Its just normal

We've been back in Canberra for two weeks now and it seems like we're getting back to some degree of "normality" around here. We haven't caught the triple vax version of Covid yet, but quite a few people around us have. The 7 days of isolation involved causes a lot of disruption but so far no one we know has got it badly (and fingers crossed it stays that way).

While we're virus free we've had a theatre outing and two movie visits (things we haven't done in a long time!) in the last two weeks and a fine dining experience too - are we getting our old life back?

Last Friday we helped a friend celebrate a birthday with an outing to the much hyped "Van Gogh Alive" exhibition, a compelling "immersive multi sensory experience" of Van Gogh's works, life and ideas - all mounted in a large purpose built pavillion by the lake.

I must say I was a bit doubtful about how it would work - but once I stopped expecting it to be like a gallery exhibition I really enjoyed it. No one could come out of this experience without learning a lot about the breadth and beauty of of Van Gogh's work and hopefully be more curious about seeing and learning about Van Gogh's works in real life!

There were LOTS of Instagrammable set ups on the way in, and the way out, which we tried to embrace, tentatively at first I'll confess  ......

My friend Jeni has a great sense of fun - and she was right into it; and her enthusiasm was catching ...

Starry starry night (on the Rhone) anyone?

We were celebrating Des's birthday - one of those birthdays ending in a 5 - which is always a great privilege to share!

By this stage Jeni was right into the swing of the selfie ... you couldn't help but be carried away by her enthusiasm ....

So I had a go too......

Not a bad facsimile of Vincent's Yellow House bedroom in Arles?

Our friend David has been back in Canberra off and on the past little while, and for the last two weeks his new partner Ro has been here too, involved in serious work for the CSIRO, but also enjoying some of Canberra's early Autumn charms and meeting us locals. 

We met her for the first time on an early morning walk around our lake and breakfast after at our fave local Intra - a slice of normal Campbell life indeed.

We also shared a wonderful fine dining experience at the brilliant Raku with Ro and David one night - just another example of showing off the unique pleasures of living where we live (we were even able to walk to Raku from Campbell!)

Another delight from the past two weeks is finally being able to pick up our beautiful framed Sydney Harbour Bridge drawing (another masterpiece by Claire). She is one talented young woman that one! This work is destined for Coogee when we move back in there, but in the meantime we are enjoying it hung on a spare wall here at Provan Street.

The fourth Indigenous Art Triennial opened at the weekend at the National Gallery - and this was the unexpected sight we came across on the lake opposite the gallery, on our Sunday morning walk - "Holden On" by Robert Fielding. It will be a great exhibition for us to see in the coming weeks. Its so wonderful to have all our national institutions open again with big exhibitions coming up and programs planned.

And in amongst all these special things we're getting back to this year - there's all our regular special stuff too - like the weekly outing with Abi to Forest Park for her riding lesson. I captured her last week in the arena riding Pumpkin (the Galloway). There's cantering involved and a small introduction to the pacing required for "jumps" - its all pretty advanced stuff these days! It's a lovely thing we share with Abi each week, and very special in its way too.

 

Leaving Kirra

Our last day in Kirra yesterday dawned sunny and clear so we set out on our favourite walk along the coast walk to Point Danger. The beaches along the way all looked Sunday festive with the Nipper programs running full belt. 

Rainbow Bay Beach looked the best organised of them all.This was Rob's arty shot of a section of Snapper Rocks yesterday morning ..........

And looking out over Greenmount Beach ......

Every morning we've rewarded ourselves with a coffee (and sometimes a croissant) from the classy Cotton Pattisserie at the base of our hotel. We're going to miss our morning Pattisserie fix!

We were determined to swim on our last day too - and we did, but not for long, as the rain set in for the afternoon. 

So we set out for home this morning after our lovely 11 night break in Kirra. We left early and had an unbelievably easy drive back to Karuah today - barely 7 hours of driving. It seemed such a breeze compared to the 10 hour marathon we undertook on day 2 of our trip up to Kirra from Coffs Harbour.

Karuah is a sleepy, quiet town right on the mouth of the Karuah River as it opens out to the open waters of Port Stephens. Its known for its oyster farms - but no oysters for us this visit! With all the rain and floods the water quality is not good enough for oyster harvesting. 

More Kirra

We were lucky to fit in our walk yesterday morning before the rain started. We've had a major change in the prevailing winds since Thursday. They're offshore winds (says Pete) so we've had much better conditions in the surf for a few days now even though the rain has persisted. Yesterday morning (Friday) there were plenty of surfers out on the point break off Kirra Point and Snapper Rocks.

There is a very cool beach side monument to this area's surfing significance along this coast - In 2016 the 16klm of beaches between Snapper Rocks and Burleigh Beach was named (in the British Parliament!) the 8th World Surfing Reserve (WSR) joining a prestigious network of other WSR’s including Malibu, California; Ericeira, Portugal; Manly Beach, Australia; Santa Cruz, California; Huanchaco, Peru; Bahia Todos Santos, Baja California, Mexico and Punta de Lobos, Chile.

