GERROA and MINNAMURRA RAINFOREST Wednesday 2nd November 2011

The weather was a bit of a mixture today – couldn’t quite work out what it was going to be like, but settled for warmish.  Decided to go for a drive to the Minnamurra Rainforest.  Went out through Kiama and Jamberoo until we got to the rainforest.  It cost us $11.00 (per car) to go into the reserve, but it was worth it.  The walk is all on boardwalk.  It says part of the walk is wheelchair accessible, but even that part would be pretty hard going pushing someone.  However it was a fairly gradual incline so we decided I’d go as far as I could and then turn back.  As it was I got about halfway round, so if I kept going I probably could have completed it distance wise, but the section on from where we stopped was pretty steep before it started its descent.  It turned out a good choice anyway, because on our way back we saw an elusive water dragon sitting on a rock in the creek, and also an even more elusive lyrebird.  I saw the bird scramble under a rocky outcrop beside the boardwalk, then Bill spotted it where it came out the other side.  It went down to the creek, scratched around a bit and then had a bath in the creek.  We stood watching it for quite some time.  Unfortunately it didn’t spread its tail feathers so we didn’t see the lyre.  Actually it was probably a female.

We bought a lovely owl in the Visitor’s Centre, and Bill bought himself a peaked cap with a lyrebird on it.  We then went down to the Lyrebird Café and had lunch.  Bill had a pie and chips and I had wedges and sour cream. Nice.

Back to Kiama where we stopped to have a look at the Old Terrace shops – some nice things, especially in the antique shop (which was absolutely crammed to the gunnels with mainly small objects and books).  She had a lovely, tiny owl – but wanted $85 for it, I don’t know why.  It was about the size of the top half of my thumb.  MacRobertson Golly badges were $45 each.  Apparently the shops were original houses for quarry workers in Kiama.

By this time I was quite knackered, so Bill walked back to where we’d parked the car and picked me up at the end of the terrace.

Back to the van where I rested for a while and the weather decided it was going to do what it had tried to do on and off during the day – rain.

We decided to go to the Seahaven Café for dinner.  Unfortunately, despite what it said in the guide book it was locked up tight as a drum.  So we went to Jack’s Grill at the pub again.  Bill was going to have flathead fillets again, but they had sold the last, so he had a beef burger and I had the risotto balls again.  Both meals were lovely.  We had our usual flutter on the pokies, and after spending 50c I scored the feature and picked up $23 dollars or so.  This was helped by picking up the feature again during my free spins.  I kept playing until I had $20 left, at which time I pulled it out, up $10 on our original investment.

It began pouring rain just as we got back to the van.

GERROA and KIAMA Sunday 30th October 2011

A lovely day today.  We had a lazy start, as usual, but then got our act into gear and went for a drive Kiama.  First off a stop in Gerringong to have a look at the Oak Tree Homewares shop because I had seen some lovely white and silver reindeer in the window.  I decided I didn’t need one when I saw they were over $30 each.  Bill bought a Scanpan breadknife and Cook’s knife which were on special.  Some lovely things in the shop, but mostly too dear.  Down at the harbour in Kiama we saw a group of pelicans waiting for a feed from the fishermen cleaning their catch – just like they were 7 or so years ago when we were last here.  Had lunch of fish and chips from the same harbourside fish and chip shop.  They were doing a roaring trade.  Had a look at the blowhole, but it didn’t seem to be very active, probably because the sea was quite calm.  We didn’t actually go right down to it, so perhaps we missed out.

We had a bit of a look at the shops at Centro – again, like Mildura, it was a very small centre.  Did ask the chemist about the rash on my chest – he advised some simple moisturising cream. I think it is just a heat rash because I’ve been warm in bed at night, but it is slightly raised and quite itchy.  I had earlier bought some anti-itch cream from the supermarket, but he didn’t seem to recommend that I use that.  Bill saw a lovely glass owl to hang in a window so we bought that too.

Eventually found a parking spot and had a coffee and banana bread for Bill and a softdrink and citrus tart for me.  Then headed back to the van.

Decided we didn’t need to go out for tea, so had spaghetti on toast in the van.