Sydney to Melbourne - NSW

Its been a long time since our last post, over two months. Internet access in Australia is expensive, most places charge about $2 minimum per 10 minutes.  In more rural areas it isn't available at all.  It can be found for free at MacDonalds of course and the NSW and Victoria libraries offer it free.  Tasmania libraries charge for it.

Not long after leaving Sydney our computer malfunctioned again and finally due to a broken screen became totally unusable. We have now shelled out another $400 on a new computer as we couldn't live without it.

So sorry for the delay, but the circumstances have been extenuating.  Anyway, on with the blog.....

Leaving Christchurch

The evening before our flight to Sydney we decided to check on the quarantine restrictions for foodstuff as we had lots of little bits of seasoning and sauces in our camp kitchen. In the end it seemed best to just throw out everything as most of it was not allowed. For some reason Steve went on to check visa requirements, pretty sure it was 'visa on entry' the same as New Zealand. He was shocked to realise we had to have visas before flying. A quick internet search came up with an online GB company offering instant visas so we filled in two applications.

Karen's was accepted immediately but Steve's was put on hold. After an anxious few hours he checked again, just before he rang to beg for approval, and it had been issued.

The airport shuttle arrived on time and we were the only passengers. At check in our luggage was weighed and the check-in girl gave us a bill for NZ$600 for excess baggage. After pointing out that we had a RTW ticket she cancelled the charges.

Waiting in the departure lounge, we heard our names called to speak to departure gate staff. The baggage handlers had picked up the fuel bottle in our bike boxes and were refusing to allow it onto the flight because it smelt of petrol. Despite our protestations and offers to go down and clean it we had to leave it behind.

Finally the flight was delayed, not a very smooth departure for Christchurch.

Sydney

Almost all the passengers arriving on the flight were transferring to onward flights so there were very few of us to go through immigration and collect baggage. The bags and bikes all arrived quickly and undamaged. As we stood at the baggage carousel a man in airport uniform came up to introduce himself. It was Sean, our Warmshowers host, who works in quarantine at the airport. He arranged to meet us in the arrivals hall and take us and our luggage to his home in his tea break. The staff in the quarantine area recognised us as 'Sean's guests' and we got through quickly.

Sean fastened both of the heavy bike boxes onto the roof rack of his car and drove us to his house in Arncliffe. He had to get straight back to work so we spent the rest of the afternoon assembling the bikes. Wandering round Arncliffe to look for a take away tea, we found a Lebanese kebab shop. Arncliffe has a very large number of Lebanese immigrants and we got chatting to one of them who insisted on paying for our food as we were 'guests in his country'.

The kebabs were very tasty and sitting in Sean's back yard we were introduced to spiders Australian style. First a huge one dropped down form an equally huge web above our heads while another even larger one crouched on a leaf waiting for his supper.

The next morning we sat chatting to Sean, still trying to decided what route to take to Melbourne. He persuaded us to take the coast road, called the Prince's Highway, and advised us on some places to see and camp sites.

For the next four nights we had booked a cheap bed and breakfast in Randwick, a suburb of Sydney close to Bondi Beach. To get there meant a nerve racking journey along the busy Sydney main roads but it was a relatively easy to find. Our accommodation was in the home of Mercia, an actress, and her partner Kevin, a film director. They lived in an old Victorian house with ornate plaster ceilings and panelled doors. The bathroom was a bit of a nightmare but they were such warm, friendly and interesting hosts it didn't matter. It was close to Randwick, which had lots of shops and eating places, and the bus to the city stopped right outside.

We bought a weeks bus and ferry pass and spent the next 4 days doing the sites: Opera House, harbour, botanic gardens, cathedral, art gallery, The Rocks, Manly beach. The bus route into the city went along Oxford Street, the red light area of Sydney. There were a lot of 'adult' shops with ingenious names such as 'Lick Her Store', 'Tool Shed' and 'Pleasure Chest'. We weren't tempted to check out the stock.

Harbour Bridge and Opera House

Darling Harbour

Friendly Faces

Manly Beach

Fun Fair

Replacing our fuel bottle and pump for the stove was challenging but after searching almost every outdoor store in the town centre, a camping shop just down the road from our b and b had just what we were looking for. It cost us NZ$120, next time we'll be sure to wash out the bottle.

On the last evening we had a meal in China town. It was Saturday evening and the streets were thronged with people perusing the goods on the street market stalls. Unfortunately so were the police and several stalls were being closed down and their stock confiscated. The operation was co-ordinated by some high ranking officer in a leather coat with his police badge pinned to the lapel who looked like Humphrey Bogart.

