Port Macquarie..... It's very nice

Another weekend of exchange teacher meeting. This time purely social and no conference to go to. We headed there straight after work on Friday. A four hour drive (just down the road in Oz terms). the front of their brochures all state "Port Macquarie... God lives here". I think this is slightly overselling yourself and if the Almighty had a legal department then some litigation might be in order. However in the strictest sense of the word being the omnipresent deity that he is, then the claim is justifiable. Perhaps it could be a good tourist marketing ploy back home
"Dibden Purlieu...... God lives here." oh well maybe not. Anyway down below is the waterfront, the setting for a fish and Chip Sat lunch and a "maccers" breakfast on Sunday. Let's just say it's very nice.



Hotel booking rule number 72. If the apartment is cheap and yet is called the Waterview expect a miniscule glimpse of the wet stuff between several buildings and trees. Below is the most significant view from our 100 dollar per night apartment and the reason for our 7am wake up call on Saturday. This weekend and Sydney cost us $444 in accommodation the stupid thing was both weekends we could have stayed with a host family. So why didn't we? Two reasons
1. I blame my Mum (Jean) she's done a good job of bringing me up don't get me wrong but I have an obsession of not wanting to trouble people and this is definitely a trait of my Mummy!
2. What you applied for was called "billeting", which for anyone over 70 or has taught Britain since the Thirties topics countless times brings up images of us being packed off with Gas Marks and being forced upon some unsuspecting couple who live about 30 miles from any place worth seeing and can't abide children, especially English Ones.
As it was we met many friendly people. Including exchange teachers eulogising over their host families and families who had nobody to host asking us why we didn't stay with them. Oh well we'll know next time. One of the social highlights of the weekend was an Australian Bush Dance (that'll be a barn Dance then). About 80 people were there around 40 from Canada 40 from Australia and 4 English people. Despite being Grossly outnumbered we were not left out and fellow "Tin tin's Haircut" quiz team members will be pleased to know that I won a bottle of very dubious wine in a True or False Quiz.



A final view on the way home was from North Brother Mountain. This was a 5km, 10 minute, windy, steep drive. On a clear day you can see 40km either way. I think we managed about 20 but boy was it still worth it. This is one of my favourite photos so far, partly for the astounding panorama and partly for the way it captures father and daughter having a quality moment. I am conveniently ignoring the fact that my inattentive daughter is not looking where I am pointing. God may or may not live here but from this high up he wasn't too far away.