...and repeat, but this time with playoff hockey!

After another morning of surfing on the beach, Levi and Nate take a break from the heat and sand at they are still feeling a little raw and I head in for a haircut.  A sad day in my life as I actually paid for this haircut.  No clippers burnt out in the process.  Last time I paid for a haircut is when I asked Luke to trim the back of my neck and he started at the crown.  That is when I determined a 13 year old is not mature enough to be a good barber.  I have no doubt that I would never give Levi a pair of clippers and then turn my back.  On my return, Levi reports that he has found the game 7 Pens vs Senators game in the TV room.  The boys and I watch the last half of the third period, and then another one and a half periods of overtime.  Great game, although would have like to have seen Ottawa advance.  Explain to Levi he is lucky to be in Australia watching this, because if he was back home he would have been sent to bed at the end of the third period.  He is not sure he fully agrees with me.  The afternoon is again spent on the beach, and the boys are in the water for hours.

A surfer's life

Friday, May 26, 2017

Head to the beach first thing in the morning.  One of our camping neighbours is lending Luke a surf board to use.  We have many sets of hockey equipment in our houses, the Aussi’s on the ocean have many surf boards.  When asked if he needs it back for his boys, he responds with a no worries, I have three others in the van.  Luke heads out to some medium sized waves and quickly determines that this is way over his head.  Smart boy.  He catches lots of good waves on waves that look really small, but are great for his third ever day on the waves. 

The boys are back out into the waves for the afternoon, but are getting rubber raw from being on the boards and from the sand.  The day is great though as the waves are good, the sun is out, and the temperature is hot.  The boys are happy to be staying here now, even after wanting to leave after our first day.

Byron Bay

Dolphins and surfers

Wednesday, May 24
Another great night of camping, nice and warm.  Our debate last night and this morning is do we stay in this beautiful resort another day, or do we head to Byron Bay.  The next three days are to be great weather days, so we are leaning toward getting to the ocean.  Cindy ran by the beach here this morning and said it was not wonderful. 
Decision made, and we are off to Byron Bay.  The drive off the Pacific Highway into Byron Bay is long, narrow, and windy.  A great entrance into the little town.  We set up camp at Clark’s which is right on the ocean.  The boys head straight out to do some boogie boarding but are disappointed with the waves.  They are small and not conducive to good wave riding.  The boys want to pack up in the morning and head out.

Thursday, May 25, 2017
Take a walk along the coast to the eastern point of mainland Australia.  On the way, we spot a dolphin wave hopping next to a surfer.  Soon we are seeing dolphins all over among the surfers.  One surfer petted a dolphin.  We end up at the lighthouse and see more dolphins.  Once back at the camp, Luke rents a surfboard and we are down at the beach again.  The waves are much better today and the boys have a great time surfing in.  The side current is amazingly strong and gives a new appreciation to how commanding the ocean current can be.  As we eat supper above the beach, there must be at least a hundred surfers out there.  But, as every other day, when 5 pm hits, the sun goes down in minutes and it is quickly black.  No moon these last few days, so the stars are brilliant.  The boys should be good for another day.

Now this is camping!

Tuesday, May 23

Our first night of camping is Australia was very good.  Levi complained a bit about me going in and out of the car early in the morning.  Too bad.  Our worries about a cold night were not a problem.  Packed up and off to Yamba.  With Yamba being right on the highway, we decided that Anna (the GPS system on Cindy’s phone) could have the day off.  After driving through lots of construction and going further than seemed necessary, we decided to check with Anna.  The return 23 km on the highway did not seem that long and the boys were understanding.  After checking out two caravan parks to camp in, the boys voted on the resort park with multiple pools, games rooms and everything else under the sun.  Nate had actually picked it prior to even entering it when we drove by it the first time, as the large pool with dolphins and slides is visible from the road.  The boys had a great afternoon in the pools, and we then had a supper of hamburgers with meatballs as the appetisers.  A group of seniors on their last night at the resort loaded the boys up with chocolates and some ice cream, so all was good. 

Thanks Trudy and Steve

Monday, May 22

After a lovely breakfast, Trudy shared her experiences of being in Hanoi and Vietnam with us, giving us some great travel advice.  We went for a walk through some spectacular scenery, all it their backyard.  We then started our drive to Woolgoolga.  Arriving in the early afternoon, the caravan park was right on the ocean, so the boys were off to try out the new boogie boards leaving me to set up camp.  The one tent that had a broken pole in South Africa seems to mysteriously have fixed itself.  A self healing tent, what a great item.  If I can figure out how, I am going to patent it.

I had been looking for replacement poles in Melbourne, but unsuccessfully.  The tent must have felt bad for me.  The boys were in the water for over two hours and loved the waves, as one wave would crash onto the other and give the boys more speed.  They would wash right up onto the beach, and started to do board spins as they came in.  Camping was good.  Levi has elected to sleep in the back seat of the car for the rest of our camping days.  Luke and Nate seem happy with that, and Cindy and I have decided why not.  Everyone is happy.

The market and the visit

Sunday, May 21

Pack up early from our apartment and headed for the Laurieton farm market.  On our way we stopped in a little town and found some disposable boogie boards that the boys were happy to have on their laps.  As we approach Laurieton, we notice the traffic volume increasing substantially, and then see parking backed up.  After finding a parking spot, we realize that this is not a small farmers market.  There are thousands of people here, and hundreds of stalls.  Buskers abound, live performances are setting up on the stage, and every item imaginable are being sold.  The boys purchase a fighting kangaroo flag for their man cave at home.  But soon the boys are eager to head back to the beach to try out their new boogie boards.  On the way back to Port Macquarie, we stop at one beach and watch a junior surf competition.  Back at our beach the boys have a great time on the boards. 

We then head into town to meet up with Trudy, our new found friend Cindy met yesterday.  We follow her for about 40 minutes into what appears to be nowhere.  There home in nestled just north west of Port Macquarie in a very scenic mountainous area.  We meet her husband Steve and have a great visit with them that evening.  They have travelled around Canada and SE Asia.  Very interesting couple and lots of fun talking with.

Port MacQuarie

Saturday, May 20
After a morning of writing and math, we headed uptown to get our Vietnam visas printed and have a look around, and then off to the beach.  Information took an interesting turn as the boys were talking to one lady about their travels, Cindy was talking to another visitor agent about different things, and soon they were talking about Vietnam.  This then led to our family being invited to stay with Trudy and her husband Steve at their house for Sunday night.  Strange how things materialize at times.  We then went swimming at Flynn’s Beach, right in front of our apartment. For a day that was forecast to be all rain, it was a beautiful 23 C day.  The beach had small waves (comparatively speaking) and squeaky sand.  After a play in the surf, we headed to the Koala hospital for a tour.  This is the original Koala hospital, and the crew there rescues Koalas from a variety of issues, including vehicle hits, dog attacks, and chlamydia.  Not sure how that got introduced into the Koala species, and do not think I want to know.  The tour was excellent.