One of the restaurants was so popular it had the longest queue of people waiting for a table that we have ever seen.

Sydney to Bundeena – 37km

It was Sunday morning so the roads were quiet for our first day of the ride to Melbourne. There was a signposted bike route all the way from Randwick to Botany Bay on quiet back roads and cycle tracks. It took us right past the airport so would be useful for anyone wanting to ride their bike for the airport into Sydney CBD. It was a warm day so everyone was out enjoying the Sunday with family and friends.

The towns we passed through reminded us of other places on our journey; Brighton, Monterey, Sandringham. The cafés at Brighton were busy with people out for Sunday brunch. As there were no tables left we shared one with a lovely elderly Egyptian couple who had lived in Australia for 47 years. Afterwards we spent some time at the memorial to the first group of boats to arrive here from Britain, carrying convicts. There were the records of all the people on the boats. We checked the names and there were no Coulsons or Skeavingtons.

The cycle path ended at Cronulla. From there a small passenger ferry goes across Port Hacking to Bundeena. The fare was quite expensive as we were charged a child fare for each bike, but it saved a 70km approx trip round by road.

Sunset over Port Hacking

The Bonnie Vale camp site at Bundeena was idyllic on the edge of a sheltered sandy inlet. It was hot and still so we went for a lie in the water (it was too shallow to swim). Our load of washing would not dry in the still, humid air so it got left out. The sun set with a magnificent fiery red, reflected in the flat water.

During the night the tent was raided by a possum who, undeterred by our attempts to frighten him off, returned to steal our apples. Later it started to rain so the washing had to be fetched in. It's hard work camping!

Bundeena to Windiga – 80km

Alarm Clock

In the morning it was still drizzling. The road took us through Royal National Park, the second oldest national park in the World. There was a slow climb up to the top of the land mass which forms the headland, through low trees and shrubs. The road kill here included a 5 foot long black snake with a red belly. As the road descended the other side of the hills the vegetation changed to lush rainforest with tall gum trees and tree ferns interspersed with palms.

At Gairie we got our first views of the coast at the top of the high cliffs. There were a lot of para gliders riding the updraughts at the top of the cliffs. The road then plunged down to ocean level and onto the famous 'Sea Cliff Bridge' which runs along the base of the cliffs.

The metal railings along the sides of this long bridge structure hold hundreds of metal padlocks, all engraved with messages of love or loss.

The road continued along the coast, dipping and climbing between the bays. At Thiroull we easily found the cycle route which took us through to the large industrial city of Wollongong. There was supposed to be a tourist information office here but it had closed down. We couldn't find an internet café and both the hostels were fully booked. After buying food we set off again in the approaching dusk to cycle a further 10km to the next camp site The roads were very busy but for most of the way there was a shared pedestrian/cycle path. It was a relief to reach the camp site and have a meal.

Windiga to Nowra – 61km

It rained again overnight but had stopped by the morning. Today our route was on the Princes Highway which has a cycle path . The road rolled over a lot of low hills. Kiama was a charming little town with old wooden buildings and plenty of tourists where we stopped for coffee.

At Gerringong we took the coast road to Shoalhaven Heads by the side of Seven Mile Beach and then along the river valley to Nowra. There were several small wineries and a lot of cattle pastures. The flies here were demons, fast and persistent, chasing us along the road.

We camped at a site about 2km out of town which had a large population of parrots that made the most incredible noise. There were sulphur crested cockatoos, cockatiels, rosellas and galahs.

Nowra to Green Patch – 44km

Today we took a short side trip to the Booderee National Park, on the shores of Jervis Bay. Sean had recommended we stay at the Green Patch camp site. As there were no supermarkets on the way we stopped in Nowra to stock up for our two days there. A lady came up to chat and told us about the earthquake in Christchurch which upset us. We rode down the road to Macdonalds and watched the news footage of the devastation while e-mailing our friends to make sure they were OK. Our Warmshowers host from Wellington, Laura, had flown to Christchurch as her brother-in-law was missing in the cathedral, (we later discovered that he was killed). It was shocking to see the road that we had ridden down into Lyttleton just 10 days before now covered in huge boulders from the cliffs above. Both of us had tears in our eyes and lumps in our throats as we thought of the beautiful city that had been destryoed and the deaths of so many people.

It was past midday before we set off again, the weather was sunny and warm and it was an easy flat ride down to the National Park. The camp site at Greenpatch is next to a beach of the whitest sand we have ever seen. It has such a high silica content that as you walk, it squeaks and feels like warm snow.

