Day 25 / 2017 - Kellyville, Bondi Beach and Patonga

We have been in Sydney for nearly 7 weeks, and have 16 days to go before we return to North Queensland. We have established a routine of getting out and about at least every other day, even if it is just for a drive down the coast or a train ride into the city.

Last weekend we took a drive out to Kellyville as Anne wanted to check out the display homes. After a few wrong turns we finally found the display village, actually I would call it a display suburb. There　are a 108 houses built by various companies. The place is so big it actually had its own Cafe, where you can　buy some much needed sustenance to keep going. We were there for　over 4 hours, and would have been lucky to see half of the display homes. These houses were huge, mostly 2 story, with a smattering of slightly smaller　single story dwellings. They are designed for odd shaped blocks, getting the maximum amount of house into a small area. Your neighbour was so close you could proberbly hear them fart. They were beautiful homes some with hefty price tags. Anne really liked the $600,000 (no land included in this package) new build, she does have expensive taste.

Midweek we drove to the eastern beach of Bondi. Going from the northern to the eastern side of the city, our Navman first told us we couldn't avoid paying tolls. I stubbornly refuse to pay tolls, unless it suits us, planned a different route. We drove　through suburbia　untill we hit the the M4, which at this point does not charge tolls.　We followed the M4　into the centre of the city. From there, we passed through the Sydney CBD,　then made our way　to　to Bondi. Parking at Bondi is also　not cheap,　it cost $7.20 per Hr by the beach. I thought Palm Beach was exspensive at $3.40 per Hr!　We found a side street that allowed free parking, although for only 2 hours. Call me cheap, but after 3 to 4 hours of parking, that adds up to nearly $30.00. Thats the cost of a couple of meals at the pub.

Leaving the car, we walked to the beachfront only about 300 odd　metres away. Walking past the Bondi Beach Hotel, Anne spied a lunch time special, Chicken Parmi for only $15.00.　Being nearly 12pm we decided this would be a good a place as any to have lunch. After ordering we sat out in the front area which overlooked the beach　and did　a bit of people watching. I told Anne the story, how my brother and I use to frequently visit this place back in the mid 80's, one night I was mistaken for a drug dealer.　After lunch we then made our way over to the beach and walked along the shore line. Looking at our watch we noticed that　the 2 hours was almost up and decided we would shift the car.　Returning through the main shopping area, I showed Anne　my cousins old　flat where my brother and　I stayed for a couple of months while we worked in Sydney.

We moved the car to another section near the north end of Bondi, where once again the parking was free for 2 hours. We walked from Ben Buckler Reserve, across the beach front, past the pavilion to MacKenzie's Point. The walk takes you all the way to Coogee Beach, but we felt we didn't have the time to go the full distance.　Along the path we passed　some　of the local landmarks, such as, the Bondi Guard Tower, and the Iceburgs Swimmers club where the ocean pool is situated. Returning back along the same path, we stopped and　watch a　segment　of the TV series,　Bondi Rescue,　being filmed.　Crossing the road, we stopped at the cafe in the pavilion for a cuppa and cake, before returning to the car just as our 2 hours were up. Entering our home address into the GPS, we left the navigating up to Navman, which this time took us along the Cahill Expressway,　over the harbour bridge, and through Carlingford back home. The harbour bridge only charges a toll　in one direction, going into town,　heading out of　town is free.　

The weekend just gone, we organised to meet Annes cousin, Janet,　in a place called Patonga, which is on the central coast just south of Gosford. It is a small beachside village　and is mainly a tourist spot. There is not much there, some houses, caravan park, pub, and a cafe. During the holiday season, it is very popular especially on summer weekends.　Janet had been told the pub served an excellent meal. The pub is located across the road from the beach. The table　we sat　at had uninterupted views out into the bay. 　Across the bay is the headland　of Palm Beach, also known by its alter ego Summer Bay, where the Home and Away soap is based.　Standing in the right spot you can clearly see the iconic　lighthouse which apears in many of the landscape shots of the TV soap. We ordered at 12pm when it wasn't busy, and our　meal came out quite quickly.　By 1pm there was barely a table vacant and the meals started to backup a little, but nobody seemed too worried about it. The food was basic but tasty, and plenty of it, standard pub grub.

After lunch we took a stroll to the caravan park which was packed mainly with holiday makers in tents. Some sites were really well setup with one tent having an air conditioner in it. We think thats glamping not camping. A lot of the sites string big tarps or set up gazebos over the tents they were sleeping in, helping to keep the sun and rain off. Walking passed the houses, some were lived in, while others were holiday rentals. There were all　kinds of styles from run down shacks to multi story dwellings. We looked at prices of　properties for sale, even the run down shacks were priced at　over　a million dollars.　We spent the 　rest of the day chatting, not heading home untill after 6pm.　

On other days we have　been going to the　pictures,　mainly on cheap arse Tuesday where the tickets are almost half price. There is a Cinema at Castle Hill about 10 minutes from where we are staying in Dural.　Here there is a choice of Cinemax, Gold Class or standard cinema. Standard seats on Tuesday are $13.00, although if you book online there is an additional fee of $1.20 per person.　The seats are allocated to you at the time of booking, so there is no need to rush in early　and battle for the best seats. I have discovered being a customer of Telstra　can give　you even further discounted seats, ($12.50) 　and there doesn't appear to be a booking fee. These tickets are also available for most days not just Tuesdays. Annes favorite picture so far has been Lion with Nicole Kidman.