When I left you last I was camped in Bathurst. The next morning I wandered around town to find the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum. It held a beautiful collection of shinny and ancient things, but not particularly interactive for kids. The building itself was impressive - a huge Victorian school building like one of the wings from Harry Potter. Aparently the high ceilings had kept the building so cold that parents started pulling their kids out of the school and it eventually had to close!
I stumbled on the best playground I have ever seen in Bathurst. Unique in every way, it boasted a flying fox, xylaphone sounding bridge, climbing wall, stockman's yard style maze and obligatory slides and swings. It was an attraction in it's own right!
I was finding myself a bit in need of a rest so I headed for the Blue Mountains to a campsite recommended by Marilyn on the phone at National Parks. Ingar is 15km from Wentworth Falls along a dirt road and no bookings were necessary or possible. Pot luck (and a few pot holes as well). When I got there, I found all sites were cabled off and suitable for tents only. One, however, had a gap in the poles just large enough to squeeze my trailer so, rather like a jigsaw puzzle, I manovered the trailer in inch by inch then set up in paradise next to a fire pit.
Hot and sweaty I went for a dip in the nearby swimming hole and then relaxed with my book. (Lorna, I finished Edgar Sawtelle!). The afternoon started in peace but before too long I was flanked by two families with numerous kids. Now, that wouldn't be a problem, except one of the mothers was a gold medal winning nagger. "Lachlan - NO", "Lachlan - what are you doing?"... you get the idea. The campfire was lovely... strumming my guitar great but the kids didn't go to bed until after 10... I beat them to it and heard nagging in my dreams.
A delemma raged in the morning. I had planned to stay another night but by 9am I had a headache from the nagging and realised there were no walking trails nearby to effect an escape so I and changed plans. I rearranged by stuff for a few days in the city and retraced my tracks along the dirt road, then set my Navman to Penrith to visit the whitewater kayak stadium (the one used in the 2000 Olympics).
Wow - this is an attraction well worth visiting. Free entry and this man made white water is the only one of its kind in the country. Kayakers weave their way through gates and rapids and a path around the entire facility keeps spectators right near the action. At the bottom of the "hill" an elevator takes the kayaks and rafts back up to the top!!
Penrith is only about 45 minutes from Sydney so it was an easy drive from there to Erskenville. I don't know what I would have done for directions without my GPS, which is a real godsend. It took me right to the door and I pulled into the church parking lot across the street where Peg had arranged I could keep my car and trailer.
A shower, cup of tea and laundry load later I turned on the TV for the first time in 10 days... and chilled for the evening...
Much rested after a good night's sleep, I am now ready to explore again. I am off on a walk to Kings Road shortly. Might see a movie at the Dendy or take myself out for lunch. I just spoke to Simone and will try to meet up with them for NY celebrations.
If I don't talk to you, have a wonderful New Year!
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