Day 172 - Memory Lane

• Berry – Barrack Point
• 40kms
• 26°c

After packing up camp, Steve, Ella & Oscar kicked the soccer ball around the oval whilst I finished up inside. We pulled up a little further down the road and took a wander through the town of Berry. There was a quaint little shop full of cuckoo clocks and other lederhosen style knick knacks.

It was another rainy day on the roads as we drove the short trip  through the town of Kiama and towards Shellharbour.  We got the camp set up before the skies turned again and headed off to memory lane.

With Steve as our tour guide, he showed us his childhood home that still looks much like it did all those years ago. Ella & Occy had a play at the park that is across the road from the house and Steve told tales of  the park being the place to rumble!  We drove the route Steve took when he went for a joyride at the age of 10 in his Dads Volkswagen and had the kids in stitches recalling how he could barely reach the pedals. We saw the schools he attended and the beaches he frequented to surf & fish.

Surfrider caravan park, $35 a night, power, water, amenities, no pool or playground but is over road from beach

Day 171 - The roads are slippery today

• Merimbula - Berry
• 313kms 
• 28°c

It was a late start this morning, with us not waking till after 9:30! Seeing as check out was at 10am we sure were glad we'd packed up the night before, however we didn't count on a flat battery! At least this time it wasn't caused by the fridge but rather Steve blasting the music yesterday as he tinkered away. 

I was hoping to stop off in Tilba Tilba and recreate my greasy pole climb! but the weather was pretty miserable so a detour wasn't on the cards today.

The roads were very wet today but unfortunately a lot of fellow drivers didn't seem to care as they overtook on corners and generally just didn't drive well! As we rounded a corner we came across a car resting on it's roof, it appears this P plater didn't feel the need to slow down and account for the wet road, thankfully it seemed no one was hurt.

One of my jobs as navigator is to find a camp spot for the day and today would have to be the most phone calls made.  I must say I like to find the best value and the prices for Batemans Bay unpowered site of $42 is a bit extreme so we kept driving and found ourselves in the quaint little town of Berry. We don't have far to travel tomorrow so I'm looking forward to taking a leisurely stroll around town.

Berry Showgrounds, $11 per adult per night! power, water, amenitites, dump point

Day 170 - Sea Mist

• Merimbula
• 27°c

The park we are staying at in perched high above the beach and is a really lovely spot, gets a lovely breeze and we fall asleep to the sounds of the waves crashing ashore. This morning just like early evening yesterday there comes a salt mist that seems to lightly blanket the area of the park we are in. It is almost eerie, not wet to the touch but the ground feels like there has been rain. Then it cleared and out came the sun!

After Dadda's Bacon & egg breakfast special it was straight to Home Ed which was completed with relatively little fuss today! Whilst Steve tinkered with the car fridge and battery connection which has been plaguing him for days! We took a walk around the park and found the games room which was more like a mini arcade, well played park owners, well played! As much as they really wanted to spend some $$$ Ella & Oscar were quite taken with this game foosball which was free.  We agreed to come back after dinner and let them spend some of their money that appears to be burning a hole in their pocket.

Another trip to the Health Food Store to get some iodine and then it was Steves turn to be guinea pig, his body seemed to want it more than mine?

Once the wind started to pick up we decide to pack up camp rather than in the morning when everything would likely be damp once the mist started to roll in.  After a yummy lentil dish for dinner I decided to whip up some Cacao, date & pecan brownies that I'd been wanting to try out and seeing as we had some frozen bananas decided to make some banana, coconut & lime ice cream and seeing as I'd gone that far figured what better to top it off than some roasted coconut! OMG it was so delicious.

Day 169 - Merimbula

• Mallacoota - Merimbula
• 110kms
• 28°c

In search of finer weather we continued on up the coast through Eden and arrived at Merimbula.  After making a few phone calls we settled on the Big4 at Short Point.

After moving site twice! due to size - too big of course & then duration issues we set up camp on a nice grassy knoll with a tree for shade and climbing of course!
Ella & Occy were pretty impressed to discover that the park has 2 pools and opted for the "family fun" one.

After a nice dip to cool off we headed into Merimbula for supplies and a visit to the Health Food Store. If you're in the Merimbula area I highly recommend a visit, the ladies are super knowledgable and helpful, we must have been talking with them for at least half an hour.  I was given an iodine test whereby a few drops of iodine are placed in the inside of your elbow and if your body is deficient in iodine it will draw it in through the skin! Highly interesting & informative. 

