More quickies for the drrons.

[drron]

The last posts for now. We found out on Thursday that both our bridesmaids would be on the coast on Friday so a hastily arranged dinner for Friday night was made. held at the Nguyen Brothers at Maroochydore our favourite everyday restaurant.
Thoroughly recommend this place. It is the only one of their 3 restaurants open for dinner. They are planning a 4th branch at Tewantin. Flavours are really good. The menu.

Menu — Nguyen Brothers

www.nguyenbrothers.com.au

So that changed our plans for friday and so instead of hanging around and having lunc in the Bay we started for home early. That meant we stopped at one of Maryborough's finest restaurants for brekkie.
.

Which meant we didn't have to eat lunch at all.
An easy run home. It does look like the Gympie bypass is coming along at last. That will be wonderful when it finally happens. hope they are making it flood free. Projected finish time mid 2024.

 

[drron]

Now @RooFlyer wanted to see the presentations at the Conference but I thought some others may be interested. The whole conference was filmed and 6 sessions. Here are the links.

Can only have 5 media presentations so another post.

 

[drron]

The last session.

And in case people want more there was a mining conference on 2 weeks earlier on the Gold Coast with different companies. They can be accessed here -

Resources Rising Stars

Resources Rising Stars is the national events division of Read Corporate. A dedicated platform designed to connect investors directly with some of Australia's leading junior and mid-tier resources companies, Resources Rising Stars operates a number of flagship events around Australia. These...

www.rrsinvestor.com

This will be the last post here for a while as our next trip beginning 2/8 is back to the old days with 8 weeks away.
Next in this thread will be our trip to Newcastle in October.
We have added another short trip to Melbourne in November so mrsdrron can requalify WP.

 

[drron]

Now I did promise to report on our recent road trip so here goes.
the trip started with the decision to attend the AFF do in Newcastle. But we also hadn't seen our grandchildren for 9 months and mrsdrron's sister is not well so Sydney was added.
We also hadn't seen our best man and good friend who has gone through quite a bit since our last meeting. A liver biopsy plus he is a Ukrainian from a village not far from Kyiv.

So a road trip was the best idea to achieve all this. So on the Thursday before the AFF do we set off at a reasonable time of 1030. We were not planning on long distances or quick times. We decided to stop at Woolgoolga which was pretty much half way to Newcastle. Starting then meant we missed the peak hour traffic though it was still pretty heaver down the Bruce to the gateway. From there quite OK as most of the traffic then was going in the opposite direction.

The Pacific highway has improved tremendously since we last travelled it when I worked at Kempsey. To Woolgoolga it doesn't go through any towns once you leave the tweed and is 4 lanes basically all the way. We arrived into Woolgoolga a litle after 4 and decided to have a drive around first before checking in and have an early dinner as we hadn't eaten lunch. Turned out not to be a great idea as apart from the great Aussie takeaways nothing opened until 1700 even the fish and chip shops.

Outside the RSL.



And the Sikh Temple. At least 15% of the population is of Sikh descent. They own 90% of the banana plantations which were the major industry. However a lot of the banana plantations are now growing blueberries instead.



The earliest place open was the Seavi avern t hough we could not see the sea. They boast of excellent pub meals; Not so sure about that. We shared a dozen kilpatrick oysters note for their small size.


We shared plates of fried scallops and prawns by combing the 2 dishes. this is what we each had.

 

[drron]

We stayed at the Rosebourne Gardens motel. It was cheap for a reason. This was meant to be a king room.





They advertise free wifi and certainly you could sign up for the motel's service but internet access was not available at any time. It was also quite noisy with some coming back late and quite a few leaving early.
The view didn't make up for the short comings.



Friday morning was a shocker. It was pouring. this shot was taken when it eased off.


In the future if we drive down the Pacific highway we will go that little bit further to Coffs Harbour.

 

[drron]

The drive through Coffs Harbour was very slow but I did notice a sign for an intended Coffs Harbour bypass. It is needed.
We had a Maccas breakfast there as well as refueled. A slower trip because of the rain. most of the other traffic continued on doing 110Kph or higher, Then when you reach Raymond Terrace the traffic becomes heavier as you go through the outlying parts of the town.

like most others we were staying at the Holiday inn Express. And like most others had been boosted to Diamond status and staying on the 7th floor. We were given the luxury of a harbour view with both car parking and boat parking views.



