Banned on the Run, Day 6 – 16 – Covid Dining

June 2020, Nambucca Heads, NSW Dinner at the RSL At 6pm we are picked up out front by the RSL courtesy bus (just us) and ferried to the club. Our temperature is checked, our hands are sanitised and we are shown to our well distanced table. Being in a very large building they are allowed 250 patrons and yet it seems much quieter than it has in the past. Or should I say pre Covid. We have the local specialty Black Fish or Luderick in a macadamia crust followed by walnut crepes. I can’t remember the last time I had … Continue reading Banned on the Run, Day 6 – 16 – Covid Dining

Banned on the Run, Day 6 – 16 – Dodging Covid in Nambucca Heads

A change of pace now as I’d rather not bore you with the musings of a bunch of old farts who doze in the sun…quite a lot, while waiting for winter and this deadly virus to be over. For the next few days I’ll endeavour to capture the highlights of our stay in Nambucca Heads. It is wonderful to be back here. The five of us take things very easy and try to catch up after the drive. After months of doing very little and cooped up inside under lockdown the drive felt much harder than normal. It’s lovely to … Continue reading Banned on the Run, Day 6 – 16 – Dodging Covid in Nambucca Heads

Banned on the Run, Day 5 – Nambucca Heads

Day 5 Monday 15/6/20, One Mile Beach to Nambucca Heads, 13 – 20 Possums were dancing on the roof last night. Our brand-new brake snatch strap unit has broken off. Add that to the breakages list. We stop for a rest at Bulahdelah and by chance run into the Bowls Club President. Three years ago we spent 3 nights camped at the Bulah Bowlo and loved it. But since then we’d heard that the local caravan park forced all the freedom camping in the town to close. This had a dramatic affect on business. The president tells us that the … Continue reading Banned on the Run, Day 5 – Nambucca Heads

Banned on the Run, Day 4 – One Mile Beach

Day 4 Sunday 14/6/20, Moss Vale to One Mile Beach (Anna Bay), 9 – 21 We must be getting back into the old routine as this morning we even managed to get all the dishes done before leaving. We had planned to do the M7 Sydney Bypass in the quiet of a Sunday morning but it appears that everyone is escaping the Covid lockdown blues and the traffic is heavy. We want to stretch our legs but that isn’t possible until we reach Mooney Mooney on the Hawkesbury River on the Newcastle Expressway. We laugh at the signs warning drivers … Continue reading Banned on the Run, Day 4 – One Mile Beach

Banned on the Run, Day 3 – Moss Vale

Day 3, Saturday 13/6/20 Jugiong to Moss Vale 9 – ? Sunny We wake to a cool cloudy morning that is much warmer than yesterday. When asked how dinner at the pub went and our neighbour says the meal was ok but “the waiter could’ve taken the silver spoon out of his arse”. I don’t think he has realised that he is camped in some of the richest grazing land in the whole country and yes, silver spoons abound here. Once more we trundle up the bumpy concrete highway. Our mate S rings to confirm that they’re expecting us tomorrow … Continue reading Banned on the Run, Day 3 – Moss Vale

Banned on the Run, Day 1 – Benalla

I was sitting in the sun wondering if the wandering ibis would eat the slice of tomato I’d just dropped when Elle mentioned that she’d just finished reading the Go West blog posts. I almost choked on my lunch. Having scheduled the last of those posts weeks ago I’d completely lost track of time. Which considering the current state of the world is not a bad thing. Background The Victorian government loosened the Stage 3 Covid restrictions for the Queens Birthday weekend in mid June and in an effort to boost tourism asked people to take a holiday. We decided … Continue reading Banned on the Run, Day 1 – Benalla

Go West, Day 113 – Melbourne

Day 113 Saturday 27th June 2015, fog and mist 6 degrees at 7:30 Ballarat to Melbourne An icy cold winters morning. The sun is trying hard to break through the clouds. Our windscreen wipers are squeaking on the glass as they haven’t had much use lately. We’ve heard from the Ollies and they’re in Western Queensland on their way to Brisbane. We hear on the news that another climber has fallen and died in Hancock Gorge, Karijini National Park. It is a place where nature is to be respected. What’s that on the horizon? Melbourne! A constant supply of good … Continue reading Go West, Day 113 – Melbourne

Go West, Day 112 – Ballarat

Day 112 Friday 26th June 2015, grey 9 oh no, now it’s 8 – 13 Tailem Bend to Ballarat This is ridiculous we’re on the road at 7:30! I guess that’ll make up for the half hour that we’ll lose at the border. Last night we nodded off to the honking of water hens which certainly worked for me anyway. We cross the border into Victoria. Sheep, shearing sheds, grain silos and gnarly old red gums. Feels like home. Eek HOME = Ironing and I haven’t done that since Perth.  The town of Kaniva has painted sheep statues on the street … Continue reading Go West, Day 112 – Ballarat