News From Fred 65

Sydney to Coffs Harbour

Monday night 01 August was spent at Coffs Harbour. On the way, we lunched at Old Bar and took a few photos at Port McQuarrie. Today we went on a whale watching trip on a boat from Coffs Harbour and I caught on video an enormous number of hump backs performing tricks in the near distance as well as video and stills of a school of dolphins riding the pressure from the bow of the catamaran. I've copied a few stills from the video into photo format to paste onto this post. I'll maybe get a few more done when I have time. The beaches are Bondi and Coffs Harbour if there is room - not necessarily in order. Ilona is sitting on Old Bar beach - which hasn't changed much in the 20 to 30 years since last visited (showing our age now).

Tonight I'm in a self catering motel apartment beside the beach at Byron Bay (arrived after dark). Very plush with kitchen, balcony, washer/drier and in case Marie, the bank business manager reads this, quite reasonable. Ilona is in a back packers hostel, which does courses also in yoga and similar pursuits and she is already talking of staying here longer than originally planned - which is until next Sunday. She is of course doing her physchology PhD at Amsterdam University (starting in October when she gets back to Holland from Bali) in 'decision avoidance' so is already investigating the subject at first hand. Lismore, Nimbin and other places in the area of course beckon as does the surf beach (she has already unpacked her board from the Mitsubishi Outback - I've seen lots of Discovery's but only one Freelander to date) and for me there are some nice jogs to get on with while she is in the water.

I've also fixed myself up for unlimited access with an Australian ISP - 'Big Pond' - who gives me the first 30 days free on trial which means, as the telephone sales rep in Melbourne pointed out, I won't have to pay anything. I phone up to cancel it a few minutes prior to catching the flight to Auckland from Brisbane. I can log in from any phone. The motels charge 70 cents for each local call irrespective of duration, so I've got the laptop on line for the remainder of the stay in Oz at no great cost. What was interesting was that the sales rep in Melbourne (Victoria) had never heard of Byron Bay (NSW). Ask any back packer from anywhere in the world about either and they'll probably list the best pubs, clubs, beaches etc etc. Melbourne is very cosmopolitan of course so Byron Bay (nouveau riche/filmstar area of Oz) probably doesn't register. I was last here 21 years ago and it is a lot busier - even in mid winter (only 21 celcius today).

posted by Fred 65 @ 5:08 AM