29 September - 16 October 1998

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Tuesday 29 September 1998

After work, Kim and I met Dave, Mark, Darren, Suzy and Louise for drinks and dinner in the Kirribilli. Not a very late night, but even so, a few cocktails and shooters appeared... the calm before the storm you might say!

Wednesday 30 September 1998

Next it was on to a very empty Observer with a loan guitar player doing his thing (and getting the crowd to sing along remarkably well) before ending this leg of the night in the Paragon, but not before subjecting the place to an exhibition of the Bognor shuffle, and almost getting expelled for letting Louise ride round the bar on Darren's back!

Was gutted to hear the next day at work that they were giving away booze, pint glasses (hard to come by in Australia) and other mechanise in Bridie O'Reilly's down the road.

Caught a cab back to The Duxton, went up to Dave and Louise's room, 'just to check out the view', and ended up playing some stupid drinking games with Smirnoff Blue Label. Here's my tip for the night - don't mix 50/50 blue label and coke for yourself in such an event, always make the other contestant's drinks twice as strong as your own. Unfortunately I didn't heed this advice and ended up wishing I had after loosing terribly in this event - not a pretty sight.

Thursday 1 October 1998

Friday 2 October 1998

Went to the Greenwood as planned and sat outside on this very nice evening. Didn't stay too late having just a few beers and an excellent donor kebab from the pie and snack counter for the bargain price of $3.50.

Saturday 3 October 1998

Dave and Louise in the back of the Tarago, a case of beauty and the beast I'm sure!

Made the first night stop at around 320Kms up the coast at Forster in a pretty decent camp site (as recommended by Lonely Planet) and had fun (sort of) putting the tents up. Dave and Louise emerged as clear winners in the race of the Pyramid tents (the two identical rented ones).

	The triumphant Mr. Wilson after winning the tent erecting competition...
	... meanwhile, Suzy was still struggling - well, that's women for you!
	Palm trees at sunset, from the camp site at Forster.
	Another amazing Aussie sunset... taken just a few minutes later that the first. Again from the camp site at Forster.

Ordered pizza for dinner and sat around talking rubbish and such innovative drinking games as, Pass the Schnapps (to the person on your left until it's all gone), spin the bottle and make the unlucky chosen one do something ridiculous, like performing commando raids between the neighbouring tents and vans, a routine from the Full Monty (with applause from the other campers - that wasn't supposed to happen) and other equally stupid stunts (and some a lot worse - as I'm sure those who know the participants can guess).

Fell four bottles short of polishing off two cases of beer and a special mention to Louise, who took a huge glug of Blue Label and swished it round her mouth like it was breath freshener - how (or why) I'll never know!

Sunday 4 October 1998

The view from a lookout South of the town of Nambucca Heads. Here we can see where the place got it's name - Nambucca apparently means, "many bends".

Put up the tents in an ideally located camp site just yards from the beach which was very quiet and relaxing (and even had a pair of Kookaburras in residence). Shame the rest of the town wasn't so peaceful, due to the Aboriginal football tournament being held here, which also meant by the time we went shopping for food and drink there was no steak to be found and only canned VB (yerch!). Here, my previous thoughts on VB were confirmed by the others who found it the most revolting of the Aussie beers.

Hung around on the beach for a bit, but didn't do any swimming as there was a bit too much weed to make this enjoyable really, which was a shame as the weather was pretty good that arvo.

	Another great Aussie beach... This was just a few metres walk through the bush from the campsite we stayed at in Nambucca Heads.
	Me looking exceptionally cool (not!) on the beach at Nambucca Heads.

Having found no food we headed off to find somewhere to eat around 7pm to find the RSL closed (what!) and wound up in one of the local chinese restaurants. This wasn't to be though as they had no vegetarian dishes and couldn't be bothered to get creative in the kitchen for Louise. After leaving in disgust we eventually ended up in a very nice Thai place (the Nirvana, just off the Pacific Highway) which was better all round.

