Wednesday 18 September 2013 – to Ettalong Beach

It was good to wake again to sunshine, especially when it is pack down time for the van.  It’s always more pleasant to do that without rain!  After doing all our tasks and a chat to our neighbours who were also leaving today, we got away from camp by about ten past nine and took the Great Lakes Tourist Drive south from Forster.  It took us quite a while to get to the Pacific Highway, but it was a nice drive past and between the lakes – and we were pleased to notice lots of kookaburras.  Which brings me to the question of the day, posed by Grant after we saw two kookaburras sitting in the same length of power line:  Do you think birds know one another?

As the Pacific Highway bypasses most major towns, Bulahdelah was the only one we detoured through to get petrol.  The drive south was uneventful, more roadworks in some parts, and very strong winds for most of the drive, with Zola doing really well today directing us through to the right turn off at Gosford.  From there we followed the picturesque, winding drive down to the central coast and its beautiful waterways.

We arrived at our accommodation – Ettalong Beach Holiday Village – at 12.30 and were welcomed by relief managers Dawn and Rod who were ready for us (as I had booked and paid on the internet last night).  This is an interesting park, as it has only eight caravan sites for impromptu bookings like us – the rest of it comprises 84 permanent residences, 4 motel cabins, 3 one bedroom cabins, 4 standard family cabins, 3 poolside family cabins, 2 deluxe family cabins, and 6  privately owned weekenders.  Our neighbours are Sharon and Paul, and another couple here have a big sign on the front of their van ‘Curry Traders’.  I’ve haven’t ventured to ask what that’s all about yet.

The facilities here are excellent, particularly the recreation room which has a massive collection of videos to watch on the TV in there as well as a big bookcase (4 or 5 shelves) full of books, billiard table, etc.  Anyway, once set up I put some washing on and we had lunch while the washing machine did its stuff, then after pegging it out I made a few phone calls arranging the next couple of days.

First of all I rang Fran and Gary – a couple we met on out Canada trip in 2005, and we are going to their house at Bateau Bay – about a half hour drive from here - and out to dinner with them on Friday night, then I rang Max and Mary (Mark’s Dad and his wife) and managed to find a spot to see them on Friday just after lunch, as Max is bowling all day tomorrow and Mary goes to craft on Friday mornings, so that will be good.

We tried Mark’s brother Michael a couple of times and finally left a message, but haven’t heard from them yet.  And finally I rang my cousin Margaret who now lives at Sanctuary Point and told her that we will be there on Saturday, and she was pleased to hear that and offered for us to stay at her place if we want to.  We’ll give that some thought as I didn’t ask if the van can fit into her yard and be hooked up to power to keep our fridge cold.  Anyway, we’ll see!

Mid afternoon we went for a drive around part of the area – seemed to cross lots of bridges, drove around St Huberts Island and looked at all the fancy houses, went to Empire Bay, then came back across the bridge to the shopping streets of Umina where we topped up on a couple of things and where I walked into a hairdressers off the street and managed to get a haircut.

By the time we got back to camp it was time for a cuppa then get sorted for tea.  I’m now about to post this blog via a free Wifi connection – there’s no charge here, so that’s a one off.  Last night we played cards (euchre) but neither of us was very confident that we remembered how to play it, but we made it up as we went, so were probably way off beam.  Grant reckoned we were playing 500 rules which I didn’t see as a problem as I reckon they’re the same anyway.  Who knows – we may have another go at it tonight!