#Qantas | Travellers, Not Tourists – my time and travels around the world and in my own backyard!

Central Coast and Return.

Took a drive to Umina Beach and Woy Woy and back today. The motorways are fast and efficient when not crowded, but the trucks can be very intimidating! And the engineering involved in creating the motorways, is awe inspiring.

5B5D23E2-23F1-4A4C-B5B6-9A486A1B901E — The M1 – Central Coast. The sheer rock faces you drive between are amazing, and beautiful.

Once I arrived in Umina Beach I went to visit my 93 year old Aunt, who is astounded that I bother to see her. As I assured her, a trip to Sydney must have a visit to her, or it would not be a trip to Sydney. I have a cousin of my mother’s who also turned 93 this year who lives in Sydney who will have a visit on Friday. So looking forward to seeing him too.

23225578-2033-4D54-9144-EE913DFAC92E — Near Fisherman’s Wharf Woy Woy, New South Wales

“Fishermates” in retro effect style. Brisbane Waters, Woy Woy. Reflections

lrg_dsc09515 — The American black duck is prolific on the central coast areas. These ones are well fed by humans and as a result are very likely to wander over to look at you, looking at them. Beautiful plumage.

lrg_dsc09499 — The Indian Myna Bird. Wonderful trill and a neatly, well ‘painted’ little fellow.

lrg_dsc09505 — Mallard duck. One of the most dramatically coloured of the ducks.

lrg_dsc09541 — Fisherman’s Wharf at Woy Woy, Central Coast, New South Wales

Freshwater

Today I have driven east to the coast and will meet up with my cousins for lunch. It is a beautiful day at the moment but by 1pm there are forecasts for thunderstorms- I hope they are wrong – make it 4pm – I’ll be safe at my digs by then.

I was early, as usual, so proceeded to the beach to see the surf at Freshwater Beach.

It really does look inviting. Lots of grommets out and about and older surfers. It is a moving tide of black rubber covered humans with long wet hair – in some cases -and a board under their arms. Not a bad way to spend your time.

Bella Vista Farm

https://camdenhistorynotes.wordpress.com/2017/04/16/bella-vista-farm/

https://preview.tinyurl.com/yd6rmbnt

Today we visited one of the first farming properties in Australia. In 1799 Joseph Foveaux was granted 980 acres which, in addition to other purchases, he sold to John Macarthur in 1801. John Macarthur enlarged this through additional purchases until it comprised around 2,000 acres. John and Elizabeth Macarthur farmed sheep on this property in addition to their properties at Camden and Parramatta. For much of the time that the Macarthur’s owned this farm John was overseas and it fell to Elizabeth to manage the various Macarthur properties and flocks.

The farm is being restored and maintained and it is used for a range of activities and community happenings.

Chatswood

We left our first home of three days and drove east towards the north shore.

Well now we are on the north shore of the city in a leafy suburb called Chatswood. It has huge numbers of retail outlets in the streets and in the malls. Westfield, Chatswood Chase and stores all around them. Eateries are everywhere. Very Asian influence around here with heavy emphasis on Korean. This morning we wandered down to #Crazy_Uncle_Frankie’s where we had a lovely breakfast between us with the addition of an orange juice, tea and coffee.

It was a birthday breakfast – did you see the candle?? We ate at Crazy Uncle Frankie’s 1/405-419 Victoria Ave, Chatswood. Terrific service and food. We were welcomed warmly and we ate at an outdoor table.

After breakfast we watched children chase bubbles on the expanse of green outside the Chatswood Library under the only tree in the vicinity, but a good one.

We then ventured off into retail land through the doors of the Westfield shopping complex.There are some great stores and some great décor.

After the walk through and a couple of useful purchases, we returned to our apartment and readied ourselves for a 20 min drive to see one of my cousins who is 93 and thoroughly warm and amazing man, who continues to live life to the full, working 3 days a week at the office of the firm, established by his father Edward (Ted) way back 1929 with his brother Hector (Bob). My cousin joined the Law firm with his brother in the 1950s.

Great to see him. Great Man oh and an MBE too.

That’s it for now – end of post for now.

We moved out of the WorldMark Suites at around 9:00am and moved into the Hilton Garden Inn across the road from the Qantas Freight area at LAX.

Stayed for the morning then off to the Westfield at Culver City where we shopped and had lunch.

Then back to the hotel in the afternoon and evening. We were lucky enough to arrive early enough for breakfast.

Left LAX around 10:30pm on Saturday. The flight was 14.5 hours and then we landed in Melbourne. Got two movies in, St Vincent, and Hot Pursuit. The second one was a popcorn movie – my classification, derived from the assumption that you could eat popcorn all the way through, even crunching over dialogue, and it would not detract from the conversation on screen. Good fun, not very credible but it was entertaining. The other was terrific with Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy, also Naomi Watts was enjoyable as a grumpy Russian prostitute. In fact it had a surprising, high quality cast, and I would recommend it.

All good fun. Business Class is fun too. See you all soon. Boarding in two minutes. Catch ya out west.

Where have you been?

Travellers, Not Tourists – my time and travels around the world and in my own backyard!

Tag Archives: #Qantas

Sydney, Australia and surrounds 2018