Rollin', rollin' rollin' on a river, and a highway or two.

[possum52]

1 hour ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We're staying at the Oaks on Lonsdale. Were having a very early dinner with family Friday night but are free the rest of the time. Late morning for coffee would be best for us. Let us know the cafe and Mr Google will no doubt lead us there. 

11am ok or a little later? I thought perhaps Cafe E Torta in the Royal Arcade, it is just on the left when you enter off Little Collins Street or if you come through Bourke Street Mall entrance, it is at the far end of the arcade on the right. If I think of somewhere better, I'll let you know on here. If the cafe doesn't appeal, I'm sure we can find something else close by. The Block Arcade is close by too.

 

Leigh

[OzKiwiJJ]

10 minutes ago, possum52 said:

11am ok or a little later? I thought perhaps Cafe E Torta in the Royal Arcade, it is just on the left when you enter off Little Collins Street or if you come through Bourke Street Mall entrance, it is at the far end of the arcade on the right. If I think of somewhere better, I'll let you know on here. If the cafe doesn't appeal, I'm sure we can find something else close by. The Block Arcade is close by too.

 

Leigh

That sounds good. I don't think we've tried that cafe and we're always up for trying different Melbourne cafes.

[possum52]

4 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

That sounds good. I don't think we've tried that cafe and we're always up for trying different Melbourne cafes.

Julie, I think quite a few CBD cafes have closed or are not opening at the moment but it seems that Cafe E Torta is open. I'll see you on Friday. Safe trip to Melbourne. Which way are you coming?

 

Leigh

[OzKiwiJJ]

20 minutes ago, possum52 said:

Julie, I think quite a few CBD cafes have closed or are not opening at the moment but it seems that Cafe E Torta is open. I'll see you on Friday. Safe trip to Melbourne. Which way are you coming?

 

Leigh

Whichever way Mr Google tells us to go.🤣

 

Seriously though, we're stopping in Horsham for the night since when we booked we expected to be able to get a later ferry. On Tuesday we go to the Lake House in Daylesford for DH's birthday. On Wednesday we're catching up with cruise friends in Sunbury for lunch before heading into the city.

 

I just noticed the Peninsula hot pools are open again so we might go there on Thursday. I love them, that's one thing I really miss from NZ. The rest of the time we'll just potter around all our favourite places, assuming they still exist.

[possum52]

On 3/7/2021 at 7:16 PM, OzKiwiJJ said:

That sounds good. I don't think we've tried that cafe and we're always up for trying different Melbourne cafes.

Julie, just checking our coffee date tomorrow is still ok.

 

Leigh

[OzKiwiJJ]

24 minutes ago, possum52 said:

Julie, just checking our coffee date tomorrow is still ok.

 

Leigh

Yes, all good for us. 

 

We got to Melbourne yesterday afternoon. Yikes, the traffic coming in from the northwest was heavy and, since it's been at least five years since we'd been to Melbourne by car, everything looked different on the motorways. Thank goodness for Google Maps!

 

Today we're catching up on a pile of laundry, and meeting eldest GD for lunch.

 

We've decided to take the coastal route back to Sydney with a few stops along the way.

 

Les, we're thinking of stopping in Batemans Bay for a couple of nights so we can do that Clyde River cruise you've mentioned a few times. Does it operate everyday and does it require booking in advance? We'll probably get there on Wednesday afternoon and head home on Friday. It would be great to catch up with you one evening.

[MicCanberra]

 

MV Merinda (established 1988) leaves the Boatshed daily on a relaxing and informative tour of the Clyde River. Whilst enjoying fresh fish, chips and salad, travel to Nelligen for a short stop over to visit local historical sites including where the notorious Clarke Brothers were held waiting shipment to Sydney.

The twilight seafood dinner cruises, featuring their famous fresh local delicacies, are a must do whilst visiting the beautiful Eurobodalla Coast.

Contact Merinda Cruises on the email address or phone number provided.

Merinda cruises -

1 Clyde Street Batemans Bay NSW 2536 Australia

(02) 4472 4052

info@innesboatshed.com.au

[OzKiwiJJ]

Thanks, Mic.

