Olivia and Owen are now in pre-school, and in January they will be starting kindergarten! They commute to and from pre-school on their scooters. They are getting so grown up!
Back in New Zealand Steve developed an infection on the underside of his tongue and it wasn't getting any better with over-the-counter medication. So Andrea arranged for him to visit her doctor. Steve was able to be seen the same day we arrived. Dr. Chin prescribed a steroid medication and we went next door to pick it up instantly. Within minutes Steve was on the mend. The total cost for foreigners like us? Around $60. Another example of excellent and affordable medical care outside the US.
On Thursday, November 15 it was time for Steve and me to head down to our Airbnb in the tiny down of Windang on the coast about 1.5 hours south of Sydney. As Andrea had the day off, she joined us. We took the train from Newtown to Central Station, and then a second train south to Wollongong. We were planning to take a taxi or an Uber from the train station to our Airbnb, but lo and behold our Airbnb host Alan surprised us and was waiting at the train station for us. What hospitality!
Our rental is small but very cozy, clean, and perfect for us. It's a 5-minute walk to either the Pacific Ocean or Lake Illawarra. Can't beat that! We're looking forward to getting the Sydney folks down here for some fun in the sun.
The birdlife here is a bit different too...
Steve and I have also checked out two different bowling clubs -- one here in Windang and one in the nearby community of Warilla. The bowling refers to outdoor lawn bowling, that's very popular here. But the clubs offer much more than bowling. They have restaurants, bars, live entertainment, and casinos. Sometimes they also have gyms, and hotel accommodations. Plus, they love to have meat raffles -- where the lucky winners get to take home huge platters of, well, meat.
Since arriving in Windang we've been learning the local bus routes, as we are once again carless. On Friday we headed south to the nearby town of Shellharbour for a good look-see and to pick up a few needed household items -- like a coffee maker. On Saturday we headed north to Wollongong to check out the local French club that meets weekly at a local restaurant right by the beach. Along the way we saw skydivers, surfers, and loads of people swimming in the Pacific. Ah, springtime in November!
And today, Sunday, started with the annual Illawarra Truck Convoy. Now in its 14th year, this massive parade raises millions of dollars to help families facing life-threatening illnesses. Our little town of Windang is right along the parade route. Hundreds of motorcycles started off the convoy and were followed by hundreds of trucks. We stayed for a good 1.5 hours, and it's still going on now!
As it's another beautiful day in paradise, it's time for us to head out for a little more exploring. Until next time!
No comments:
Post a Comment