I just received a strongly worded Skype message telling me I wasn’t allowed to miss a 3rd week in a row, despite the fact that I have two essays due in tomorrow.

So, my psychology-addled brain came up with a last-minute blog post about the trip to Australia. Here is a story in iPhone photos.

It rained when we arrived. A lot. The drive from Sydney to Port Macquarie would probably have been easier in a boat of some description. Things were looking grim for the week ahead.

After the drive we were revived by Thai food and the fact that our bungalow had WIFI. It was still pouring though.

What’s better than rain? Pancakes, that’s what. The rain disappeared, and the rest of the week was amazing. Even though we were woken up by Kookaburras at around 5 every morning.

Port Macquarie has a dinky little observatory which you can visit (either by booking or on their open nights). Unfortunately it was a little cloudy, but we got a decent view of the moon and an interesting chat from an old man outside who then rode off majestically into the night astride his scooter. Meteorites are heavy.

We did a lot for the short time we were there! On this particular day we visited Fairy Wrens in some beachside hedge, climbed North Brother (in our trusty hire car) to take in some spectacular views, and visited the Billabong Zoo. Here is said Billabong. I’ll probably do a post about a certain attraction there at some point.

Lots of early mornings looking for sunrises and birds! It was fantastic to get out and get some good photos before breakfast (although the lack of breakfast before such activities can be dangerous. Always take an emergency mandarin).

Sunsets and Pelicans. The locals were interested by our recurrent presence every evening with big lenses. Took a cruise out around the place one afternoon and saw Osprey nests and other groovy things.

Find me a better place to study, I dare you (or perhaps a worse one). Lake Cathie (pronounced Cat-eye for some reason only known to the mystical Bunyips. Or maybe the locals. I should have asked.) and the estuary out to sea were a place we visited more than once for a picnic.

So soon were we driving back towards Sydney, in slightly nicer weather. The scenery on the way was pretty fabulous as well, something we hadn’t noticed through the sheets of rain.

Would you look at that, a bridge (also, trains!). We have one of those too, but it’s not nearly as impressive. Spent an evening running frantically around Sydney to be in the right places to take photos. Good fun, hard on the legs (and the stomach).

So there you go. Just in time too.

See you next week, keep checking the regular social media for updates!

Photo taken with iPhone 4. Snapseed used for some editing. Love that app.