The Australia Trip

The MacIntosh Power Pole Tartan in Maclean

We always have to make a flight connection when flying to Malaysia.  Lately we have been using Narita (Tokyo).  We have also used Hong Kong and London.

The bat tree in Maclean

Lone surfer in Angourie

To change things up this time we decided to connect in Australia and take a few weeks to visit Aussie friends that we have met along the way but haven’t seen in a while.

We flew from Dallas to Sydney and then to Brisbane (our old stomping ground) and rented a car.  We were pretty much beat so got a hotel on the Gold Coast.   

Typical coastline by Forster, NSW

The next day we visited the Gold Coast City Marina.  It’s pretty much the same but most of the employees we knew have moved on to other places.

We then headed back north to the Manly Yacht Basin and stayed with Oscar and Graciela on ZENITUDE.  It was nice to be back sleeping on a boat even if it was only in the marina.

Terry and Elaine

We then headed down to Maclean, New South Wales and stayed for a few days with Steve and Julie of AQUA DREAMS in their new house that they bought after selling the boat.  Maclean is a small town on the Clarence River settled by Scottish immigrants.  They drove us around and we got a nice tour of Maclean, Yamba, Grafton, and Ulmarra.

We then drove about 6 hours south to stay with Terry and Elaine in Diamond Beach for a few days.  They sold VIRGOS CHILD and built their house and are now full time dirt dwellers except for the home-built sailing dinghy that Terry built in the garage.

 

Anne and Al

Al's surfboards and shaping templates

We then headed back north to one of our favorite towns on the coast, Crescent Head, to stay with Anne and Al from SAGITAIRE.  The boat is now sold and they have replaced it with a camper van to go land cruising.

Heading north again, we returned to Maclean for another stay with Steve and Julie.  We all drove to Hope Island on the Gold Coast to visit with Julies Mum and Dad.   

Maclean public dock on the Clarence River

We made contact with Jeremy and Antony on XANTARES and went out to Tuk Tuk Thai Bistro for dinner before heading to the Brisbane airport to catch the red-eye to Kuala Lumpur.

It was really nice to be back in Australia again.  The people are great, the country is beautiful, and still ranks as our number one best place besides the US to live.

We’ll be back.

G’day mates. 

Wisteria trees in bloom at Grafton

Aussie kids playing with the wildlife

Dave Deakyne
David Deakyne
David J. Deakyne
Dave Deakyne
Wallingford