It's blinking hot. I still have a trace of a headache and popped another couple of pills to prevent the onset of something more. We have breakfasted and packed and we are ready to leave Sydney for a couple of weeks on our way to Adelaide via Melbourne.
Mark drove us down to Williams Street and we collected our Ford Laser. We then followed Mark down to Sydney Opera House for a drive by and another quick glimpse of the harbour bridge. Waving to Mark we made our leave to La Perouse in order to see Snakeman. For generations one man's family has been taking snakes to the beachfront overlooking Sydney airport. Ian and I fancied going along to see that sort of snakes we may or may not encounter. I have never seen such a busy place with parked cars everywhere! A bit like Sunday morning at Blackbushe market, the crowd had surrounded the Snakeman from behind a safety fence so we joined in. On show were tiger snakes, black pythons, brown snakes and red belly black snakes. I think I could tell the difference at the moment but believe you me I don't intend on trying my knowledge where these fellas are concerned! He also had some lizards, shinglebacks, goannas and waterdragons, most of which, frankly are either pig ugly or very cute.
We scoffed a big ice-cream in the hot sun on the way back to the car and then drove out of Sydney, south through Royal National Park, 95 per cent of which was totally destroyed in the 1994 bush fires although most of it has now recovered. We drove directly to Batemans Bay, through some light rain and plenty of cloud, pausing only once at Bald Hill lookout but with the low cloud it didn't warrant a photograph. However, I did see perhaps half a dozen kangaroos or wallabies from the road!
On arriving in Batemans Bay at 20:30 we needed to find some accommodation and eventually did so on a caravan park on a real oldy caravan park, in an older caravan with an awning. It cost and arm and a leg. It doesn't have a toilet or a shower. It's day one. Luckily I now have in my possession a YHA Australia guide which is like my bible. Hoorah for YHA!
A McDonalds for tea to compensate for the exaggerated caravan accommodation cost. At least I got a Happy Meal which came with a spinning top!
We travelled 318 kilometres from Sydney to Batemans Bay.
Copyright 2003 Helen Fuller. All rights reserved.