A 5:00am start this morning – and some roundabout travelling in the car thanks to being unfamiliar with the area – led to the most incredible sunrise we could have imagined over the Seacliff Bridge, Grand Pacific Drive.
Despite doing this drive yesterday afternoon, feeling a little bit like we were in a James Bond movie at the same time while following the rocky cliffs around, the suggestion by Wayne to do it again at sunrise was too good. Some cloud out over the water delayed the event somewhat, but when it did finally peek through and shine on the white caps crashing around the base of the bridge, it was an incredible moment. Even though we took enough pictures to capture the moment, you cannot replace the feeling of seeing it in person. It feels very surreal, not something that feels like it belongs on Australia’s shores, and absolutely must go on your bucket list – yes, that list is growing just as quick as things get crossed off!
After working up an appetite just trying to stay warm while watching the sunrise, we passed a little cafe called Coffee & Art that was situated perfectly to catch the morning sun. Here we tasted the softest, fluffiest, most-airy omelette we’ve ever had – that’s a poor description really but how else do you describe something like that?? Absolutely divine, and for the $13.90 price tag, was a massive meal that even Wayne’s renowned appetite couldn’t finish off.
We returned to our cabin by late morning and, while we loved the location, decided there are still too many places yet to discover on the way, so headed south out of Wollongong to Shellharbour. On our way, we both agreed that we were very pleasantly surprised by the entire Wollongong district, and had really formed an attachment to it. Beautiful coastlines, with a rocky mountain backdrop, houses no more than a couple of streets from the coastline, gorgeous cottages and the tidiest towns we’ve seen, Wollongong is a truly lovely place and we’re very glad we didn’t pass it by.
Lunch at a Thai restaurant in Shellharbour brought back some strong memories of home, both with the views from yet another lovely little beachside town and the taste of the food (trust us – there’s ‘Thai’ and then there’s “THAI”!).
Our destination for today was Kiama, a place we had first heard about at the Brisbane Caravan & Camping Show a few months ago. With quite a few caravan parks to choose from, all of them with their own unique oceanfront views, it took a while to drive around and decide which one we’d settle at for a few days of rest. We finally settled on Surf Beach Holiday Park (www.kiamacoast.com.au), where we were able to stay 4, pay 3. With the prices of caravan park cabins these days, this worked out to be quite a good saving. The view from the front verandah, which comes complete with BBQ, is beautiful, overlooking a small beach surrounded by rocky walls which create quite a spectacle with the crashing waves. Gas fireplace and large spa are really a treat, and watching the flames flickering is extremely peaceful and calming – must be time to sign off for the day! Who knows what we’ll discover tomorrow!