Today we are heading back down to the sea on route to our Christmas location of Coffs Harbour. Unfortunately it is quite a long drive, about 5 hours, so we got up a little early and after breakfast we packed up the car and set off. It is really strange but we have spent three nights in the Milking Shed and we haven’t seen anyone from the accommodation, we got the key from ‘behind the oven door’ and we put the key back in the same place, they are obviously happy that once you have paid as it is self contained they don’t need to have anything to do with you! It was raining as we left but luckily the cloud wasn’t too low so we could at least see where we were going and it was pretty much point the car and follow the Sat Nat. Our plan had been to avoid Sydney for a number of reasons not least of which it is Sydney so we expected it to be busy but unfortunately the only way round is to go on their equivalent of the M25. This being the Saturday before Christmas meant that the world and his wife, plus in a number of cases, their boats, surf boards, caravans and bikes were all on the road so we got stuck in a traffic jam, the good news was that at least it moved a bit so in the end it didn’t add too much to our journey. We stopped for our picnic lunch about half way, it was a shame that it was such a long drive as the place we stopped seemed to be very popular with walkers and there was a walk to a waterfall that we probably would have done if we had a bit more time, having said that the rain clouds were gathering again so it was good to keep moving. We followed the Scenic Highway which again didn’t give us any views of the sea until we reached Port Stephens our home for the next couple of nights so after stopping to pick up some booze we went round to our hotel. We are in a massive hotel complex but I have to say it is really nice, at check in we were given a glass of bubbles then we went round to our room which overlooks the harbour and has two balconies, not quite sure why as the second one looks out over the car park! So we sat on the balcony with the view, had a drink and updated the blog before a bit of a relax and heading round to dinner which we will have here tonight as neither of us feel like getting back in the car after such a long drive then phoning Aunty Fran to wish her a happy 106th birthday.
