Camping III:  Sand Castles and Fires

After the visit from the lizard we went down to the beach with some dishes and a crate to build a sand castle.  It didn’t take long for us to get bored with that so Nate hoped in his truck and ran it over…Later in the evening it was my turn to cook.  I diced up some chicken and cooked it with an Indian butter chicken sauté, accompanying the chicken was some rice and fresh baked damper.  An iconic Australian dish, Damper is a type of bread that is generally cooked in a large cast iron camp oven which is covered with ashes from a camp fire. A perfect compliment for our Indian style chicken around the campfire.

The next morning we brook down the tents and the tarp, picked up the kitchen and packed it all in the ute.  Once off the beach we stopped to fill the tires back up to their normal PSI and headed home.

1 year ago · 0 notes

Camping II:  The Lighthouse and The Lizard

Day two started with a mug of tea on the shore side of the dune, a bit windy but very beautiful.  Following breakfast we planned a trip up to the point for a nice hike up to the light house.  We left camp in time to arrive at the light house about noon, hopefully giving us enough time to make it back before the tide was at its highest.  At the base of the point, with beer in hand we packed up the esky and headed up the trail towards the light house.  A short 20 minute hike through the woods and along the cliffs we were at the point.  At its highest point sat the light house.  After a quick lunch and a Skype call home we headed back down the trail then up the beach.  Once back at camp we played a few hands of cards before we were visited by a friendly neighborhood lizard, who after a few different attempts to escape finally waddled off up the bank.

1 year ago · 4 notes

Camping I:  Setting up Camp

We set out about noon on the last friday of April, we wanted to make sure we had camp set up before it got dark.  After picking up a permit for the ute we headed for the barge crossing which would take us to the island.  Across the island nearly to the beach we pulled over to let some air out of the tires.  As we crested over the bank that led down onto the beach I thought well this is a first!  Shortly after making the left to head north up the shore we crossed the path of three Cop cars patrolling the beach, we then passed a sign defining the speed limit to be 50km/h in the camping areas and 80km/h on the rest.  We passed one or two stretchs designated for camping before searching for a spot to set up our own camp.  Most of the camp sites sit over a dune as to protect you from the water and the wind that comes in off the ocean.  We came across a nice spot with a clear view out onto the water but also provided adequate shelter from wind and rain. Following a short drizzle we set up the main tent and a tarp under which would be the kitchen and the seating area.  With camp made it was time to relax and enjoy the beach!

1 year ago · 0 notes

An overcast journey down to the Gold Coast

Sunday we gathered up some snacks and headed south to the Gold Coast.  Some fish & chips right near the state border followed by a trip back up north along the water.  To end it all a nice little walk through Surfers Paradise then on the beach.

1 year ago · 2 notes

The Sunshine Coast

My third weekend in Australia, time for a road trip.  After spending the afternoon in Brisbane at the home show we headed up the coast to a Birthday party in Mooloolaba.  Following the party we continued north to Cooran to the property for the night.  Sunday afternoon, in a little bit of rain we headed back down the Sunshine coast to visit some of the beaches.

1 year ago · 1 note

Ocean Beach

A little stroll up ocean beach on Friday.

1 year ago · 3 notes

Wednesday was road trip day.  We started out by heading across the Bay Bridge to meet some fellow unemployed friends in Richmond.  Then we headed for the coast and ended up taking a break in the Mt Tamalpais State Park.  Where the views of the ocean were taken from.  Following that we went up the coast to Point Reyes Station where we had ventured to the first time i visited San Francisco.  After Point Reyes we headed back across the mountains to the 101 which we took back past Sausalito across the Golden Gate Bridge.  Finishing up with a quick cruise along the western most coastal road of San Francisco.  All in all a good days road trip.  

1 year ago · 0 notes