Tshikwalo Lodge, Dinokeng 6th to 8th September 2019

Decided to do a short test run in Brutus to check out all recent repairs (propshaft, bearings) and my back!!!
What a lovely place and under 100kms away. Staff are all super friendly and helpful. Sites are grassy. Birdlife is prolific.
Lodge restaurant serves up smashing grub. Had Eland Fillet on first night and Tshikwalo steak (rib-eye) on second night. Both meals were scrumptious. Tender meat, fresh veggies perfectly, crispily cooked and a divine sauce. (Small roast potatoes included in steak meal).
Night noises consisted of mega numbers of jackal, hippo and a couple of pearl spotted owlets.
Saturday night did bring some distant bass notes from Hammanskraal, just loud enough to be mildly irritating. It was a chilly weekend ... a cold front had moved in but we slept snugly.

My favourite bird. Spookie.

Next favourite: Orange Breasted

Up close and personal with a babbler

Black Flycatcher

Buffalo Weaver

Curious Canary

Kurrichane

Magpie Shrike

There is also a largish family of Nyala hanging around the camp.

We didn't go on a game drive. Were quite content to just chill and watch the happenings around our site.

Australia 2019 25/4 - 28/4

Menfolk off to beach to fish.

Ben caught a beauty, think it's a bream.

Afternoon spent at Anzac Memorial in Eden (very solemn and mournful), trip to wharf and harbour, look out point over Twofold Harbour.

All lovely.

Gave the booze a good tonk in the evening with Spotify and JBL speaker helping us along.  Good fun.

26/4
Spent the day with a last fishing attempt (unsuccessful), packing up and generally getting despondent. Weather turned bitterly cold from the early evening onwards.

27/4
Travelled back via the more scenic coastal road. Very pretty.  Takes about 30 minutes longer but so worth it.

Subdued evening with us preparing for the flight home.

28/4
Unpleasant flight home - tired but unable to sleep, restless leg syndrome.
Sad to have left Oz but glad to be home.

A friend who has just returned from NZ mentioned his nasty experience with sandflies (more accurately known as Biting Midges) - those were the blighters that were chowing us alive at Eden. Julian's coils certainly did the trick.

Australia 2019 23/4 - 24/4 Wednesday

23/4:
Menfolk off fishing. Womenfolk off stocking up groceries, et al.
Late afternoon, menfolk and Dom back at fishing.
Jay caught an Amberjack approx 4 - 5kgs. Not the best eating fish but yielded some nice white meat - apparently the outer edges, brownish in colour, tasted very muddy.



While they were gone, I partook of cheese and biscuits with Julian, Jenny and Jayden (neighbours). Fell in love with fig and almond biscuits accompanied by brie.

We had prawns (pre-cooked at $25 per kg). Aforementioned neighbours, with whom we have established a nice friendship, had mussels and oysters. We traded tasties among us and had an awesome seafood supper.
Musells with garlic bread, oyster omelette, prawns, Qinoa rice and fresh veg. Mmmmm.

A Bilby came to visit us. I did not get a picture (will try again in subsequent evenings),  so this pic is compliments of the Save the Bilby site

He is listed as vulnerable. Rangers are working to protect breeding sites. Rather a cutey pie. Given that the rabbit in Australia is a pest, quite a few people now use the Bilby as the iconic Easter Bunny. Just as well Julian was with us for the sighting as we wouldn't have had a clue what we were looking at.

24/4:

Bade a fond farewell to our newfound friends.

Have exchanged numbers and facebook credentials so we'll stay in touch.

Rest of our peeps have gone on the Ben Boyd Park 5 km walk. Very envious but my back is taking strain.

Managed to get a shot of the Royal Spoonbill

Witnessed a Kookaburra catch and eat a small fish. Not a common occurrence as they are mostly carrion eaters. Obviously, an opportunity presented itself.

Ben Boyd walk:

Barmouth (Bay area within Ben Boyd overlooking Pambula)

Goana

Based on size and habitat, we assume this is a Wallaby

Toodled off to Ben Boyd beach area. Jay caught a Tailor.

Dom captured a lovely shot of the sunset.

Australia 2019 22/4 Monday

Today was Cockatoo pose day:

Haven't posted a shot of the Green Rig yet (Swag of to left)

Took at drive to Merimbula and Pembula today. Blazed a trail on an interesting dirt road through Ben Boyd National Park.

Pembula Beach

Had a bite to eat on the wharf at Pembula.

Merimbula Beach.

Of the two towns, I preferred Merimbula. Much less commercialised and still retaining quaint village.

The roos roam through the village

Bought boys bigger rods. I got my jacket thingy from the Hippy Store.

Fishing in afternoon. (Tried sea and lake) No Luck.

Cold evening. Off to bed with sleeping tablet - slept like the dead for 4 hours!

Australia 2019 21/4 Sunday

HAPPY EASTER
Kids searched and found their Easter Bunny Treats.
Kookaburra made their first appearance in this area (have missed their cackling calls).

All of us went for a walk on the boardwalk around the lake.  Yielded some lovely surprises.

Australasian Swamphen

BellBird

Chestnut Teal

 Hot Cross Bun Jelly Fish

 Magpie Lark

The 2 highlights were flying foxes and roos. 

Grey Headed Flying Fox

There must have been thousands of them roosting in the trees. Below pic is one tree. Multiply that by at least 200 trees.

Roos:

Some general shots

Domi decided to go for a widdle while on the walk. Just as she finished, some joggers appeared. Dom jumped up and pulled up her shorts leaving her undies trailing around her knees. Much laughter from all including the joggers!

Luis is the Master Caster; Jay retains his title of Master Baiter (although Luis is a close second) and Dom is Master Baker. (I'm Master Relaxer). 

Jay caught a sting ray which caused Ben to panic and start crying (think he remember the tragic Steve Irwin story).

Cooked Zac's fish tonight. Yummy.

Some idiot was firing off huge thumping sky rockets. Frightened the living daylights out of all of us. Not a good night for sleeping.