Sydney and then North

February 3, 2009

Picked up our rental car this morning and navigated out of the City, over the famous Harbour bridge and bang – right into a traffic jam in North Sydney – which appears to have as many people and tall buildings as Sydney dees.

Despite the traffic, I am glad to be gone. The CB Private Hotel or the Maze Backpackers Hostel – whichever you want to call it – was a dump and I was glad to see the last of it. Guessing what the new stain was in the hallway each morning wasn’t as much fun by day three. Counting how many people might be sleeping on the floor in the games room was a challenge every day as was finding your food in the crammed fridges. If you go there anyway have a good time, many of the guests apparently do, but just keep your sandals on in the shower.

Headed north we took the totally unremarkable main highway. The only thing memorable thing about it was the occasional sign warning about koalas or kangaroos on the road.

That night, however, we did something that I never expected us to do. Sometimes you have to push some boundaries and that isn’t always something that everyone is comfortable with. Lana was more willing then I was. I can’t even blame what we did on alcohol. Nevertheless, we did it – and I have the pictures to prove it.

We stayed at a Caravan Park. (That’s a trailer park for you slow folks out there.)

Yup we did it. Pitched our little tent up among all those large trailers, big pickups and mammoth circus tents that some people sleep in. Our tent, by comparison, was completely hidden behind our little rent a car (nicknamed the chipmunk for its incredible Kia engine). I could see the pity in the eyes of those around us but we put on a brave face and tried to stand proud. In the background you could hear small children try to ask their parents about those poor people but parents would just shush them up and say that not everyone was as fortunate as they were (to have the 28 ft deluxe model).

In the morning, it was nice to see that some people had tossed coins at the foot of the tent. People will never cease to amaze me with their kindness.