The lady commented on how patient and well behaved Ella & Oscar were and gave them an organic lollipop! As she was telling us that they were all natural etc, Ella commented "that's good not like those crap ones with artificial colours & flavours"!! That's my girl. Because they had been so good we treated them to some super yummy ice cream/ sorbet from The Fix Ice Cream Shop mmm mmm!

With some help from Dadda, Ella & Occy built a cool rope swing and spent the afternoon just hanging around!

Such a beautiful pic of Steve & Occy - pity bout the stubbies! Pizza for dinner was absolutely delish with a sprinkle of dulse for added flavour!

Merimbula Beach Big4, $41.60 a night, power, water, 2 pools, jumping pillow, playground, kids club, great spot

Day 168 - Let's talk about the weather!

• Mallacoota
• 23°c

This is crazy, here we are embarking on the second part of our trip, up the beautiful East coast and Melbourne has the best weather?! What is going on?! Believe it or not we did contemplate on more than one occasion today, turning around and heading back to Melbourne till the weather in the higher eastern areas improves! But that slight glimpse of sun we experienced was enough to set up straight.

We took a drive into town which was a quick trip to the supermarket cause being Sunday everything in this small town is closed. But on a positive we tried out my new pizza stone and it was given a big 

thumbs up.

After lazing about camp for most of the day, we decided that when the sun actually broke through for half an hour or so that a walk to the lake was what we all needed.  Fresh air, a fishing line cast and some good old fashioned beachcombing was a lovely way to spend the sunshine.

The caravan manufacturer shall be getting a "please explain" email after Ella burnt her finger on the light surround of her lamp, in the meantime Steve is going to change all globes to leds because the low voltage globes seem to be a danger.

Tonights movie of choice was Red Dog - what a great film, if you haven't seen it, make sure you do it's really worth it. 

Day 167 - Mallacoota

• Lakes Entrance - Mallacoota
• 202kms
• 22°c

Where has the sun gone today? We only caught a glimpse of it today but had plenty of wind as we made our way through the forest to Mallacoota.  Oscar's choice of driving music: Smoke on the water!

The caravan park is just a short minute stroll from the waters edge. Probably not the best for swimming but looked pretty good for fishing.

Looking for oysters no longer seemed fun when it became apparent Daddy might be serious about eating them for dinner?!

Mallacoota Foreshore Holiday Park, $34 a night, power, water, playground

Day 166 - Over the bridge

• Lakes Entrance
• 23°c 

Today was windy again so no good for fishing but we liked the idea of trying our skill at Go-Karts! But it wasn't to be as when we arrived the place was no longer open and looked as though it hadn't been for some time, much to Ella & Occys disappointment. Next best thing though - a swim in the pool!

A lovely stroll after dinner across the Lakes Entrance footbridge to the ocean.

Ella & Steve showed off their kite flying skills with a few loop the loops and Occy and I even managed one together. On our walk back to the bridge a passer by advised us that she had seen a 6 metre tiger snake in the scrub and invited us to come take a look! We politely declined her offer and quickened our pace to the bridge.

Day 165 - Let's fly a kite

• Lakes Entrance
• 24°c 

After completing some Home Education we headed off to a fishing spot Steve had heard about from a local at the caravan park.  After casting the rods it quickly became apparent that the wind was not our friend today and that the lines were destined to be snagged in the rocks below us.

Steve had thought ahead and had packed the kite we were yet to try out.  It's a ripper and the wind was perfect for it, lots of dips & dives, turns & crashes of course!

A lazy afternoon was in store for the rest of the day, movie for Ella & Oscar and the remainder of S.O.A. Season 5 for us - wow! Bring on Season 6!

Day 164 - Lakes Entrance

• Lakes Entrance
• 22°c 

After a good night sleep we woke late this morning which was  just what we all needed!  After taking a walk around town Daddy suggested a round of mini golf, much to our delight!

We had an absolute ball! I think it's the first time Ella & Occy have played mini golf, it didn't take long for them to get the hang of it. Oscars technique included getting down low and eyeing the best angle, whilst Ella was a bit more like her Mum, just hit it at the hole!

Oscar, Ella and I all scored a hole-in-one, that means ice cream for us! Oscar kindly said Steve could have one of his ice creams seeing as he scored two hole-in-ones!

We finished off the golfing experience with a late lunch at the local sports club which was super yummy and then of course ice cream!