[lyndarra]

4 minutes ago, MicCanberra said:

 

MV Merinda (established 1988) leaves the Boatshed daily on a relaxing and informative tour of the Clyde River. Whilst enjoying fresh fish, chips and salad, travel to Nelligen for a short stop over to visit local historical sites including where the notorious Clarke Brothers were held waiting shipment to Sydney.

The twilight seafood dinner cruises, featuring their famous fresh local delicacies, are a must do whilst visiting the beautiful Eurobodalla Coast.

Contact Merinda Cruises on the email address or phone number provided.

Merinda cruises -

1 Clyde Street Batemans Bay NSW 2536 Australia

(02) 4472 4052

info@innesboatshed.com.au

That one's on my list. Just need to choose a date.

[possum52]

2 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, all good for us. 

 

We got to Melbourne yesterday afternoon. Yikes, the traffic coming in from the northwest was heavy and, since it's been at least five years since we'd been to Melbourne by car, everything looked different on the motorways. Thank goodness for Google Maps!

 

 

Excellent, I'm looking forward to it Julie. Melbourne traffic is certainly getting heavier and now more people are back on site for work and perhaps not using public transport, it is much worse. Rob volunteers at the Fire Services Museum in East Melbourne and before Covid, caught the train in to Parliament Station and then walked. Since the museum re-opened he has been driving in and last Friday, it took him nearly two hours to drive home. The morning trip in took an hour or so. 

 

Leigh

 

 

 

 

[MMDown Under]

4 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, all good for us. 

 

We got to Melbourne yesterday afternoon. Yikes, the traffic coming in from the northwest was heavy and, since it's been at least five years since we'd been to Melbourne by car, everything looked different on the motorways. Thank goodness for Google Maps!

 

Today we're catching up on a pile of laundry, and meeting eldest GD for lunch.

 

We've decided to take the coastal route back to Sydney with a few stops along the way.

 

Les, we're thinking of stopping in Batemans Bay for a couple of nights so we can do that Clyde River cruise you've mentioned a few times. Does it operate everyday and does it require booking in advance? We'll probably get there on Wednesday afternoon and head home on Friday. It would be great to catch up with you one evening.

Coastal route back to Sydney will be a lovely end to your holiday.  The Clyde River cruise should be enjoyable.  Catching up with Les will be a bonus.  He should be on commission.  Are you going to visit Mallacoota?  I have always wanted to visit there since we did a Coastal NSW/Vic car trip to Melbourne.  We went direct from Eden to Lakes Entrance.  Mallacoota had the dreadful bushfires.  It remains on my to do list.  

[By The Bay]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

Coastal route back to Sydney will be a lovely end to your holiday.  The Clyde River cruise should be enjoyable.  Catching up with Les will be a bonus.  He should be on commission.  Are you going to visit Mallacoota?  I have always wanted to visit there since we did a Coastal NSW/Vic car trip to Melbourne.  We went direct from Eden to Lakes Entrance.  Mallacoota had the dreadful bushfires.  It remains on my to do list.  

When we were younger with children, we tented in the caravan park overnight on the way to Merimbula. The worst night ever. The parting didn't stop until around 3 AM. Then around 4 AM, the people heading out for an early fishing trip started decamping. 😫

[OzKiwiJJ]

1 hour ago, MMDown Under said:

Coastal route back to Sydney will be a lovely end to your holiday.  The Clyde River cruise should be enjoyable.  Catching up with Les will be a bonus.  He should be on commission.  Are you going to visit Mallacoota?  I have always wanted to visit there since we did a Coastal NSW/Vic car trip to Melbourne.  We went direct from Eden to Lakes Entrance.  Mallacoota had the dreadful bushfires.  It remains on my to do list.  

Not this time. We've been there before, in fact we spent a week at Gipsy Point some years ago so went into Mallacoota a couple of times, and also stopped there for lunch the last time we drove up the coast.

[MMDown Under]

18 minutes ago, By The Bay said:

When we were younger with children, we tented in the caravan park overnight on the way to Merimbula. The worst night ever. The parting didn't stop until around 3 AM. Then around 4 AM, the people heading out for an early fishing trip started decamping. 😫

Ha ha  One never forgets experiences such as yours.  When I was considering buying a small motor home, an experienced traveller advised me to make sure I could get in to the front if I wanted to drive off in the middle of the night.  Seems he had an unfortunate experience with a bunch of hoons at a free camping spot, near Toowoomba. 

