PARKES 11th January

With the rushed trip through to Orange we missed some great territory and will have to do the trip through there another time.  Going over the mountains there was a great deal of fog in some areas which was very surprising as it was around lunch time.

We arrived in Orange which was an unscheduled stop as Stuart’s leg pain and back pain was worse.  I had phoned ahead and secured a doctors appointment to get a referral for a CT Scan.  This was all organised and the scan is set for Monday morning but a script that the doctor gave us on Friday seems to have eased the pain to a great extent.

With 3 days on our hands we went out to the Boronore Caves and although fairly small and unspectacular they were very nice.  After a bit of persuasion from Stuart I went into the 10 miters or so of rock in the dark (we did have a torch) bent at the waist into an amphitheatre which opened out to a small creek in the side of the hill.  As the climb down to the creek was rather steep and treacherous I chose to only come down to the first level and Stuart went all the way.  Only small but very pretty and with alcoves into the rock where I could picture the early Australians using this as a sleeping place with water nearby and shelter from the elements but so close to the open plains.  When it came time to go I couldn’t climb back up to the level Stuart left me on and had to climb backwards on my backside to where I could stand up.  Painful but worth it.

Looking from the entrance of the cave out

Once I climbed down to the large knob fron left of me I struggled to get back up so went no further

  The next day we went up to Mt Conobolus which is used by all the radio and TV stations for towers (of which there were many).  As the visibility wasn’t real good we left and satisfied ourselves with Devonshire tea at the tea house half way down the mountain.  In the afternoon we ventured out to the old heritage pioneering town of Millthorpe.  Gold was discovered there in 1851 and there is a lot of heritage in the area.  The museum of golden Memories is one of the best  that I have seen in many years and one that wouldn’t be seen on the coast as all of the machinery would only rust and there would be nothing left to put in museums.  Stuart found it very interesting considering his past in the farming industry in the area of Parkes only an hours drive away.  I of course just needed a toilet.....
We arrived in Parkes Tuesday afternoon after Stuart had a Steroid injection for his back after a CT Scan showed that he had compromised discs from L1 through to S1 so now he is almost pain free (for the time being)  We arrived at our usual spot at Stuart's cousin, Col's place where his wife Robyn is nursing a double hip replacement but doing remarkably well.
I fly home on Monday to get back into work mode and won't bore anyone with another Parkes Elvis Festival.

JANUARY 3rd JUST OUTSIDE OF NEWCASTLE

I really have to take care when writing these blogs or I am going to find myself in all sorts of trouble.  Technology and Lesley are two words that shouldn't be used in the same sentence.
Firstly I thought I would get in early and send a New Year Greeting to family and friends on New Years Eve.  After about 3 attempts of getting the addresses in and part of the message done I would lose it all and have to start again.  when I finally sent it I had left out Kathy from the greetings list and also one of our friends.  Kathy has reminded me and our friend will forgive me after she reads this.
Then when I listed our family at our Christmas Party before we went away I totally left out Tracy and Bob, who came up from rocky for the party.  I have apologised but I guess as I get older the number of times I will have to apologise will increase.
We travelled a whole 50 kilometres to Nambucca Heads to have coffee with Stuart's cousin Lyn and her husband Bill which ended up being coffee, lunch, dinner, bed (in our van on the side of the road across from their driveway) and breakfast.  Stuart and Lyn looked at old family photoes while Bill and I chatted along with Bills brother Dallas and his daughter Emily who had travelled up from Sydney for a few days.
Bill did mention that Dallas was an accomplished singer and singing teacher in Sydney and had "performed in quite a few operas".  After we got on our way I googled "Dallas Watts" and found him to be a little more talented then we first thought, I quote

"'RECITAL AT THE PROMS' is Dallas' seventeenth production as a director. He has sung in over 20 operas with Opera Australia including Pirates of Penzance (National Tour), Turndot, Don Giovanni and as a prison guard to Teddy Tahu Rhodes in Dead Man Walking (State Theatre/Alexander Productions, September 2007). Dallas has also appeared with The Three Waiters and Opera Afloat (Captain Cook Sydney Harbour Cruises). Recordings and Films with Dallas Dallas was the featured soloist in "Uno Amore" which won best film and best soundtrack, Tropfest 1999, and also sung solo in The Tin Symphony (Sydney Olympic Games official CD 2000) composed by John Frohlich." As well as meeting their celebrity guest we had a wonderful time with wonderful people and it was a bit sad to move on next morning. We travelled on to Port Macquarie only a little way down the track where friends of ours were staying at the Sundowner Breakwater Tourist Park.  When Johnno said they were having a curry night and for us to join in we had to find a shop.  We had a great night with Johnno, his family and 3 other couples and their families with plenty of food and plenty of wine.  The park is right on the breakwater and we heard that they were catching hugh jew fish off the rocks. We were sorry to leave there but as caravan parks go it was a bit too dear for us (though I guess it is their peak season). We are just loving the fact that we won't have to rush and we just have to pull up wherever for the night and as long as we are in Parkes by next Tuesday we will be OK. Got some great places to visit tomorrow but as they say - Tomorrow is another day. Just a gentle reminder to all who receive our blog - if you don't want to read about our travels or family stories please don't hesitate to email me to remove you from the list, Lesley.