The Sea Shepherd can be seen on the other side of the water.
We joined the others for a quick pre dinner drink at the HIE bar and then a light rail ride to the dinner venue at The Landing. Some pics of the gathering in our protected area.






The view from the Landing.


Service was very slow but the food I had was fine. Calamari followed by lamb.

 

[drron]

Saturday and I was off on the wine bus. Great to see an old recognisable name on the bus.

I took very few pictures. too busy tasting wine. These were all I got before lunch.



Lunch at the Hunter Valley gardens. basically booked out so I went to their shop and got the last King Island beef pie. And nice it was.


I did take one flower photo there.


Some vines from the bus.



And the last vineyard.


Memories for me as I was in the Hunter when it was set up by a Cessnock GP. He will always be remembered by me as his referrals were always written on the back of a used envelope.

The sad thing for me is that the hunter is now a tourist destination first and a wine region second. On top of that they are basically not making the styles that will last and I have been drinking 30 years after I left the Hunter. Such is life.

 

[drron]

Where we went next had vines.



But we were her for more olfactory reasons.


And lovely it was.




Then to the Cricketers Arms for diner. A bit of a walk from the HIE but thankfully only a slight sprinkle walking there. Again service a bit slow and the meal not to our liking, Overcooked fish for mrsdrron and a very tough steak for me.



But great guests.


Walking back I felt this was an appropriate name for a Newcastle pub.

 

[drron]

On Sunday we first headed to Terrigal where my sister from Devon still has a house and she was back in Australia for her medical check up. Her office has a nice view.


Then to Sydney where or preferred office is the IC Double Bay. The views.



Sunday was the day before our son's birthday so we had a birthday dinner here.


Used to be Colin Fassnidge as chef now Guillaime Brahimi who used to have a restaurant 1 block up the hill.

 

[drron]

The menu and wine list.

 

[drron]

The food. My kingfish cerviche.


The market fish.


Roast of the day.


And my youngest granddaughter had nachos with Jalapenos. Takes after her grandfather.


Salmon.

 

[drron]

Was staying at the IC on a Virtuoso booking so breakfast included anyway. Nice Eggs benedict.


The next night it was pizza at the 5 ways Paddington.



The pizzas were very good.



Walking back to our son's place we discovered where James Bond stays in Australia. an Aston Martin in the driveway.

 

[drron]

We detoured on our drive back to the IC via the Harbour Bridge to see the light shows for the 50th Anniversary of the Opera House opening. Fantastic.

 

[drron]

The city itself is spectacular at night.

 

[drron]

And some more of the Opera House.

 

[drron]

After leaving Sydney we called in again to see Mrsdrron's sister before heading to the Blue mountains. first called in at Echo point . great memories seen from there. Back in my Uni days we did the return Katoomba to Jenolan caves walk and return when we would tag koalas for the NPWS. Also Mt.Colong wher we walked in to visit the Colong caves. On one occasion installing a gate at the entrance to protect them.

 

[drron]

Some scenes around Katoomba.




And the Clarendon hotel where we stayed to see Reg Livermore in 2 of his shows.




And then on to the hydro Majestic where we were staying.

 

[drron]

Now there is a story behind our desire to stay at the Hydro. We stayed there 40 years ago with our young son. We had a lovely dinner but our son wanted to go back to the room so we gave him the key. When we finished dinner we went back to the room. knocked on the door and no answer. Knocked harder and harder and still no answer. We were getting a bit worried so got reception to ring the room still no response.
The strange thing was every room had a single key,no spares. There was a master key but that went home with the cleaner who could not be contacted. The local locksmith was out of town. they didn't have a ladder that could reach a second floor widow. So in desperation they got the largest staff member to come up. he was one of the barmen. The room was at the end of the corridor. so he took a run and put his shoulder to the door which came off it;s hinges. And there was our son fast asleep. The whole corridor was now in attendence.

The end though was funnier. Our son woke and came and joined us in our bed in the morning and said -"I don't remember letting you in last night."

So 40 years later they assign us a room 1 down but on the opposite side to that room.
To the room.



And the view.



We went for a walk around the property. first to the store with the original dining room.


Full of nice,expensive stuff.
Good views.






And nice gardens.

 

[drron]

And the sunset.

 

[drron]

We went to their main restaurant. The menu and wine list with a sunset thrown in.