Tricia & John De-Thaw 2017

We survived the bitter night by relocating to the lounge to be close to the bar heater. My frost bitten toe can most likely be saved. It took a while for our motor pnurone systems to stir enough to get into the car, with heater on max, to drive to the local bakery. Most of the time was waiting for a break in the traffic so we could get out of the driveway. Sitting peacefully in the hot sun outside the bakery. Until the terrorist 4 year old toy mowered into a dog and fell over screaming next to us. She was then on a mission of revenge against the happless mut with the unshakeble happy grin. Repeatedly ramming the dog with her toy mower. Enough, did a nice long walk on a very long boardwalk at Urunga. Chinese restaurant one street away for dinner. Everywhere does triple size servings up here, even this. We missed our hovel on the way back and consequently added another 2k to our 200m walk back.

Arrived at the garage in the front garden on the main road of Sawtell. The owner was explaining everything, how the garage door works, how the bar heater can be turned on, while shivering and rubbing her arms obsessively. We didn't know there was anywhere up here that required the thermals I fortunately brought. This noisy, cold, dark, garage will be our home for 9 nights. That was 9. Nine. OMG 9. One device might get WiFi OK, maybe, but as soon there are two or more devices dropouts are every 10 seconds. I am using my phone data so Tricia can Facebook without screaming at me. This will be a test/ordeal.

Mosied up the road to the Novotel. Had brekkie at their Charlie's cafe. Back to Charlie's for lunch

Pacific Towers Apartments in Coffs Harbour has an amazing view NBN Wifi router in each room. It also had views like, yawn, this

The end of our luxury accomodation. We are now heading to Sawtell near Coffs Harbour and someone's Air BnB garage for 9 nights. Hats Head was nice, but quieter than Port Macquarie and not much to do. South West Rocks was quite nice, but not a patch on Port Macquarie. Everything else was junk compared to Port Macquarie until we got to Sawtell. It's marginal. Might be OK. Where's the nearest exit? Found the house on the main street, the garage faces the busy main road. It's dingy looking. The owner told us we were a day early. Tricia does this sort of thing a lot. At least the month and year were right. However, on this occasion my heart jumped for joy. We stay somewhere else tonight!

Perfect. We have found our new life style. It's just a matter of when. The beaches are awesome. Even on cold days, shorts and t-shirts are fine, mostly. There is plenty to do. Arts, boating, whale watching, walking, bowling, cinema, performing arts, golf, cafes, shops, astronomers, dungeons and dragons. Should the view be ocean, river, or rainforest? Or a combination?

Drove lazily up the coast to Port Macquarie. Luxury hotel with great view. Walked a lot to bushy point lookouts for more whale and dolphin watching. Brekkie at the joint next to the hotel. Nice but no view. Walked into town. Bought a board game from the local dungeons & dragons club shop. Grabbed a whale watch cruise. Only one whale saw us, and it liked what it saw. Why does this shiny white bottomed whale with throbbing engines never get in the mood, I'm trying every trick I know?

Walked most of the day, except for brekkie and lunch and a 1 hour drive up the coast to Forster. Saw whales from the various lookouts. Caught a really cute punt to cross the lakes at one point. Luxury hotel with awesome bay view for the night. Nearly forgot to leave next morning due to falling asleep on the sofa with that view. Nearby, had brekkie at the Italian. Gorgeous bay view and great food looking at the public infinity pool that merges with the ocean. Both phones now dead. Seems my usb charger had died. Got a new one at kmart. Facebook crisis solved.

Tea Gardens and Hawks Nest are near the start of the NSW great lakes region. Beautiful. Heaven. Nice motel in Hawks Nest. Good pub tucker, quiet room. But Tricias phone didn't make it. Facebook withdrawal threatens to make this holiday a nightmare. Next morning we find we are ridiculously over dressed,shorts and t-shirt weather from now on.

Low rent motel in Gundagai, where the neighbours shower head seemed to be inside our pillows. Very dirty neighbours and lots of them. The local town clock sounds like a pistol going off. Number of shots seems to equals the hour. Couldn't find the town clock next day? Desolation alert. Drove to Northern NSW. Nothing to see on the way.

Tricia lost faith in Google maps at the end of our street. "Shut up, I know best". When we arrived at the local petrol station, she needed a loo break. We had been on the road for an hour. Missed the Campbellfield bypass and had to endure 20 extra sets of lights. Google maps was then allowed to get us efficiently to Gundagai. Nothing but desolation all the way.