For the first time in Australia we saw wallabies and kookaburras. That evening we cooked on the barbecue while the local birds waited in the trees overhead for their opportunity to steal the food. One kookaburra had a good try with a home made burger but as it was still raw it fell apart before he could lift it.

The next day we just lay on the beach, swam and totally relaxed.

Greenpatch to Ulladulla – 62km

The first 15km was retracing our route back to Valencia. On the cycle path we met a large group of primary school children on their bikes, cycling to Valencia. They appeared to have only one adult with them. He must be a very brave man! We were soon back on the Princes Highway which had a cycle lane for most of today.

At lunchtime we stopped outside a service station which had a picnic table and were quite happy with our home made cheese sandwiches until a couple came out of the café with the most delicious smelling bacon and egg rolls.

Ulladulla was a large town and port where we found the first operating Tourist Information and picked up some info on camping further south. We had a steep climb up to the camp site and after checking in we were approached by an elderly gentleman. He told us he had passed us on the road to Ulladulla and come back to find us to give us something. It was a map of Australia, super-imposed on a map of Europe, showing just how immense this continent is.

Ulladulla to Pretty Beach – 36km

Having been unable to get internet access again last night we decided to go to MacDonalds before we left. Knowing it was on the outskirts of town we set off up the very steep hill and at the top realised we had come the wrong way. After a speedy descent and climb up the equally steep one at the other side, we needed the large coffee while we surfed.

We were heading for Pretty Beach, 9 kilometres off the highway where we had been assured we would see wild kangaroos. The first 20km was along the main road where a group of motorcyclists passed us at high speed, having a race with a couple of cars, scary.

The short distance meant we arrived at the camp site by 2pm. It was a warm sunny day and the beach lived up to its title with pale golden sand, dunes and high cliffs topped with forest. Being Saturday there were a lot of surfers riding the huge rollers and families enjoying the sand. We went for a dip but the large waves meant we couldn't swim.

In the evening the kangaroos arrived in large numbers grazing on the grass around the camp site, no need for lawn mowers here and we realised that we definitely were in Australia. As we ate our meal in the darkness, sitting on a fallen tree, a possum came up looking for scraps, totally unafraid. Later we went over to the toilet. In the pitch darkness we didn't see the large group of kangaroos who suddenly bounded across in front of us which was quite frightening.

Pretty Beach to Rosedale – 56km

The road back to Princes Highway was 8km of gravel. It climbed up through the gum forest and was cool, shady and enjoyable with no traffic, a few kangaroos and a fox. As it was Sunday the highway was quiet but there was no shade and it got very hot.

At Bateman's Bay the road crosses the River Clyde on an impressive metal bridge with a lift up central section to allow large boats to pass. Here we turned off the highway onto a minor road which runs along the coast. It was only 16km to the camp site but the road was a real roller coaster, and we must have climbed at least 10 short steep hills, some of them first gear jobs.

After pitching the tent and doing the washing we went to the camp kitchen to cook tea. At this point it started to pour with rain and so Karen had to dash to get the clothes that she had just pegged out on the line, then back to the tent to zip up the door. Steve was on his way back from the office so we both got absolutely soaked.

Rosedale to Narooma – 64km

It rained all night so we had to pack a wet tent. Except for one small hill, the first 15km of today’s ride was as flat as a pancake, a relief after yesterday. This brought us back onto Princes Highway at Moruya. We stopped here to shop and found a café with a rare service in Australia, FREE internet (but just to read e-mail) so we had coffee and cake.

After that the road undulated through lovely forest with lots of bell birds which have a call like those sonar bleeps in old films of submarines. Another heavy shower soaked us as we got to the 'historic' (ie before 1850) town of Bodalla. It did have two fine churches and a bakery selling good apple pies.

About 7km before Narooma there was a cycle route which followed the coast through Kilmeny and Kianga along the beach. Steve had a puncture, his first since Rotorua in NZ.

The camp site at Narooma was right on the side of the beautiful estuary. It was very popular and busy and therefore quite expensive. We pitched the wet tent and it dried quickly in the fresh wind. A storm was forecast overnight. Later we walked into town to a pub set on the hill above the harbour with 'million dollar views'. We had a lovely meal on the balcony enjoying the view. Afterwards we sat on the harbour watching a distant thunderstorm.

Naroomba to Picnic Point – 65km

The predicted storm didn't reach us but it was cloudy with a stiff head wind. As we ate our breakfast a few of the local rosella parrots joined us for a sip of honey, their favourite food.

Today the Princes Highway went through rolling hills again and there was only light traffic. It felt more remote with few towns or other development.

