plan to stick to tar and the coast. We just love Southern NSW and always seem to be rushing through, so wanted a chance to spend longer at some places we have enjoyed previously. Then we are returning to Sydney for a wedding in a few weeks, putting the kayak back in storage at our place and collecting the packrafts so we can hit the dirt when we want. At 7.3 metres the double is just too big a beast to cart around bumpy roads.

Phase 2: Keep the ocean on our right. We will then start heading north up the coast, with very few fixed plans other than catching up with friends in Newcastle, meeting some other Zone RV owners just north of Coffs Harbour, and then calling in at Zone’s HQ in Coolum in mid April for a service. We think we then carry on heading north, and just see how far we get with the only constraint we need to be back in Sydney mid September.

Phase 3: Off to the US of A. So once back in Sydney we will store the van, leave Tassie with foster parents, and fly out to the US. Catherine is presenting the medical research she has helped run at a conference in Atlanta in October, so we thought we should take advantage of her having her flight paid and me go with her this year. Take a couple of weeks to visit friends and do a short road trip, back in the house mid October.

So that’s the idea. Hope you enjoy reading what actually transpires!

We concluded our day post dinner with a sunset cycle along the coastal path to raise the heart beats a little and see some more of the area.It is truly a beautiful coastline and we look forward to exploring some more over the coming weeks.

Day 201: 17 December – Arriving back in Sydney

Author: Mrs A

From: Bathurst

To: Curl Curl

Distance: 214km

An early awakening for us, despite the late night – a 5am storm reminded us that we had left the roof hatches of our caravan wide open. Mr A did the honours and dashed out through the heavy rain to close them. His wet pyjamas meant he didn’t get to sleep again, while I slept soundly until master Rory awoke us in his quest to visit Tassie at 7am. David and Tamara, we salute you and your early awakenings! Rory was gentle and loving as always and gave us cuddles to say he would miss us too when we leave. His brother Felix also popped down for some feline strokes before we left. Tomorrow it will be ‘Catherine and Mark? Who are they? But I sure do miss Tassie Cat!’ And so we farewelled the Cummings family and headed down the Blue Mountains to our next stop, Katoomba. We were off to visit Jennie and David, another couple of English folk happily living in Australia who had also the good fortune to purchase a Zone RV caravan – number 57. Jennie was there to wave us into the parking spot and provide us with visitor passes, and quickly ushered us into their home near the three sisters for a cup of tea and a chat.

Such a lovely couple – sadly another familiar story – they purchased the caravan then six months later David suddenly fell seriously ill. Fortunately Jennie was quick witted and organised an ambulance which arrived within ten (long) minutes and whisked him away to hospital for treatment. Very scary though, how health can take a drastic turn in the wrong direction. Mark and I reflect on our own health situations throughout the past six months and are grateful that we didn’t experience anything worse. Thankfully David seems to be on the road to recovery now, and they have plans afoot for a fine adventure of their own in 2018.

We had a great couple of hours with them and hope to catch up next year. We left with our first Christmas card and a pot of what promises to be delicious home made marmalade – I am thinking it might be our first breakfast back in our house tomorrow morning.

From there it was on to Forestville and our friends John and Eveliene’s house to pick up a few bits and pieces they had been looking after for us while we were away. So great to see them, and our initial taste of being back in Sydney’s grasp!We stopped off for a quick drink and a chat, before heading on through the narrow car lined streets to Curl Curl. We have to say that the streets of Forestville were the most challenging roads we had driven on in the whole of Australia – a combination of cars on both sides of the street, narrow roads, hills and bends!

We made it back to Curl Curl without incident and found ourselves a parking spot outside the Harbord Bowling Club for the night. We hope it’s a quiet one! Such good fun with friends Clive, Donna and Andy coming along to welcome us back and join us for a pizza at the club.We calculated our total mileage for this trip – 22,478km – that’s about 14,000 miles for you counting in old money. Fantastic. We’re pretty chuffed with all we have learned along the way and what an incredible adventure we have had. So far. After tonight we head back into our house for about 7 weeks, and then the cat will be away again to explore more of this beautiful country…we hope you will join us too!

Day 101: 7 September – From west to east

Author: Mrs A

From: Perth, Western Australia

To: Sydney, New South Wales

Distance flown: 2034 miles/3,274 km

Time: 4hrs 10 mins

Modes of transport travelled on: 5 (shuttle bus, plane, train, bus and car)


It was an early start to Thursday morning when I woke at 1.30am and checked my clock, before dozing until the alarm went off at 3am. I farewelled Mr A and caught the shuttle bus to the airport, and by 5.15am was cruising across the runway and up and away, heading east across the continent.

Arriving in sunny and sparkling Sydney I called into Vision Critical, my old work place, to leave my bags while I headed over to Paddington to have my hair cut. It was so good to see everyone and I was amazed at how many people are following our adventures.

At Lunio’, Toni worked wonders, tuning my hair from wild bush bumpkin into something slightly more civilised, and I returned to the city to pick up some US$ spending money and my luggage.

Onwards then to my next bus out to Foresville. Expertly coached by Eveliene I found my way to the right stop, and arrived at the assigned location to be escorted back to their house for the night. A delicious Thai meal and a couple of glasses of wine later and the day was complete. Of course I had lots of furry Burmese cuddles with Donut and Noodles too!


Noodles is doing well despite his extended vets visit after developing diabetes, though I’m not sure I will be putting them on my list of top spots for a hair cut! Hopefully fur will have returned by the time we see him next in December.

Mr A meanwhile has headed bush – he left Perth after a longer sleep, collected some bike-packing-friendly-food (light and instant!) and set off for Charlie’s Flats at Nanga Brook. He’s tackling some sections of the Munda Biddi Trail, the longest off-road cycling trail in the world. It runs for over 1,000km but I don’t think he’ll do it all! Am sure he will be along once he’s back online to explain more…