Sydney or The Bush? The Bush - in Sydney.

 If You Must Go To Sydney

Do it in style!

We weren't going to  Sydney this trip until Dzintra told us about Bernard. So we factored in the detour as required from, say, Emerald.  That led us through Roma, St George and then Gunnedah. These are not scenic stops,. not places with a tourist hot-spot.   But needs must where the devil drives... me, too. Into Lane Cove we were to go, but in the techo-world of travel I need to put it that we put Lane Cove into Ken Navman, and then off we went. Zan has Cartographers Syndrome, which means she is able, being thus gifted, to read not only one map, but a series of maps and no matter how deceitfully arranged are the pages, she can find the route - to check on Ken.
We came from Queensland's goat tracks to the glory of the M2, which is down-hill, down-wind and smoothly paved. After setting a new economy record of 12.1 litres per hundred km (what a lovely shade of green my Landcruiser-driving readers have all gone!) we squeezed into Sydney, with just a few nervous moments at the skinny suburban lanes of Something Road.  Lane Cove is a designer suburb, a classical inner suburb where one's inebriated visitors, as they leave one's party,  would roll into the Harbour unless restrained by their wedge-shaped wallets or their Friends. 
Lane Cove CP is in a National Park and bounded by the Crematorium and Cemetary, so the evenings are deathly quiet.

This mound is the proud mating-ground of a Scrub Turkey.

We watched scrub-turkeys mating, the male overseeing the whole process, two hens competing for egg-space. I took photos and video, and to avoid arrest as a voyeur, handed it all over to the NPWS, NSW. Given that this three-some was happening at Elly-May's step, we had little choice, and the process made us an hour late coming out of Sydney.

They're such good mates, Zan & Din. She came and picked us up in the trusty Corolla, and just a few minutes later we were at Thelma & Louise's Cafe, Neutral Bay, with the best table in the place reserved just for us. Well, Din, probably. The jetty brought a gentle stream of Sydney-siders for us to inspect as we shared a platter of antipasto and soaked up the atmosphere, the pinot grigio and caught up on absolutely everything. Frankly, I didn't get a word in - nor did I need or want to.

The Harbour is iconic. We loved it, as One does.
The day was idyllic, the food professionally delightful, the company simply the best.

We happily chatted with the usual interesting mixture of ferry patrons who assume that diners at the cafe are part of the scene and therefore are entertainment. We obliged.





 Mudgee. 
We travelled out of Sydney in weather designed to test every aspect of caravan travel. Tight roads, then broad freeways (with Tolls, which Zan fixed up in a big way), road-works, high winds that swirled from full side-on to quarter and back; rain, driving rain, more rain, sleet, crests with gusts to thirty knots. We refuelled along the track and finally as we topped the Blue Mountains, the run to Mudgee went as smoothly as you like.

Then the first trouble started.

In the  driving rain, some water might have got in to Mudgee CP's 240v post, or maybe our lead, but when  I plugged in, pop went Elly May's circuit breakers, grrrr went our battery charger and I think the TV got a dose of the static that spelt its demise. Two of the three maladies were easily fixed, but the TV had karked it. Later I was told that missing the Oz batting in the second dig at  Lords was an act of God, and I should forget insurance for the other two events.

Gorgeous little park with plenty of space and appeal.

Mudgee is a seriously excellent little town, with all the desirable services and an attitude rife in the community that helping people with a problem is something they CAN do, and should do.

The CP by the golf course on the east side of town is a delight, and the welcome included such gems as 'Just drive round and find a site you like and then come and tell us which one. Then we'll fix up the bill.' What a great attitude.
It was this  attitude saw me visit almost every business in town on the Saturday morning (the Disaster having struck at 5:32pm on Friday in order to maximise the inconvenience,  the expense and almost nullify any possibility of outside  help.)  There in Mudgee I went, asking for fuses, ceramic, 240v, 10A, please.  No? BP Servo, Bunnings, Mitre 10, Super Cheap, Repco, Plumbing Supplies, Harvey Norman, Electrical Wholesalers, 4WD and Camping Centre and finally Jaycar. Ceramic fuses? Yes.  10A? The biggest is a 4A.  Two? $1.20 please.  What? 4?  OK.

Didn't work. Blew the lot. That was enough to have Zan insist that we get some therapeutic relaxation at the Mudgee Club. That happily netted us a quick half-a-K dollars, covering all the damage and then some. So much for the evils of gambling and Bad Luck. We decided to visit a winery or two and get lunch somewhere.

Wineries where wine is available for tasting and slaes abound - away from the Main Road.

Rang on Monday and got the battery charger issues fixed under warranty but we had to use some Club Mudgee funds to visit Jaycar and get a TV. Then to Steel Supplies and Welding for a free cut-off job on the bracket, which didn't fit after all.  Mudgee people are really determined to help out.
Then away we went at the crack of dawn, across the  gently changing landscape through some of Australia's best grazing country, via Dubbo, which we  missed, and Nyngan, which we didn't, but with much the same result. Finally, we went through Hermidale,  and after six bends in the 235 km road, we arrived at Cobar.
And that's another story.