We slept on Boomerang Beach, which is located just south of a double town called Forster-Tuncurry (connected by a bridge). Gorgeous beach, we slept in the van which became the commonplace for sleeping.
bImagine 3 one-inch pads, 3 20-something year old men and the back of tiny van--needless to say, it's kind of uncomfortable, but only in the mornings when it's about 130*F.. it was a oven.
bImagine 3 one-inch pads, 3 20-something year old men and the back of tiny van--needless to say, it's kind of uncomfortable, but only in the mornings when it's about 130*F.. it was a oven.
Driving the van is a very great way to see Australia. We can stop wherever we choose; we can stay for as long as we like, and we can sleep next to the ocean, wake up next to it and head off.
The first night (Wed.) we slept on Boomerang beach which is located south of Port Macquarie. Sleeping in the van became commonplace after this night. Imagine, if you will, 3 one-inch pads, 3 20-something year old men in the back of a tiny van sleeping on top of wooden cabinets which hold our backpacks and belongings--needless to say it's kind of uncomfortable, but really only in the morning when it's about 130*F in the metal van oven.
For meals we cook with a portable propane burner which we boil water with for our noodles. Peanut Butter for our raisin bread and peanuts for snakes with raisins (or as they refer to them here, sultanas). Also, green peppers are called capsicum, and Rice Krispies are Rice Bubbles. We always cook outside the back of the van and we usually get looks--but surprisingly looks of interest and inquiry rather than the disgust and utter confusion looks which Americans would approach with. Australians are used to travelers and certainly used to the budget travelers, which we certainly are.
The following day we headed north on the Pacific Highway (Rt.1) toward Byron Bay (our final destination). It was a fun day, we stopped at one of the best pie places in Australia: Fredo's. By "pie" I mean Meat Pies; they are usually filled with a certain meat and baked in a pastry pie, much like the chicken pot pies of American, but these are certainly more filling and more delicious. Fredo's was amazing. Over 160 pie recipes with over 50 pies in daily rotation. We each bought two: Steak and Bacon, Prawn and Veggies (Prawn is Australian for shrimp), Emu, Lamb in Mint with Honey, so many others I can't think of, too.
They were enough to fuel us to the next sleep spot which was Lenoxhead. Of course we stop along the way to see the sights and absorb the grand beaches and the vastness of the water that hits them. We found a small town, which was just 18k from our destination, when we picked up a hitchhiker (don't freak out--three versus one aren't bad odds). She was very nice and from South Africa and showed us a keen place to set up shop.
The morning was excellent: Jef and I each bought a Mexi-brekki from a small cafe-type place attached to the beach patrol club on the beach; it contained the following delicious breakfast items: three pancakes, eggs, bacon, topped with a very very mild tomato sauce (similar to salsa) with mushies in it (mushrooms), along with a side of dices avocado. It was supremely excellent. Best breakfast of the trip so far.
That morning we left for Byron Bay and arrived 20 minutes later in one of the best places in Australia..
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