Sydney!

After the Taree showgrounds we found it hard to find camp sites. Camps6 showed two overnight stops, one had “no camping signs” and the other just did not seem to have any camping area at all.

St Ives showground

We were heading down to Sydney to meet friends Roelof and Amanda whom we had met whilst camping two years ago. They suggested we camp at the St Ives showground which was not shown in the Camps6 book. This turned out to be a great camp. Shady trees, power and hot showers for $20 per night and only ten kilometres from the CBD. From St Ives it was an easy fifteen minute drive to Roelof and Amanda at Narrabeen.

The Narrabeen caravan park wanted from $70 per night and they were fully booked!

We had a swim on Narrabeen Beach where the lagoon empties out to see. Lots of people making use of daylight saving and enjoying an evening swim.

Next morning we headed south to Wollongong. We decided to miss inner Sydney and went via the M2 and M7. Whilst these swing west around Sydney they have the advantage of no traffic lights and an easy drive. Now the western suburbs of Sydney have been in the news lately with all the shootings taking place but we were reassured that we would be safe as the M7 has tall barriers on each side. Supposedly erected to deaden noise to surrounding homes but really erected to keep motorists safe from stray bullets when passing through outlaw country. Well that was our interpretation anyway!

It was an easy drive to Wollongong to meet up with Robyn, Christopher and Edward. We left our caravan in their warehouse and stayed overnight with them.

I have never seen so many multicultural restaurants as Wollongong seems to have. I was introduced to a person who reckoned he was the token Aussie in Wollongong but I think he was exaggerating as I saw at least a dozen more!

It was then down the coast to Sussex Inlet where we will stay with Robyn, Christopher and Edward for a couple of more days before continuing south.

Sussex Inlet – Sunday 22 January 2012