[MMDown Under]

3 hours ago, possum52 said:

Excellent, I'm looking forward to it Julie. Melbourne traffic is certainly getting heavier and now more people are back on site for work and perhaps not using public transport, it is much worse. Rob volunteers at the Fire Services Museum in East Melbourne and before Covid, caught the train in to Parliament Station and then walked. Since the museum re-opened he has been driving in and last Friday, it took him nearly two hours to drive home. The morning trip in took an hour or so. 

 

Leigh

 

 

 

 

Enjoy your catch cup Leigh and Julie.  Melbourne has good coffee!

[Blackduck59]

I'm glad you are having a great road trip Julie. It sounds like you will be driving the reverse of our route. We are looking forward to hearing more.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Not quite, Lyle, as we didn't do the Great Ocean Road. We explored the Daylesford and Mt Macedon regions instead for a couple of hours before heading in to Melbourne.

 

It has been a great trip but we're getting a bit tired of all the driving. We need a cruise to recover from it.🤣

[OzKiwiJJ]

I forgot to set the trip meter when we left home but I think we'll have driven over 4,000kms by the time we get home.

[NSWP]

8 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Yes, all good for us. 

 

We got to Melbourne yesterday afternoon. Yikes, the traffic coming in from the northwest was heavy and, since it's been at least five years since we'd been to Melbourne by car, everything looked different on the motorways. Thank goodness for Google Maps!

 

Today we're catching up on a pile of laundry, and meeting eldest GD for lunch.

 

We've decided to take the coastal route back to Sydney with a few stops along the way.

 

Les, we're thinking of stopping in Batemans Bay for a couple of nights so we can do that Clyde River cruise you've mentioned a few times. Does it operate everyday and does it require booking in advance? We'll probably get there on Wednesday afternoon and head home on Friday. It would be great to catch up with you one evening.

I will be around next week. As will mr walker. We could arrange a dinner night, mid week, perhaps the golf glub, thursday night? Table for 5. I wont do the clyde river cruise with you, done it 10 times.

 

you certainly need to book on their web site.

Edited March 11, 2021 by NSWP

[OzKiwiJJ]

2 hours ago, NSWP said:

I will be around next week. As will mr walker. We could arrange a dinner night, mid week, perhaps the golf glub, thursday night? Table for 5. I wont do the clyde river cruise with you, done it 10 times.

 

you certainly need to book on their web site.

We'll be there Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Heading home on Thursday.

[NSWP]

5 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We'll be there Tuesday and Wednesday nights. Heading home on Thursday.

Mr Walker is in BB from Monday for a few days,  where are yooooo? Might make it Tuesday 🍽 

Edited March 11, 2021 by NSWP

[OzKiwiJJ]

We going Melbourne to Lakes Entrance on Monday, then to BB on Tuesday. Staying at the Quays Hotel. 

 

Tuesday would be OK.

[OzKiwiJJ]

We had a wonderful time meeting Leigh today. We ended up chatting for about three hours. 

[MMDown Under]

12 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

We had a wonderful time meeting Leigh today. We ended up chatting for about three hours. 

Lovely to hear that you had a wonderful time meeting Leigh. 

[OzKiwiJJ]

Well, we made it home safely on Thursday and are now working through the unpacking, laundry, and working out where the housesitters have put things in the kitchen. 🙄

 

Les, thank you so much for hosting the get-together on Tuesday night. It was lovely to meet you, Neil and Tracey. We really enjoyed getting to know you. 

 

We had a great cruise up the river on Wednesday. The weather stayed dry for most of the trip except for a couple of brief showers on the way back. Luckily the heavier rain held of until we were safely back at the hotel.

 

Sandbar was excellent, some interesting and unusual flavour combinations. I'll post the menu when I figure out where I put it. We chose the wine/sake matches and they were excellent too.

 

The trip home was a bit tedious because of the rain. We stopped at the pie bakery in Kiama for lunch. Good pies but hard to eat as the pastry was a bit soft.

 

Our cat seemed pleased to see us, and is demanding lap-sits and cuddles three times a day instead of only in the evenings. Usually he ignores us for at least 24 hours when we've been away, apart from when he wants food, of course. 😁