Taronga Park Zoo

Last Tuesday we woke to a luke warm drizzly sky, so decided that we would go to Taronga Zoo for a look, except for company dinners at their Restaurant facilities in the 1980's - I haven't been to this zoo to check out the animals since I was a kid many decades ago.

The animal exhibits have wonderful views of Sydney and its Harbour

Sure footed African sheep climb high for their view of the Harbour Bridge

This Kookaburra just above was not part of the bird show, he was there hoping to grab some of the meat treats from the bird handlers.

But the "Kooka" moved ever so quickly when he saw the South American Condor come into land - otherwise he may have been this huge Condor's meat treat!

The Asian Elephants with two young males, and on the same morning we were there a young female was born - so the Taronga Elephant people are very excited.

Lane Cove National Park

On the spur of the moment we decided to take the van into Sydney and camp in the Lane Cove National Park - great place really and so close to everything. On the day we arrived we spent a couple of hours taking walks around the park and looking at some of the native grevilleas which are in full flower right now.

*****

HALLOWEEN IN THE NATIONAL PARK

Some dear little campers all dressed up, knocked on the door, fortunately I still had 3 chocolates left in the fridge (after my midnight raids) - and even more fortunately there were only 3 little ghosts out there. Gorgeous kids, think they did pretty well from the other campers.

A night in Forster

Our next stop was Tuncurry-Forster, we were lucky to get a site right next to Forster Beach, and on the other side of us was the estuary of the Wallamba River which divides these 2 coastal towns. Our first stop en route was at "Fredo Pies" for tonight's easy dinner!

Marilyn was also at Fredo's

The Wallamba River Popular with everyone Looking through the Bridge's pylons below Kids wade out to the sand bank for an afternoon swim

The sun and the wind came out to play at Forster Beach

Forster beach at 6 a.m. the next morning

A late start for a good reason

We delayed our trip for a couple of days for various very important reasons, but after taking off south we came to Grafton on mid NSW Coast - on the way we had spotted a few gorgeous Jacarandas and then as we approached Grafton - I remembered that Grafton was famous for its streets filled with Jacaranda trees. We immediately took a right and had a great break and walk around the beautiful Jacaranda Blue streets of Grafton.

Our next stop - for the night - was Nambucca Heads, below Coffs Harbour - lovely spot, different, and plenty of places to walk - great. Above - looking across to the cabins in our camping ground early evening.

Early morning walk - photography course for the Brig.!!

The whole boardwalk has painted "graffiti" on all the rocks - interesting really, could be tacky, but when you read the messages - it's all okay in my books!

This one above is dedicated to a new child - "Daniel".

And the older couples above and the travellers below!

Pile of tiles involved in the one above

The Park early morning

The Brig's photos below

Our early morning shadows above!

Yep, it was a good long walk.

Scarecrows in Chester

How good is this, here we are bustling around packing and generally sorting things out to go down to the Snowy Mountains, and we receive the following photos from our friends Lois and Glenn of their trip this weekend to Chester, New Hampshire.

The Brig and I lived there from May 1976, for 5 plus super years and we loved this tiny New England village, our good friends Paula and Romy and daughter Wendy were our neighbours are still there. We were living in Chester when the Village celebrated their 250th Anniversary, and we still have the little souvenir jugs and those plates - just haven't been able to move them on for all kinds of sentimental reasons.

Anyway apparently Chester now has its own Scarecrow Festival just in time for Halloween this coming weekend.

Ye olde Post Office below

The married scarecrows in front of the Chester Church!

Someone's "headless" horseman!

An attractive figure below - maybe moi these days!

Humpty Dumpty with his sign - "Pride Goeth Before a Fall"

************* And photos of Chester College - Arts now. Thanks Lois and Glenn - just love revisiting Chester in any way.

Frank has just told me that while we are in Sydney (en route to the Snowy) the "Sculpture by the Sea" starts at Bondi on October 28th - so we will walk around it again like we did with you guys last time - camera at the ready - how great is that.

Last minute preparations

After a weekend of monitoring and sorting out the garden and mucho other things in readiness for our trip, it was lovely to meet up with a few of the residents from Paradise Springs at the Colonial Golf Club for snacks and a barbeque this afternoon. Great food as usual, the "blue" Jacarandas are peeping out, and by the time we get back in a months time, the red and orange Poincianas should be in full bloom.

Relaxing on the Club's deck