We turned off the main road for a short detour to the 'historic' town of Central Tilba, famous for its gold mining and cheese factory. There were a lot of preserved traditional wooden shops and houses along the old main street, now converted to tourist money traps.

From here we left the highway to follow the B65 along the coast towards Bermagui. There was a wonderful old and long wooden trestle bridge over the Wallaga Lake. At lunchtime, sitting above a small sandy bay we saw a shadow in the water and realised it was a large ray drifting in the shallows.

In Bermagui we shopped for fresh fish, silver dory, for tea then headed through the national park, hoping to see some koalas, but didn't. We passed some beautiful deserted beaches as we continued south. It was getting hilly again and the weather was deterriorating with increasing wind and thick cloud. Our plan was to camp at one of the National Park sites at Mimosa Rocks.

Cresting the top of yet another steep long climb we came to the turn off for the site. It was a 12km steep downhill on a gravel road which would have meant a steep difficult climb back up the following day. The vote was 2 to 0 to give it a miss.

Instead we dropped down an equally steep but tarmac road and headed down a flat gravel road along an estuary to another NP site called Picnic Point. There was no-one there but us and we pitched the tent behind a bush to get shelter from the strong winds. Despite the reassurance of the Tourist Information lady who said she had camped there, there was no water supply so Steve had to set off back up to the farm we had passed to get some rainwater. That night our sleep was again disturbed by a possum which repeatedly tried to get our food, tried to take the top of the oil bottle, pulled Steve's bike bottle off his bike and climbed onto the top of the tent three times.

Picnic Point to Merimbula – 62km

We got up early so were away by 9.30am. The wind had dropped completely and it was still and overcast. The route continued on the B56 along the coast and over Nelson Lagoon, where we stopped at the picnic spot to fill our water bottles. As in most of the roadside picnic areas in NSW, there were free barbecues and showers.

The next town was Tathra, with a café stop for coffee and cake. From there the road turned inland and up two long slow up-hills which nearly killed us. At the top of the second one we stopped for a late lunch before the fast descent into Merimbula.

There were three camp sites in town. The first wanted $44 per night, the second $35 and the third $25. The problem was that this cheapest one was at the top of a steep hill. When Steve moaned about having to ride up it the owner offered to reduce it to $20, deal! It made the hill a lot less steep.

Merimbula to Eden – 32km

Today the skies were blue and the sun was warm. Steve had been having a problemwith the computer for some time but today it would not start up at all. He shook it, took out all the screws, removed the battery, put it back together again and pressed in an apparently strategic place. It worked but now the screen was cracked.

After the last few kilometres on the B56 it was back onto Princes Highway through Pambula and into the Ben Boyd national park. We took a side trip to see 'The Pinnacles', 5km down a wash-boarded gravel road and then a 2km walk. They were a bit of a let down. Some white rocks at the bottom with red clay above, not even worth a photo. The path ran along the top of the cliffs with tantalisingly beautiful golden sandy beaches at their base, but it was impossible to get the bikes down there and too risky to leave them at the top.

Eden was a bigger place than we expected, an old whaling, fishing and timber processing town. We camped at the Eden Beach Tourist Park at the far end of the long sandy beach. As the wind was a cold southerly and the waves were huge we gave the swim a miss and just sat on the beach instead. That evening we treated ourselves to a meal out at the Great Southern Hotel.

Eden to Genoa – 62km (total 11,663)

The southerly wind was still blowing this morning meaning a cold head wind for the day's ride. We called in at Tourist Information to enquire about camping and services on the route south. Cycling out of Eden, for the first time in Australia, we met another couple of touring cyclists travelling north. They were Dutch, going from Adelaide to Darwin. We chatted to them for some time so didn't set off again until after 10.30am.

It was a steep climb out of Eden followed by a quick descent and another climb but then it was miles of rolling hills through gum forests which meant there were no views. There were rotting kangaroo, wallaby and wombat corpses at the road side that upset the eyes as well as the nose.

It was a surprise to come across a garage/café/general store at Kiah so we just had to go in for coffee and toasted sandwiches. The helpful owner tried to phone the motel at Genoa for us to find out if it was serving food that evening but there was no number listed. Instead we purchased two of her home-made frozen curries for our tea.

Later in the day there was another couple of long ascents up to about 400m. As it was Saturday the road was fairly quiet and we wound along the high narrow road through the tall forest, at last catching some glimpses of a view across to the distant hills but it was just more gum trees.

The camp site at Genoa was free and crowded with camper vans The motel was open and we enjoyed a cold glass of beer. We met another Dutch touring cyclist, also going north. Like buses, you don't see one for weeks then see three in one day.