Zaleya

The new speedy passenger only ferry will be taking us on Friday to a solstice party at Port Townsend on Friday. Staying at an old boutique hotel. Looking forward to it!

Hired a house for a week and went hiking, fishing and boating. A very nice time. The hiking on the top of the snowys was phenomenal, we went on something like a 13k walk, the gum trees were gorgeous, the walk wasn’t strenous for a family walk with younger children. I loved that walk. Fishing for the guys was pretty lame but when we women finally got to take the boat out, we found the women’s secret fishing spot and hauled trout in! Pretty funny. (The guys weren’t amused.)

Stayed in a wonderful cabin in Forster. Saw dolphins playing in the surf. Fished for leatherjackets and grilled them on the barbie. Swam in the (cordoned off shark netted)beaches, saw sharks feeding in the surf at un-netted beaches, swam in a wonderful lake, even found a good mexican restaurant of all things with great margueritas. One of the most relaxing vacation spots ever.

A different world from the very cosmopolitan Sydney, we had a great drive out to Dubbo (in the late southerin hemisphere winter), there were honky-tonk bands playing on the corners, the big skies went forever, the animals seemed happy enough, no neurotic pacing pacing pacing. Sure the enclosures were large enough were sometimes you couldnt see the animals well but hey.

the 3 sisters and stop back by the Black Cockatoo on the way back to Katoomba if it is still there for a lunch or afternoon tea. The legend of the three sisters is that their father, a chieftain had the medicine man protect them from the warriors of the neighboring clan at a time of battle. The medicine man turned them into the fine stone pillars you see in this photo, however, he was killed in the battle and the maidens were never returned to their human form.

inside the Opera House for the first time. Me and my 2 old are there to see “Dorothy and the Red Shoes” a version of the wizard of oz. The hall darkens, the audience goes quiet, and someone’s child’s voice (whose child? 3 guesses, first two don’t count) carries across the whole place “where’s the tele-wision screen?” The acoustics being as marvelous as they are, that little voice carried everywhere in the silence. Slightly embarrassing.
Beautiful building. Beautiful location. The harbor at NY’s eve is the best in the world in my opinion.