6. Shake down over

Back lake walk to Mirador Ridge Estate

After pushing send on my last blog - Pete Mick Louise and I took one final walk from their house, around the back lake Merimbula, and up the bush hills on the opposite side of the lake to check out some land for sale. Travelling does that - sets you wondering about whether you could live in this place or that. The Sapphire Coast is definitely an attractive place - and possibly more affordable than the Far North Coast - colder too... 

We received the call from Simon at Good Year Merimbula at 5pm to say the car was ready to collect. We had been preparing to stay yet another night - but also packing up to leave - awaiting his call.

Seafood pizza alla Susan

Susan and David's lovely stained glass wall

After collecting the car, coming back to hook the van on and bid our final farewells in the dark - we were on our way about 6pm to Cobargo. My friend Susan and partner David were cooking seafood pizzas with our names on them - unsure whether we would actually be coming or not. We found our way in the dark to their mountain top cabin and had a lovely night catching up on too many years since our last. A toasty combustion stove was very welcome.

Susan and David's cabin

They waved us off early and crawled back in to their warm little nest to enjoy their lazy Sunday. Pete and I went looking for breakfast and saw fairy lights on outside the Cobargo Pub where we stopped to enjoy coffee and breaky by the fire. Next destination Glossodia, near Windsor, to see my friend (since we were 3yo) Susie and her partner CJ. 

A five hour trip according to maps if we took the quickest route. We got to Nowra and I saw there was a road cutting through Kangaroo Valley that would meet up with the other route around Bowral. Will we, won't we, will we, won't we take the scenic route? It only adds a little bit of time....

Susie Cee Pete and me - Final Caddie drive

By this stage I was driving and Pete left the route up to me. He checked maps on his phone and mentioned there was an icon that indicated a road closure... Neither of us was paying attention me thinks. I turned left towards the Kangaroo Valley and almost immediately was thinking it was a stupid idea. Huge uphill hairpin bendy roads, down the other side and up again. Not very scenic when both sets of eyes are watching the road. Lovely time of the day and lots of green around but really - not a good move on my part. We had been driving for half an hour - when we found the road closed  - like a bad joke! So around I turned and back we went from whence we came, to the quickest route, an hour later. Already a day late because of the brakes, and now our mid afternoon arrival was impossible.

 

Susie and Cee's backyard dam

We pulled up at Susie's, at Glossodia, in the dark of course - parked the ET (Eco Tourer) on her grassy verge - dragged some bags and clothes into the wood fired warmth of her house and helped make pumpkin soup and garlic bread for dinner. She has been living in this house for almost two years and this was my first visit - due to covid. A lovely country house with a pretty dam and paddock views that make her happy after many years in more suburban settings. It means a very long drive to and from work in the Western Suburbs of Sydney - but the country vibe when she is home, and the proximity to her boys and their families is the upside. And, her fella Cee has a shed that any man would die for. 

Bye bye Caddie - hello new kitchen and bathroom

Savannah's pet lizard

They love their hot rods. Susie was saying good bye the next day to her beautiful 1958 Customline Cadillac. Pete and I were lucky enough to go for the last drive in her to do the transaction at Susie's son's place not far away. We had fresh-out-of-the-oven cinnamon scrolls for breaky, cooked by her daughter in law; and met her little grand daughter's lizard.

 

Back to Susie's for lunch with our other childhood friend Annie and her partner Chris, who traveled down from Katoomba for the day. Chris is Polish - a martial artist and body worker, a motivator and healer of sorts (a bit Wim Hof), and he was keen to work with Pete on stretches and breathing exercises and some reiki. Pete couldn't say no and the rest of us had quite an entertaining afternoon on the veranda. 

Pete and Chris exercising

Old friends since 3yo xxx

Black Forest Cake
from Annie and Chris

 

A phone call came through from the new Caddy owner to say he had Cee's mobile, left in the back seat of the car... Susie Pete and I took a trip to Arncliffe and back to retrieve it while Cee painted hot rod panels.
 

The following day Pete and I left the ET at Susie's and drove up the mountains to Katoomba to stay with Annie for a night. Its been a long time since I have visited her there. She and Susie have come up the coast several times over the past couple of years to see us, so it was important that we also make the effort. OMG was it cold! 1.4 degrees feels like -8.9! Pete took a trip down memory lane; he had numerous times caught the train up to the Blue Mountains as a child. We met Annie at Wentworth Falls for a coffee and early lunch. She showed us the outside of her new premises where she is about to launch her business, Annie Lopez Beauty and Style.

Chris immersing in icey cold water for 10mins

Dinner at Katoomba Family Hotel

We witnessed Chris, in that cold cold wind, enter the Wentworth Falls Lake, which he does daily, naked bar his speedos and a beanie - and he sits in the coldwater and meditates. He had invited Pete to do it with him - but Pete and all of us who love him thought he might be better off not! Maybe ease into it in the warmer months haha. We then returned to Chris' place where he did an exercise regime with Pete, followed by stretches and Reiki. A very generous sharing of his time - and Pete was gracious in accepting the attention. We shared a pub meal in Katoomba, Annie gave us her toasty bed, and we parted company after coffee and toast early the next day.

Reiki

Michelle and Chris - Chinese feed Urunga

Pete and I decided not to visit anyone else on the way home. Lovely as it is to see all our beautiful friends and family - by this point in proceedings we still had a half a dozen visits lined up on the way home, catching up with those who were not available on our way down. Instead we decided to book four nights at Valla Beach Tourist Park, and let my sister Fran (Bellingen) and Pete's friends Michelle and Chris (Coffs Harbour) know we were there. Such a great decision just before coming home to the Far North Coast. We loved Valla Beach and the visitors we had. We surfed, and Pete fished four times (without catching a fish sadly), we rode our e-bikes everywhere and I took too many photos at sunset as usual. We looked at realestate here too... loved being back in the warmer climes. Pete had a bacon and egg toastie every day from the food van in the park and I had a home made apple slice! The couple home-make everything (pies, veg patties, slices) and have a faithful following of permanent park dwellers, tradies, beach goers and tourists lining up every day for their usual. There is a beautiful old footbridge across Deep Creek to the beach - its been there about fifty years I believe - it was fun having that as our pathway for swims, walks and fishing. And of course photo opportunities.

Our camp

My sister Fran visiting at Valla Beach Camp

Deep Creek

e-biking!

Valla Beach

South Valla Beach

Pete's fishing dance steps

Returning at sunset across the bridge after fishing

Pete waiting to go surfing - spunky x

Happy mat surfer at South Valla Bch

Fishing

Sunset beach entry at South Valla Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Deb looking fab

On the final day, Saturday 11 June, we drove past one more dear friend Deb at Glenugie and had lunch - she had made us vegetarian minestrone and home made garlic bread with lashings of garlic. She's recuperating from a hip replacement done the same week as Pete had his op. It was lovely to see her looking so well and enjoying cooking for friends. I took her some home made apple slice from Valla Beach and then we waved good bye and made our way home to Evans Head. Seemed huge in the house after van life. Was very strange to empty out the van the next day and return to our own homes...

Unpacking at Evans - sad its over

 

 

We both could have kept going. And we have that to look forward to in the very near future. Thanks to all the people we saw on this trip for making the time and for your hospitality. We'll certainly catch up with those we missed next time through. Thanks to all who have read the blogs and enjoyed our travels with us. This one completes the story of our first leg. I hope to continue to write when we get under way proper later in the year. We are thinking mid September all going to plan hahaha. Best love D and P xxx