May 9 - 11

We are making our way to Sydney to return the van, we are trying to drag our feet as much as we can even though we have actually decided we will be glad to get out of the van, we don't want our time to end, we are having too much fun, however, winter is setting in, such as it is, and we need to get back to Tassie to collect our warm clothing.

Our first stop is a little tiny place called Balahadela where we had the biggest hamburger I have ever seen.  We had them hold the pineapple, it didn't seem right to have pineapple on your burger, but they put a big slice of beet on it as well as an egg.  It is pretty hard to get it in your mouth, no matter how big it is...It is also very delicious.

We drove to the Port Stephens Peninsula and stayed at the Shoal Bay Holiday Park.  A beautiful place right across the street from the beach.  We enjoyed wandering the main street and having drinks at a little pub, two areas, one in the back where it is shady and one in the front where you get the sun and can look over the ocean, we chose the ocean of course.  Loads of restaurants and boutiques.  A very pretty place.  Dalton had bought a lot there in the 70s, we tried to find it but of course the area has grown so much he couldn't recognize anything.  He sure cried the blues wishing he still had it.

May 10th - our 13th Anniversary - I spent the morning at the Dentist, I have a nerve that is dying, he wouldn't do anything for me because we are travelling and I would have to go back a couple of times, he did give me some pain killers though, didn't help much.  Anyway, we walked up to the RSL that evening and had a lovely dinner, didn't win anything on the Pokies though.  

We left the next morning for Kate & Trevor's place in the Kurrijong Hills, we had a very pleasant trip, found the place on our own without having to phone.  We had to have one more visit to say good bye as we don't know when we would see them again and we really enjoy their company.  They always have such interesting things to tell you.  We showed them some of our photos so it was a fairly long evening.  Trevor leaves the house at 6:00 a.m. and has a 2 hour train ride into Sydney.  I can't imagine what it would be like spending 4 hours getting to and from work each day.  Such is the life of a gentleman farmer.