| Myrons Daily Journal - Page 6 March 25, 2004 Got the housekeeping done. Found a lonely planet book for the east cost of Australia. Got my return trip from Christchurch to Auckland cancelled; scheduled freedom air from Coolangatta to Auckland and rescheduled my flight from Auckland to LA to match the freedom air flight. This will be happening on May 3rd. I will be getting into LA on the same date, May 3rd. I also sent some unused bulk back to the states. I got concerned about the time I will be traveling up the gold coast of Australia. Coolangatta is about 30 klicks south of the town of surfer's paradise. I have been told about the "schoolies" who descend on surfers paradise. (Like I have said before, all nicknames are said with an "ie" on the end, making the thing being described sound small,) but there is nothing small about this influx of schoolies. It is the Australian version of the Florida's Fort Lauderdale. Much to my relief, Easter break, when I will be near the area, is not the time of the influx. That occurs in November at the end of the school year for the kids. In October there is another party in surfer's paradise when the Indy car series visits Australia. This event is said to be queen’s land's biggest party. Not being much of a party animal, I will gladly miss both. I and the biker from England went back to the Tai restaurant for dinner. If I stayed any longer in Sydney, this restaurant would become the counterpart to the Encinitas cafe. Tomorrow I will take the harbor ferry to manly which is called the jewel of the north shore. It is a 15 ride from Sidney harbor. I may stay a day and check out the area by bike or continue north to Terrigal, taking a ferry from Palm Beach across broken bay. This is what I like about not being with a group that has a close schedule. I see these parties get off a bus, look around and then get herded back on by the tour guide. Even my trip across the middle of the US with adventure cycling had a very close schedule. We would be behind by a day that we had to make up, or were ahead a day looking where to spend it. March 26, 2004 Got lazy while in Sydney. Sat around and chatted with the others at the hostel until around 11AM. Then rode to the harbor ferry terminal and caught the ferry to Manly. After arriving in Manly I started riding to Palm Beach where I caught another ferry to Ettalong next to Bouddi National Park. The ride to the ferry was very similar to riding in Orange County along 101. In fact I went through a town called Newport Beach. Lots of traffic with no shoulder. The ferry to Ettalong stopped at a very small community which turned out to be just across the bay from Ettalong. I got off there thinking it was Ettalong. I noted that the ferry was not leaving in the correct direction to return to Palm Beach. I inquired at a small shop next to the dock. Yep, Ettalong is about 500 meters across the bay. I asked if there is a road around the bay. Yes, about 30 click with a very big hill. The lady at the shop said this happens all the time and was the second time today. They have asked the ferry to announce this stop as not Ettalong. Earlier today an elderly lady from around here did the same thing. They said she broke down crying, saying her family was waiting for her at Ettalong. They got a taxi from Ettalong to come and get her. The lady at the shop figured my bike would not fit in a cab and got her husband's flatbed truck and drove me to Ettalong. Thanks a lot Kerry! I arrived in Ettalong too late to cycle to Terrigal. I found a Holiday Park next to a beach and stayed there. March 27, 2004 I enjoyed a long break at a coffee shop in Ettalong talking to a local who came from England years ago. He had studied accounting in Switzerland. As I have said before, I have not found a single person, including this gentleman, who is in favor of Pres Bush. I never bring up politics when talking to the locals. They are the ones that steer the conversation over to Mr. Bush. In fact they are having elections here and an important subject is the presence of Aussie troops in Iraq. I am starting to become agnostic in politics much like I am agnostic in religion. I find it much more relaxing to listen to everyone's opinions without having to voice mine. I explain I give all my votes to my daughter to spend as she wishes. She is the one who will have to live the longest with the outcome. I find I enjoy wayside stops so much that I am glad I allocated a little over one month to travel 1,000 kilometers. You get to know a country by getting to know the people. So far neither! Are very much different than what you find in the states. One very small difference I do find is that there are no sparrows here. The weather is very similar to San Diego, but no sparrows hopping around under your table. I suppose this qualifies me as a bird watcher. Here I am finishing out the day at a Thai restaurant. If I am going to be a fan, I’d better learn how to spell Thai. I have been spelling it Tai. March 28, 2004 I spoke too soon about the sparrows yesterday. When I stopped in the town of "The Entrance" for a milk shake, they were there. The first I have seen. Someone said there are not many around because of a more dominant bird that was introduced to Australia years ago. Australia needs to take lessons from the US on how to make pancakes and milkshakes. I stopped at a beachside cafe in the Lifesaving Club Building. Their prices are very reasonable since they are a part of the lifeguard association. Here you see all kinds of logos on the lifeguard boats, beach wind guards, buildings, etc. these companies sponsor the lifesaving clubs, who in turn teach all forms of safety to the young as well as performing beach lifesaving duties. Anyway, back to pancakes. I ordered pancakes expecting stateside types. I got 2 very thin cakes that were more like quiche. They would fuel me maybe 2 clicks down the road on my bike. What was worse was the fact that they were $4.70. The other food they need instructions on how to make is the milkshake. I do believe they think if you take milk and shake it, you have a milkshake. They need a dairy queen here to show them how. The shake I got at "The Entrance" town would fuel me no more than a click. I remember having 4 large malts in Texas on my last trip. I would have had 5, but felt embarrassed to ask. I would need 20 of these to come close to my 4 in Texas. Maybe I am seeing the reason obesity is less here. I am used to the portions of food we eat in the US. I can get away with large portions while biking, but how many bike daily. I finished my day after an 87 kilometer ride to Newcastle. Just as I got to the youth hostel, those who were already there were getting ready to walk to an Irish Pub for a free dinner. A free dinner is offered just about every night of the week by the Hostel. Newcastle is a very industrial town that lost its Steel Mill some years ago and is trying to promote tourism, I suppose! The Pub is attracting people to purchase drinks. After a good meal, 5 of us stayed for a couple of hours. We did purchase quite a few drinks. I had some Irish Guinness. The bartender created what looked like a stamped shamrock in the foam by moving the glass around under the tap. I plan to stay a few days here. The free meals will make this easier. One evening it is all the pizza you can eat for $5. What a great way to make a hungry cyclist stick around. March 29, 2004 My first day in Newcastle. It is one of Australia’s largest ports and is New South Wales' (NSW) second largest city. I read it was founded in 1808 as a place for the worst of Sydney’s convicts and was known as the "hell of NSW." In 1989 the city had Australia’s worst recorded destructive earthquake. They had another earthquake in 1997. I see no indication of any damage. You can see the city is trying to develop tourism to augment its industrial base. I took a ride along the beach and could view 40 (counted them) large tankers anchored off shore. It looked like Long Beach when Jim and I were biking down the Calif. coast during the dock strike over a year ago. I noted that they were all empty, sitting high in the water. I asked a local why so many tankers. He said they are from all over the world waiting to proceed into port to take on loads of coal. Inland they’re lots of coal mining. I told him it looks like a scheduling problem. It must cost a lot to let a ship the size of these just set there idle. He wasn't totally sure, but he believes the Coal Company reimburses the ships for their idle time. Like in Sydney, there is a lot of tall building construction going on here. The bay has its old rundown areas and its new developed area with modern townhouses. I noticed some large salt-water swimming pools right next to the beach. One is the length of 5 Olympic pools. Many people were doing laps in the pool. Thought I might return tomorrow and do some laps to see how swimming is as an exercise. |
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