Traralgon To Batemans Bay

I'm writing this from a caravan park in NSW, on 25th  April, which is incredibly wet - they've had rain for the last 14 days and from today's forecast, I can't see the 15th as being any different.

We are having quite an experience, most of which has been good. Apologies for the lack of updates to this site, but as you shall read, this is the first opportunity that we've had to update it.

We left Traralgon on Thursday 10th April, early evening, which was only a few hours later than we were hoping for (oh, and 2 days later due to car problems, but we'll not mention those)

It was starting to get dark as we approached Rosedale, so we pulled into a rest area to check that the lights were all working. They were. Fantastic ! So we set off again...or that's what should have happened. The darn car didn't start. Arrgghh !

For those non Victorians reading this, Rosedale is a massive 20km from home.

So we called out the RACV (the English equivalent is the AA/RAC). He came shortly after a short game of footy, which Joseph won unfortunately and we were soon on our way after rectifying a fuel pump problem.

We spent the night at a rest area near Bairnsdale and the following morn at a park, in town buying nosh for the day, and the park again. It is a great park though.

Then we headed off to Orbost via a rather hilly short cut which missed out a (less hilly) Lakes Entrance.

A rest at Cann River was great fun as the boys retold the tales of when they were last there - they stopped at the same park when their year were en route to Canberra for the week (a 9-hour journey) (and I thought that the drive from Middlesbrough to London was a long way for us to go for a long weekend ?!?!)

Later that day we crossed the border into New South Wales to much whooping and cheering. That car had actually got us over the border. Just.

We spent the following night at a rest area near Merimbula. It was pitch black when we arrived and very wet and the road was soooo steep that it felt like it was vertical. It was in a rainforest, which in the day is wonderful and exciting. But at night it's a different story with all sorts of noises and beasties out there.

----------

Well, we arrived in Batemans Bay and were directed to a campsite which took dogs. On arriving there they told us their other campsite was cheaper and directed us there, maybe they didn't like the look of us. Anyway after the expert manoeuvring by Col, gosh that van looks so big from the outside. We set off back up a hill and wait for it, yep you guessed it, we had to make our 3rd call to the RACV. The clutch had gone, my phone was dead and also the 3 other phones our family possess were all without credit. By now the clear sky had become dark and the heavens had opened. Colin and Joseph decided they would go back to the previous caravan site and use their phone, after all it was only a stones throw away or so they thought. However to cut a very long story short the car was put onto a tow truck along with the caravan and we were forming a relationship with the RACV.

We were towed to our site. Maybe this photo should be a write-in-competition - "What's the fella on the left thinking?". Send your entry to...

Joseph and I rode in the tow truck. A taxi came for Hayley, Alexander and Rosie.

When we arrived at the caravan site, there was snow on the ground!

But we had planned to have a Barbie for tea, so we still we had a barbie for tea.

Beware the wooden spoon wielding maniac...

Comment from Hayley,

The RACV paid for a very nice hire car for us until ours was repaired. Don't worry dad we still check the oil and the water.

---------------

After the fun and frolics of our arrival on Sunday 13th April, we spent a week in wonderful Batemans Bay and were regular visitors to the Stockland Centre. Ha! Home from Home!

There was no "$2 shop" though or "reject shop" which was immensely disappointing, but there was a Michels (Mum), Liquorland (box of ye olde Coolabah wine ($12 for 4 litres, amazing) for Dad (and to use on the children as a threat)) and a doughnut king (children mainly).

We are heading up the coast on Saturday 26th April and hoping to spend a while at Coffs Harbour.

On the work front, Hayley applied to go on the nursing bank at Batemans Bay hospital. They said it would take a while to get her on the system. We are several hundred km from there now and are still waiting to hear... I had an interview with the NSW Institute of Teachers in Batemans Bay and I can now teach in NSW. The schools are still on holiday though. They are back next Tuesday so I've been attempting to contact various schools, but just get an answerphone at best.

I also applied for various jobs in Batemans Bay; as a kitchen hand, bar staff and waiter (much to the amusement of the children) etc. They said that if I've not heard anything in 2 weeks then I should assume that I've not been successful. My phone hasn't rung yet, but there's still 2 days to go...

Footnote: 2 weeks has now been and gone and my phone didn't ring. There goes my plan of being a bar staff attendant and drinking all the profits. Hmmph.

This final section is not for the faint hearted.

......

......

at least our dog Kaya was eating her greens.....