Or, Coffs to Canowindra and Back Again
At the conclusion of our previous post, it was mentioned that you would kept you informed of our travelling tales. We know that our "followers" have been waiting with breathless anticipation so, after nearly ten weeks, it has finally happened and we are putting pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) and updating you on what has transpired since that post.
A few quiet weeks were spent in Coffs Harbour with The Captain doing some maintenance on some cabins in the caravan park and The Deckie making a short trip down the coast to catch up with The Family.
At the end of May, we returned to Canowindra to assist our friend, Greg, pack up and tidy up his Mum's house. The early part of that trip was certainly of the "white knuckle" variety.
The Captain decided that we would travel over The Great Divide via Dorrigo and Armidale. Usually a very nice trip but it was raining the day that we left and the fog over the mountains was very thick indeed. Some sections of the road to Dorrigo are actually one lane only and it is very difficult to see oncoming traffic that one is supposed to give way to when the mist/fog is so close. We eventually climbed high enough so that the fog and rain were at a lower level than us and decided to stop for lunch at Ebor Falls. Lovely spot and would have been much nicer if the sun had been shining!
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| The Main Falls |
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| Downstream and Into The Mist |
After our brisk walk and some sustenance, we continued onto the New England Highway and headed south. Our overnight stop was to be at a little spot just north of Tamworth - Moonbi Lookout. Fortunately, it hadn't rained for some time and we were able to enjoy a short walk up onto the actual Lookout. The lookout itself looks like a very dead elephant but is just a very large granite boulder and the local council has had the sense to build retaining walls and stairs to enable the general public to enjoy the nearby views.
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| Moonbi Lookout |
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The next day, the sun was shining, the birds were singing and we had a very long drive ahead of us. Morning tea at Maccas in Scone and then headed southwest where we stopped for lunch at a little spot near Ulan called 'The Drip'. And it looked like we were not the only ones that were a little peckish....
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| Sandwiches on the Patio |
A quick stop was made in Molong to replenish The Deckie's supply of homemade chutneys, before we made the final dash to Canowindra.
Over the next week, The Captain and The Deckie worked tirelessly to ensure that the house was neat and tidy and that all of the rubbish had been removed or burnt. In fact, The Captain started a fire in the backyard early on the first morning and it continued to burn until the night before we left. This fire not only changed the chemical composition of a lot of rubbish but also kept us warm - the first couple of days it drizzled and then there were three mornings when the temperature was about minus 5 degrees!! Even the sheep in the paddock next door would have frozen except for their woolly jackets!
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| Balloons Over The Frost |
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| Lamb Chops Of The Future! |
After our little sojourn in Canowindra, Team Turtle headed back to the Central Coast as The Deckie had to make a return visit to the Skin Cancer Clinic in Woy Woy. To ensure that we didn't get caught up in afternoon peak hour, we had an overnight stay at Lake Lyell near Lithgow. The Captain has spent some time here on previous occasions, but it was the first time for The Deckie. Once more, a lovely little spot but very cold.
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| The Turtle At Lake Lyell |
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| Morning Reflections On The Lake |
We arrived safe and sound back on the Central Coast the next day where we camped (once more) in the front yard of The Eldest Daughter (and Family's) house. The Deckie had her follow up with the Skin Cancer Clinic, Team Turtle had a great time visiting family members and, just over a week later, headed back to Coffs Harbour.
Whew!!
