After a quick pit stop in Sydney to pick up some clean clothes we headed north up the coast to Hawks Nest. Like the tourist I am, I found many delights along the way, the first being 'fauna bridges' over the freeway. Very similar to the ones we spent so long making in Kenya. Nice to know we werent being entirely nuts.
I was bewildered by multiple signs to 'U Turn Bay'. Until I realised it wasnt a beach, it was a direction for drivers. My brain really has turned to mush.
Hawks Nest turned out to be a beautiful coastal town with a distinct holiday feel without being tacky or overly touristy. Signs everywhere proclaim the presence of koalas. Just stopped myself asking "how do the koalas know that the sign says koala crossing?"
Stopped off to see the beach on which Amanda and Kirk got married before heading to meet the rest of the guys at the golf club where it was bingo night. Dont laugh. It was awesome, if extremely stressful and ultimately unfruitful.
Beautiful white sand with only a handful of people made for a great few days - despite the Australian insistence that everyone on the beach be in one place to avoid sharks/jellyfish/drowning/surfing accidents etc. This looks very odd to the average Brit who will walk miles to find a spot where they cant see anyone. But does make a certain amount of sense.
To my utter joy, within five minutes on the beach we had spotted a pod of dolphins. Plunged into the surf for a great ten minutes of being tossed around like a leaf. Emerged looking like a drowned rat with nose dripping like a tap. Elegance personified.
After lunch we headed to a different spot, round the corner on the lagoon. Usually a picture postcard of aqua water and blue skies we arrived in time for an epic electric storm (these seem to be becoming a motif of my stay so far). The rolling clouds and crackles lighting up the sky were in stark contrast to the calm waters and powdery sand. Twas gorgeous.
The next day (after a quick stop via a trashy tourist warehouse) we headed to the estuary, which boasts some great mangroves. You wade right up into them (tide so strong its a great workout!) and then float all the way back. This provided a great opportunity to get to know my new friend Raymond. Don't laugh. He is amazing. And the perfect partner to David's Gerald.
Amanda, me and Raymond (the ray) Gerald the giraffe
Went for fish and chips, perfectly timed to catch the sunset on the way home. As the sky faded from orange to red to pink, three more dolphins appeared. Despite valiant attempts, the fighting pelicans couldnt attract our attention away.
The trees surrounding the cabin were awash with lorekeets and other parrot like species. I was in heaven posturing with my camera. Wish they hadnt made so much noise though.
Although the noise of the birds was nothing to that of the male koala, whos mating call started up on our last night. Despite never seeing the culprit the strange chugging donkeyesque cry had the neighbours running out searching for a wild pig. Cue gales of maniacal laughter from us (more Balderdash had pushed us over the edge into hysteria...) This was further aided by the sunburn of the day reaching its peak...
I was bewildered by multiple signs to 'U Turn Bay'. Until I realised it wasnt a beach, it was a direction for drivers. My brain really has turned to mush.
Hawks Nest turned out to be a beautiful coastal town with a distinct holiday feel without being tacky or overly touristy. Signs everywhere proclaim the presence of koalas. Just stopped myself asking "how do the koalas know that the sign says koala crossing?"
Stopped off to see the beach on which Amanda and Kirk got married before heading to meet the rest of the guys at the golf club where it was bingo night. Dont laugh. It was awesome, if extremely stressful and ultimately unfruitful.
After lunch we headed to a different spot, round the corner on the lagoon. Usually a picture postcard of aqua water and blue skies we arrived in time for an epic electric storm (these seem to be becoming a motif of my stay so far). The rolling clouds and crackles lighting up the sky were in stark contrast to the calm waters and powdery sand. Twas gorgeous.
Went for fish and chips, perfectly timed to catch the sunset on the way home. As the sky faded from orange to red to pink, three more dolphins appeared. Despite valiant attempts, the fighting pelicans couldnt attract our attention away.
The trees surrounding the cabin were awash with lorekeets and other parrot like species. I was in heaven posturing with my camera. Wish they hadnt made so much noise though.Although the noise of the birds was nothing to that of the male koala, whos mating call started up on our last night. Despite never seeing the culprit the strange chugging donkeyesque cry had the neighbours running out searching for a wild pig. Cue gales of maniacal laughter from us (more Balderdash had pushed us over the edge into hysteria...) This was further aided by the sunburn of the day reaching its peak...
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