Monday 5 October 1998

At Byron, found a camp site next to the beach and town centre and had a quick bite to eat before hitting the beach for rest of day at around 1:30. The weather and beach were very nice (and at last I got thanks for dragging everyone up at 6:30am) but the sea had loads of tiny bits of seaweed (or maybe sponge?) floating in it so gave swimming a miss.

Mark demonstrates how not to put on factor 15+ sunscreen (on Byron Bay beach).

Played some beach cricket with The Slasher (a dodgy second had bat we picket up at a roadside rest are for $8) and generally dossed around all afternoon.

	A supposed action (pah!) shot of us playing beach cricket at Byron Bay.
	Most of the shots this month are from a week away with this mob... pictured here on Byron Beach. Suzy, Mark, Del (aka Darren), Louise, Dave and Rob (me!)

Ate good Aussie food, aka. huge lumps of steak at the Hogsbreath Cafe then went on to the Great Northern Hotel for drinks followed by Cocomanga's (a sort of club recommended by the Hogsbreath waitress). The gang home at 12:30 but not feeling sleepy, I dragged Mark back to Cocomanga's (and the dance floor) for another 2 hours and we eventually got home at 2:30.

Tuesday 6 October 1998

Up early to a very windy day, so had more rest in the cabin while Dave, Mark and Del played golf for what turned out to be most of the day.

	Some of the fierce surf to been seen on this very windy day in Byron Bay.
	The only sole to be seen on the water at Byron Bay - some crazy trying to windsurf in the huge swell!
	I thought I'd include this shot of the lighthouse at Byron Bay. There must be something special about it as it seems to make it's way onto many postcards... although I guess I should be closer, and a nicer day might make for a better photo.

Had an excellent meal in the very well presented Orient restaurant followed by a quick trip to the Beach Hotel but everyone felt the strain from the previous night and binned it early.

Wednesday 7 October 1998

After a bit more sleep, got up at a more reasonable hour and drove up a rather dodgy dirt road to Nightcap National Park to see the beautiful sub-tropical rainforest and spectacular Protester's Falls.

	The group stop and pose, crossing a stream on the way through Nightcap National Park to Protester's Falls.
	Inside Nightcap National Park, one of the large (but not the largest you'll see) buttress rooted trees to be seen on the path to Protester's Falls.
	First view of the spectacular Protester's Falls as you enter the clearing which in which it is located.
	The spectacular Protester's Falls, located in Nightcap National Park.
	The spectacular Protester's Falls, located in Nightcap National Park.
	Me at Protester's Falls sporting a very (stupid) cheesy grin.
	Sitting and admiring Protester's Falls, on the huge boulders that lie on the rim of the pool at their base.
	Some more of the amazing vegetation to be found inside Nightcap National Park.
	Giant ferns inside Nightcap National Park.
	We found this pretty well camouflaged Goanna wondering around in the car park near Protester's Falls.

This park (and a few others in the area) form the rim of a huge crater (the largest in the southern hemisphere) with Mt Warning standing in the centre on what was the main vent of a huge volcano (known as the Mt Warning shield volcano). You can see how large this must have been at points on the drive there, and from some of the higher spots in Lismore, which we drove through on our way to Yamba.

Drove up to Angourie beach (in the national park) as we entered Yamba as this is an excellent deserted place (were only a few other surfers there) and hung around for a while before moving on to find a camp site.

	Taking time out to just stand and stare at the sea... Angouire beach, in the national park of the same name - just along (5 Kms) the coast from Yamba.
	The deserted Angourie beach. It's a shame you can't see the patterns carved on the rocks at the back of the beach by years of wind, sand and see erosion.
	Just had to include this typical tourist shot of a (football) field full of 'roos.
	Another 'roo... this one's on the move.

Stayed at the East's Calypso park, who claim to be the best positioned on the NSW north coast. Well, I must say it wasn't bad as we camped right next to a small inlet with resident pelicans and only a couple of minutes walk from the beach and town centre.

The view of the setting sun from the camp site at Yamba.