It was great watching the dozens of surfers eating up the waves this morning in our local "World Surfing Reserve".

Rainbow Bay - almost around to Snapper Rocks.....

After our good walk the rain set in for the rest of the day - a pity really as it was Ros and Pete's last day in Kirra before returning to Geelong.

And just to rub it in today dawned warm and sunny, but with Ros and Pete having to leave early without being able to enjoy a morning beach walk in the sun!

The offshore winds have continued and the surf has settled down a lot compared to its wildness at the start of the week. We've enjoyed our swims every (almost) day.

We miss Ros and Pete's company, especially on our morning walks and at our happy hour afternoon drinks - but we maintained the habit this afternoon as best we could. It really is a magical spot.

Getting around

We've had two days of getting around other beaches in the region - to familiar territory yesterday, at Burleigh Beach, and then turning southward today to Kingscliff Beach.

We left early (ish) yesterday morning, travelling north 13klms or so until we hit the heavy traffic of Burleigh Beach. Pete was able to sign up to a random "Lime Bike" and we were soon on our way, completing the 2 and a half kilometre walk along the coast to Miami Beach.

It was hot work in the muggy conditions so we were grateful for our stopover on the return journey at the oh so pretty (and shady) Paddock Bakery in its unlikely setting in a backstreet of North Burleigh.

Back at our starting point at Burleigh's main beach we cooled off with a welcome swim after heating ourselves up so thoroughly on the walk.

Our choice of lunch spot was a hit too - the Red Hot Cod - one of our great finds from last year's visit - a touch of Bali fusion in Burleigh!

Most evenings, if we've done a serious lunch we'll just do drinks and nibbles together - on our respective balconies. Last night it was Ros and Pete's turn to host - on the second floor - on their HUGE balcony.

It's a beautiful time of the day - enjoying each other's company with a nice glass of wine (or two), experiencing a magical sunset reflected in the sky and ocean beyond - with the background cacophony of the mobs of shrieking lorikeets in the Norfolk Island pine trees lining the beach.

This morning after our walk and coffee we headed south towards Kingscliff so Pete could visit with an elderly relative living close by while we enjoyed a bit of chill out time at the beach.

It was very sobering to drive into Kingscliff however, through Chinderah on the Tweed River - one of the areas inundated with flood waters last week. In the low lying streets, now the floods had cleared, people had piled all their ruined water and mud soaked possessions along the road waiting for pick up. The houses cars and gardens looked soaked and festooned with debris - a shocking sight.

We saw army trucks and members of the defence force out in force too, obviously mobilised to help out in these dire times.

Once at Kingscliff we walked out to the mouth of the Cudgen Creek at the southern end of the beach to get a good view of how the waves were breaking along this part of the coast. It looked rough, turbulent and not a great colour either, no wonder after all the rain and the flooding.... so not the best day for us to take a swim.

We found Kingscliff a bit sad looking today but at least Pete had a rewarding catch up with his elderly aunt (who is doing very well indeed!) and we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the Salt Bar on Salt Beach just south of Kingscliff... a highlight of the day.

I scored some great prawns with my dish, and a very fragrant (local) Balter beer!

It was our turn to host drinks tonight on the 10th floor. Once again we were treated to another fabulous sound and light show, thanks to the surrounding thunderstorms (hitting everywhere else but not directly here)!

 

Kirra Days

The four of us have settled into our Kirra stay here at the X Kirra Hotel; the sun has come out and the Internet even came back on yesterday afternoon. Nothing to complain about here.......

We woke to blue skies yesterday morning, so first thing on the agenda was our morning walk - heading due east then south this time, all the way around the coastal pathway to the Tweed River Inlet and the back streets of Coolangatta.

The seas are still wild however, despite these bluest of blue skies .....

So all the more surprising to see the number of surfers out braving the waves.....

This amazing house overlooking Point Danger reminded me of all those Jeffrey Smart compositions, currently on show at the NGA! He would have appreciated how surreal this house looks in this setting.

Walking by the Tweed River on a hot and steamy morning .......

We were struck by the many lizards sunning themselves on the rocks by the river, completely unfazed by people walking by ......

Both mornings we've gone walking with Ros and Pete we've ended up at the classy Cotton Pattisserie at the base of our hotel, for great coffee and a scrumptious pastry. A perfect way to start the day.

We've been able to take a dip in the sea both days too although it's not great for swimming as yet - too rough, and too turbulent for us!

Last night we sat out a violent thunderstorm at the North Kirra SLSC, eating our meal while lighting, thunder, wind and heavy rain swirled all around us. Tonight it was much calmer at the Currumbin SLSC (built on Elephant Rock, virtually out on the ocean!!) where we had a great meal while enjoying the amazing views of the endless Gold Coast beaches stretching right up to the skyscrapers of Surfers Paradise.

Its so lovely to share these times with Ros and Pete!