[Dazzler]

Hi Everyone.. I'm doing this "on the fly" so it won't probably be as impressive as Alan's recent review (hard to match that) 

As previously mentioned we have just returned home from a whirlwind 4969 Kilometre Road trip on the mainland of Australia in our MY10 Camry Hybrid (trish wouldn't let me use the CW as she loves it so much she wants to keep the mileage down so she can keep it for a long time  )

For the record the Hybrid exceeded my expectations with economy .. with fuel a little cheaper on average than expected (around $1.47 P/L) and being a bit less hilly than Tasmania we averaged 6.1LPH for the whole trip according to the Trip Computer and my rough calculations...So I allowed $500 for fuel but only used $432 






Here is a map of where we went.. Plus  few detours.. Basically had overnight stops at Korumburra & Lakes Entrance in Victoria, Bateman's Bay, Manly, Southwest Rocks and Kingscliff in New South Wales (on the way up), Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast & Toowoomba in Queensland and then Tenterfield, Tamworth, Dubbo and Albury in NSW on the way home (plus Canberra in athe ACT as a Detour)



On arrival in Melbourne on the Spirit of Tasmania (Video to come in another instalment) we went straight to 2i30's place where Steve and his lovely wife Sue fed us up on lovely home made pies and salad.. We met both their sons and were having such a great time that they gave us an escorted drive to Rusty Nutz place where we stayed on our first night (about 50 minutes away) 

Rusty is a bit camera shy I think but he was the ultimate host (even letting me have a drive of his CRDI  )

Here is the first paid place we stayed at Lakes Extrance. Amazing value at ony $75 including a light breakfast.. It was really comfortable with a full kitchen, newly renovated bathroom, LCD TV and comfy bed .. we could easily have stayed a few days  The weather was average but would like to go back there sometime ....







We even got our own special (safe) parking space 



On the way to our next stay (which was going to be Ulladulla in NSW but ended up being Bateman's Bay) we stopped at a small place which was really only a Truck/toilet stop where we saw this sign...





Apparently in the two years they have been open they have had 4 x Jen & Dazz in (not sure how many Trish & Dazz) 

Not sure if the sign was true (We had a pot of tea) 

We also stopped here (Harlin)



The guy there was a real character.. in his 60's I reckon.. ful of good humour 

I asked if this was his first time in hospitality and he said..

"Not really.. I am an ex-cop so I'm used to putting people in rooms and making them comfortable"

We saw this beast at Morwell in Victoria (I only just caught it.. Three wheeler with a V8 by the sound of it...) 





That might do for starters I have so many photos and videos to sort through (took 4 cameras with us  ) really no excuse for not getting 2i30's and Rusty on film...

 

[rustynutz]

That might do for starters I have so many photos and videos to sort through (took 4 cameras with us  ) really no excuse for not getting 2i30's and Rusty on film...

You'll just have to come back, Dazz... 

[Dazzler]

Your turn to visit us now 

[rustynutz]

I shall have to do that.....

I could justify it by saying I'm going to visit my brother......Hey, didn't you do something like that? 

[Doggie 1]

Great photo journalism Dazz - looking forawrd to the rest. 
I noticed your odo. How do you do so many kms on such a small island?

[2i30s]

  that's a lot of day trips dazz. 

[Dazzler]

Great photo journalism Dazz - looking forawrd to the rest. 
I noticed your odo. How do you do so many kms on such a small island?

Was on target for only 20,000 a year (was 2 years old in Feb..) until this latest trip 

[Doggie 1]

It still surprised me a bit.
I guess I had a pre-conceived idea that most people in Tasmania would do less kms, given that no matter which way you drive you're going to hit the sea before too long. 
Unless you go round in circles. 
I guess the same could be said for the mainland but on a bigger scale. 

[Dazzler]

It's not as small as you think.. it's easy to do a 1000 km loop without seing the same thing twice.. People somtimes come to Tassie for a week thinking they will see most of what is worth seeing and soon realise they should have come for two weeks.. I have met others who came for 2 weeks and reckoned they needed a month or more ..

From my experience with the recent Mainland trip (and previous mainland trips) is that we have a huge amount of diversity squeezed into a small area down here.. A lot more interesting than some other parts of Australia ( in my biased opinion) 

I'll have another thread up shortly 

[Doggie 1]

I stayed at my sister's last night and she was saying she absolutely loves Tasmania - it is her ideal place and her ideal climate.
It is a place I've never been to.
The wet bit in the middle of the trip puts me off a bit. 

[rustynutz]

I stayed at my sister's last night and she was saying she absolutely loves Tasmania - it is her ideal place and her ideal climate.
It is a place I've never been to.
The wet bit in the middle of the trip puts me off a bit. 

The wet bit is the easy bit, you just put your feet up and have a snooze and when you wake you're there..... 

[Dazzler]

I stayed at my sister's last night and she was saying she absolutely loves Tasmania - it is her ideal place and her ideal climate.
It is a place I've never been to.
The wet bit in the middle of the trip puts me off a bit. 

We met a few people on the mainland that said the same thing.. One guy at a hobby shop in Albury NSW said he loves Tassie and would move there in a flash if he could...

[Doggie 1]

I stayed at my sister's last night and she was saying she absolutely loves Tasmania - it is her ideal place and her ideal climate.
It is a place I've never been to.
The wet bit in the middle of the trip puts me off a bit. 

The wet bit is the easy bit, you just put your feet up and have a snooze and when you wake you're there..... 

Me and boats don't get along.
I like them and would enjoy them if I could, but my stomach tends to have a different view. 

[rustynutz]

I stayed at my sister's last night and she was saying she absolutely loves Tasmania - it is her ideal place and her ideal climate.
It is a place I've never been to.
The wet bit in the middle of the trip puts me off a bit. 

The wet bit is the easy bit, you just put your feet up and have a snooze and when you wake you're there..... 

Me and boats don't get along.
I like them and would enjoy them if I could, but my stomach tends to have a different view. 

That's a bugger....Have you tried seasick tablets, Dave?
Many make the mistake of only taking them when they start to feel sick. 

[Doggie 1]

No, not since I was a kid. 

[rustynutz]

Might be worth trying then..... 

Here you go.... 

&

[Doggie 1]

Thanks for that. I will definitely bear it in mind because sea sickness is not very pleasant.
I see that from July 1 each vehicle attracts a surcharge of $6 per journey to cover Julia's stuff ups. 

[rustynutz]

I've been lucky and never suffered from sea sickness, doesn't stop me from taking some tablets though, just in case.... 

Re the surcharge, grrrr........

[Dazzler]

Thanks for that. I will definitely bear it in mind because sea sickness is not very pleasant.

I bought some kwells in case I needed them for my first trip on the Spirit a few years back but it was not that bad then (or this time) so I didn't need them  The twin Spirits are quite large Ferries and are very stable on most of their crossings.

[Doggie 1]

  Thanks. It's me who's not stable. 
I remember as a kid being given Kwells by my parents (because I used to get bad car sickness too) and I immediately threw them back up.
They didn't try that again. 

[babis_xo]

Great intro (for appetizer)

Is really unleaded coffee at -only- $1.49⁹ ?

[Dazzler]

Great intro (for appetizer)

Is really unleaded coffee at -only- $1.49⁹ ?

Hey, I didn't even notice that 

(Harlin Roadhose Photo)