Had a pretty quiet night in with a few beers at the site, followed by a meal the Spice Rack Indian (which has apparently just opened where The Upper Room used to be) with your host Mick Hundal who provided great food and friendly service.

Thursday 8 October 1998

	Yamba Lighthouse taken from the beach right next to the site where we camped in.
	Dave and Louise actually took the time to walk up to the lighthouse here at Yamba... they're the two minuscule figures to the right of it's base.

Had a few Ks to kill so left there at midday and ended up in Port Macquarie for the night, stopping briefly for some great value fish and chips on Sawtell. Can't say I'd recommend Port Macquarie, a large town, but didn't seem to have anything going for it to justify the size.

Friday 9 October 1998

Saturday 10 October 1998

The rather nice veranda of the cottage in which we stayed in Leura, a welcome break after the last week of camping.

	Blackheath Falls (the highest of the many Blue Mountains waterfalls), as viewed from Govett's Leap.
	The amazing view from Govett's Leap.
	It's apparently a pretty rare find in NSW to come across it's state flower, the Waratah. I'm guessing this one is so pink (they are usually a much darker red in colour) due to the early springtime we found it.
	Kim explains all about the Waratah... NSW state flower, member of Protia family, etc., etc.
	A Crimson Rosella as spotted in the bush at the Blue Mountains.

Amazing views all day, particularly when standing only inches from death on the various precipices our tour guide Kim took us to.

	Here we (Kim & I) stood in the middle of no-where on the edge of a cliff... spectacular! And when I say a cliff edge, one step backwards would have been a few hundred feet down.
	Suzy and Mark on the same cliff/rocky outcrop. Not a bad effort as Mark is supposedly petrified of heights (perhaps this is why he's putting such a brave face on it?).
	The Three Sisters as viewed from a lookout along Cliff Drive.

Can't be bothered to go outside on a wet afternoon in the Blue Mountains? Try playing with the kid's building blocks instead!

Sunday 11 October 1998

	Leura Cascades - some of the smaller falls seen on the short path to the main fall here.
	Leura Cascades - the main drop for the water here on it's way down to the valley floor, as viewed from directly above (you don't say!).

Thankfully you could actually see the three sisters from Echo Point today, more than I managed the last time I was there and with the sunshine trying to break we took a walk down the 980 step giant staircase, along the valley floor, and catch the Scenic Railway (which is the steepest in the world at 52 degree incline at one point) back to the top.

	No album of pictures from the Blue Mountains would be complete without a shot of the famous Three Sisters. Taken from Echo Point.
	Ruined Castle as seen from Echo Point.
	A Gallah feeding just outside the visitor's centre at Echo Point.
	Kim and Mark stop for a rest after the (sort of) tiring trek down the Giant Staircase from Echo Point and the Three Sisters.
	A bizarre looking tree found on the path from the giant stairway to Scenic Railway.
	The Katoomba Scenic Railway, as viewed from the bottom station. The sign claims, "The steepest incline railway in the world" and gives the following statistics: Length of Incline... 450m, Vertical Drop... 250m, Steepest Incline... 52 degrees.
	The Scenic Railway is more like an old amusement ride than a railway... which I supposed it's meant to be.
	Like many tourist attractions, the Scenic Railway has a flock or birds hanging around, waiting for titbits. Luckily these King Parrots (and the single Rosella) are a bit cuter, and not half as annoying as the pigeons we get back home.

Unfortunately it was now time for home, so met everyone back in North Sydney, relaxed a while, and headed over to the Shenhai curry house for dinner.

Monday 12 October 1998

Tuesday 13 October 1998

Got home to an empty flat at just gone 10, quick shower and change then out to The Paragon to meet up with Kim, Mark and Del who I found loitering by the pool tables. Kicked on to the Pyrmont Bridge Hotel and Star City Casino.

Wednesday 14 October 1998

Went across the road to the pretty empty Metropolis (well... this was Wednesday night), drank, played pool, etc. and eventually got home about 1am.

Thursday 15 October 1998

Friday 16 October 1998