Camels and Timbertown - Mar 11

Summary: playgrounds and bats, Captain Outback and the Co-Pilot hit an eatery, never mind the Bullocks, beach

Yesterday finished a little better than it started. Alex was on good behavior and although my headache got much worse, I got some meds. We drove out to see the camels, only to learn that rides start at 9:30 and 1:30… and when the line goes away, the camels do too. So we took a few photos of lighthouse beach (where we would ride the camels) and got on our way. We also found that 4:00 is a little late to book a cruise for a later date, because most of them have closed up. So we did some walking, hit another playground, got some pizza, and wrapped things up at the pool. A few things: 1) Australia has an unusually large amount of good little public playgrounds all over the country (i.e. not just attached to schools or pre-schools), 2) many of those playgrounds are located on prime oceanfront property (Port Macquarie has at least three that I have seen so far). While I on tangents, when was the last time anyone reading this (from outside Australia) saw a bat? Responses like “never” and “once in Mexico” come to mind. The skies of much of Australia are as active at night as at day. Port Macquarie is no exception as we play in the pool or sit in the hot tub at night and look at bats flying around. They don’t come close to us, but you can’t help but notice them.
Today we set some ambitious goals. We started early, walked around town a little, and booked our boat ride tomorrow. Then we got down to the camel place, run by a couple former Americans and an Australian. It was a good time and we did not see any of that ill temper that camels are supposedly known for. Now their teeth – yeah, that was ugly – but the rest of it (smell, temper) was just fine. It was fun and worth the effort.
This coast has beautiful beaches. Esperance (WA) had beautiful beaches because of landscape and clear water. This area has the beautiful landscape, but replaces clear water with violent surf (and clear water where it pools).
We went to a place called Ca Marche for lunch - a very nice upscale restaurant that just happens to be attached to the Cassegrain Winery. Referencing my headache above, I was not really in a wine tasting mode but we were in the area and I had read about it. The wine was good but the lunches were quite large and very much on the serious chef side (where word like "presentation" are used). We split an appetizer (called entrée here, but “entrée” does not mean main meal) and a side item and we are still full.

Next up, we went to Timbertown, an old west town. Actually, there is nothing old west or wild west about a place on the east coast. It is a pioneer town that recreates how the timber towns in this region looked from about 1890 to 1910. Now this could be dreadfully dull or be a theme park set to an 1890 lumber theme, but it was neither. It was really meant to be a historical town and it does a rather good job of that. The train was interesting for Alex, as he likes every mode of transportation that does not feature seat belts. The highlight was the Bullocks Show. Fortunately, that word does not mean what I thought – it is the name for emasculated bulls that pull the timber out of the bush in teams of 8 to 20. They were very well trained and their handler seemed to be the real article (that is, he is the kind of guy who could get bulls to pull trees out of the forest, rather than a performer working with trained animals and at this job they happen to be bulls minus some parts). Anyways, Alex loved the show and it was time for the ritual daily discussion about why we take naps. This time he won that discussion. Any parent knows that you don't let the kid get 10 minutes in the car or your won't get any more sleep.

We did wrap things up with a trip to the beach across the street (and then the pool). The water was wonderful and around the rocks it was especially interesting - sort of like the Muse, the water is both fun and a little dangerous. There is a little pool that goes up and down by about half a meter with every wave, but if you stand at the right place even Alex can manage it alone (not that he got the chance, for any other parent of his reading this). The beach is such fun, too bad we have to cut it short because we burn so easily.

Next: beach, boat ride, maybe the indoor crazy maze