Leaving Sydney enroute to ???

Sunday Feb 19, 2012

Leaving Sydney

Well it’s time to leave Sydney and start heading north along the east coast.  Sharon has finally found a van in our price range and we reserve it for several days to turn in and switch out to a camper van in Brisbane.  We all gather in the lobby and wait for the shuttle to the airport to pick up the van.  I feel safe in saying that everyone is extremely happy to be leaving our Sydney accommodations that have by far exceeded its reputation in every respect.  I personally think I spent less than 1 total hour of waking minute in my room over the past 4 days.  ­We get to the airport, pick up the van and head out around noonish.  After about 10-15 km of following the directions, we don’t feel right.  We stop and ask for help and sure enough we are heading in the opposite direction.  No worries, we change course, right the ship and start putting Sydney in the rear view mirror.  We have no reservations and don’t know yet where we will stop for the night.  Around 3 will pull off in the town of Wyong and debate whether it is pronounced Y’ong, We’ong or just Wong…J  We get lunch, pick up some supplies and head back out.  We are making great time and pass Port Macquarie about 6 ish and keep on keeping on.  As it starts to get dark we approach a town called Nambucca Heads which I throw out a vote as the stopping point…just because of the cool name.  No dice...we are all in, making good time and keep moving.  We hit Coffs Harbour about 8:30 – 9:00 and see a place that evokes memories of Norman Bates…for me.  We inquire and it is not in our budget….huh..  We keep on and the next place suits our needs.  Nothing is open at this hour but the local Woolworth’s (which apparently all the closed Woolworth’s in the US have relocated to Australia).  We pick up some necessities, bread, cheese, luncheon meats, soup, coffee, and creamy corn.  Back at the hotel we enjoy a dinner of hor d’ouvers, fill our tummy’s watch a little TV and go to bed.