Rye

There should be photos with this blog, but at the moment they won't post. Will add them if or when I can.

Cheryl likes to visit to the various beaches around Rye.
This first one, The Divide, we walked to.
Most walks are in the afternoon to check out the surf and take in the sunset.






Another day we drove to Rye Ocean Beach for the sunset.

This was a chance to try out various settings on the camera.



Many others were there for the sunset too.


Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

On the road again

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

The adventure continues

In 2011, when we got our Australian drivers licences we thought that 5 years would be an ample length of time. However, with the long interval in NZ in 2014 and over half of 2015, it transpires that 5 years was indeed far too short. As we had the old laminated licences we are required to renew them in person. This means a trip to Gold Coast. So a two week stay in our time share is put into play.
Then we hit the road again, after visiting grey nomad friends on the Mornington Peninsula.
Hopefully from about mid May I will have a regular blog again.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Greens Lake revisited (again)

The usual scene of caravans lined up on the banks of the lake.


Lots of relaxing time at the lake.





John celebrated his 79th birthday over a morning tea. Brandt made pikelets. The big one on top was for John.





Mid morning our thermometer showed that we could expect a hot day (the temp reached 41)


So time was spent in the water. (I think I ventured out three times)


This dog, whose name is Pip, became known as Security after parading in his hat.


It was not all R&R. We got tired of struggling to plug into a power sauce under the table - especially when the table was folded out. Others had moved their power points, so Brandt did too. Not only did he relocate them but he doubled our 12v outlets inside the van.


While at Greens Lake we had an early celebration of Brandt's 70th birthday. The planned day for the celebration had been declared a total fire ban so the camp oven stew was cooked on the previous night (before the ban came into force).


Dave decided Brandt needed a wig!









So now it is home to New Zealand until March/April next year.

Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Homeward bound

From Canbera we commenced our return to Melbourne.
We called in on friends at Nowra and Tathra. Our stay at Tathra was extended by a week as I had a severe nose bleed which resulted in a few trips to A&E. In the end I had a "balloon" up my nose for three days, after the one inserted overnight failed to stop the bleeding.


The second balloon was inflated with 8ml of air, double the amount of the first balloon (pictured above), which distorted my nose even more. My eye kept weeping and I couldn't stand wearing my glasses. On the 2nd day Brandt deflated the balloon. There was a lot of relief when the balloon was removed and there was no sign of any bleeding. I have hardly blown my nose since and have learned to sneeze with my mouth open.

We travelled south via Gippsland driving via Lakes Entrance.



The weather was quite wet, so we made a detour to Rye, stayed there 6 days,

One day we noticed a funnel web spider's home, but on investigation found that it was empty (evidently they can be quite vicious when disturbed so maybe it was just as well the home was vacant and I have to make do with online images of the funnel web spider)


We then went to visit a friend at Werribee. Finally, we made it to Greens Lake to catch up with Grey nomad friends who were waiting there for us. Greens Lake is a free camp with toilet facilities only and it is where a lot of our friends spend the summer months.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Canberra

The main attraction for us in Canberra was the Australian War Memorial Museum.
The view from the main entrance is looking down Anzac Parade towards the Houses of Parliament.


Also near the main entrance is the statue of Anzacs with their trusty horse.


The tomb of the unknown Soldier is housed in its own section.


The main building houses many displays of what active service life was like






We were parked in a 4 hour park. Luckily no one seemed to check as we were there for about 5 hours.
Then we decided to drive down Anzac Parade and take a look at parliament.


The view looking back to the museum is not as well known and the museum looked a long long way off.


We were allowed to walk the halls of parliament. I could take photos of the senate, but only because there was no one there.
The House of Representatives was another matter. They were debating a bill currently before parliament. We had to "cloak " our cameras and phones before being permitted access to the public gallery.
It was very interesting to view.


Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Griffith

The primary reason for our visit to Griffith was to catch up with a Young Farmers Exchangee who had stayed with Brandt's family in the 1970s. On previous occasions he was away on business when we phoned to organise meeting up. This time, however, he was home long enough for us to spend an evening together.
As we drove into Griffith, we saw that the Main Street was festooned with sculptures made up of oranges. We found a camp site next to a lagoon. Note the heads of children swimming there despite the sign.





Then we walked back to the Main Street. We had arrived in the middle of the citrus festival.















Next day we drove to the lookout.














- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad