Time away

I had a lovely time away at the Surf Coast town of Torquay (no, nothing like Basil's and Sybil's' Torquay).

At the last minute, well a day or so earlier, I added Tradie Brother to the accommodation I was paying for Ex Sis in Law and her husband. There were complications when I was checking in as adults weren't permitted to sleep on a top bunk. Much toing and froing and after a contact from staff to management, we were upgraded to a larger cabin with two sets of bunk beds, so TB and I would both have bottom bunks. It was their mistake and the park made it right.

Tradie Brother had brought Dog along. Management were straight on to it, and I don't know how, but Tradie Brother had to sign some kind of disclaimer. Dog slept on the back seat of his car with a leash long enough to get on to the cabin decking to check she could hear TB snoring. No wait, she is deaf. Whatever, she was fine. He left that morning to return home.

Ex Sis in Law had offered me a lift from home but I preferred to travel on my own in my own car. By three in the afternoon, after cabin check in, we were at great niece's 4th birthday party, just a few doors away from where the family lives. Gypsy Burger was a terrific venue for thirty odd people. Fire Fighting Nephew had made a 'Frozen' themed cake for his daughter. Sister joined us after travelling from The Bellarine. My goodness, is Sister a good talker. She connected so quickly with so many people with rapid and eloquent conversation. Football and sports was a bit of a theme.

We ate enough late afternoon to not need dinner. Put two brothers together, mix in Ex SiL's husband, we stayed up too late and drank too much.  

Oldest Niece was staying nearby in a different park, so the next morning we went to see their kiddies swimming and playing in the park water features. We drove on to Anglesea where we had a nice enough brunch, with Ex SiL's husband's daughter and her husband and their daughter who had stayed in a nearby motel. Sister had some sport training in Anglesea, so she joined us for coffee. 

We returned to the cabin, where Ex SiL and her husband napped. I went out in my car for a a drive. I got happily lost on dirt roads and ending up at Bell's Beach, the home of a world wide surfing competition beach. I am surprised Ray and I had never visited the beach. I am sure we hadn't as I have no memory of the beach. Did I see a hot surfer boy? Yes. Close up. Did I see a hot surfer boy changing from his wetsuit to his clothes, yes. Did I see the an old man surfer's fat bare arse, yes. Eww!

Pub meal that evening with Fire Fighting Nephew, his wife and the four year old birthday girl and the two year old twin boys. 

My wealth accumulation from gambling machines was an utter fail and I made a $30 donation to the Torquay Hotel, with Ex SiL and her husband also making donations.

We brunched early the next day somewhere nearby and then it was off home. It really was a nice weekend. 

Gypsy Burger was such a great place for a child's or anyone's birthday party.

 With bushland opposite, perfect for the Treasure Hunt. Every child won a prize.

This could be Torquay's main beach. It was very sandy down below. Torquay has a number of different beaches. 

I spotted this classic General Motors FB or FE Holden station sedan. Yes my father had one. I remember a warm summer evening in the early sixties being at a movie drive in theatre and being in the back as my parents watched Elvis in Blue Hawaii on the big screen. 

Then at the petrol station next to the park we were staying in, this XR or XP? Ford Falcon was being filled. I hung around to note it starting off. It was an automatic and as I remember, they were only two speed geared automatics.

Bell's Beach is world famous for it's surfing competition. 

A final view of the beach after brunch before we left.