Goodbye to Windang...

     Today is Thursday, December 13 and we are at the end of our 4-week stay in Windang in New South Wales. Steve and I had a lot of fun here and have loved being so close to both the Pacific Ocean and Lake Illawarra. During the past month, we've taken just about every bus and train route running north, south, and west of here. We've walked through a treetop canopy, gone golfing, swimming, bicycling, participated in a local French conversation group, and Steve has even gone skydiving! We've experienced beautiful sunny days, windstorms, torrential rains, and crazy days that had all extremes in one. In two days we'll be heading back up to Sydney for a week or so before we fly on to Tasmania with Andrea, Adam, Owen, and Olivia. But first a few highlights of this last week in Windang...
     On Saturday Steve and I explored the town of Port Kembla about 7 kilometers away. We had heard the town has a lovely beach and also a large saltwater public pool. It took two buses to get there, but no problem. As it was a hot, sunny day, swimming was our goal. Swimming laps in saltwater feels odd to me and very different than in chlorinated pool water. I haven't gotten used to it yet. But the view from the pool was perfect.


The beach at Port Kembla right next to the public pool.
 

And the view at the pool!

 

     After swimming, Steve and I walked into the town of Port Kembla hoping to get a little snack. It was not to be. That town was deader than a ghost town by Saturday mid-afternoon. Once important for coal, copper, and steel, Port Kembla is now in apparent economic decline. But it's still beautifully situated along the coast.  
     Speaking of swimming, on Sunday Steve and I headed up to Sydney for the day to give Owen and Olivia a second swimming lesson at their local pool -- along with Andrea and Adam. I'm happy to report the twins are both now super comfortable in the water, including holding their breaths underwater and jumping in and completely submerging themselves. We've been practicing floating and kicking, and we hope that before we leave Australia next month Olivia and Owen will be bona fide swimmers!
     On Monday, Steve and I decided to check out a nearby airplane museum our Airbnb host Alan had told us about. The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) Museum at nearby Illawarra Regional Airport in Albion Park is completely run and operated by volunteers - about 600 of them! The museum's collection of military and commercial aircraft of all sizes and vintages is remarkable. We were able to go inside and take a look around many of the planes on display. Many of them have been beautifully restored and are still flyable. Here's a bit of what we saw...

Qantas Boeing 747 flown down from Sydney when it was retired in 2015.

Steve in ejectable cockpit of an F1-11 fighter jet.

DC-3 Royal Australian - still in working order.

Rolls Royce jet engine.

The actual steps the Beatles walked down upon landing in Sydney in 1965 for their first Australian concert.

 

Close-up showing Beatles walking down the steps and the autographed cover of their Beatles '65 album.

First-class lavatory in a 1950s-era Convair plane.

 
     On Monday evening our Airbnb host Kerri invited me to join her and the women in her yoga class for a little backyard session followed by wine and cheese. Fun for sure, but stiff the next day!



That's yours truly on the left.
 

      Tuesday was a low-energy, catch-up day, but still Steve and I managed to get our second wind for a bike ride and a spot of mini-golf!

 

 

     No surprise = Steve won!

 

 

     It's hard to remember that it's almost Christmas time here in the Southern Hemisphere. Take a little look at Aussie-style Christmas decorations.

 

     On Tuesday evening we watched a Christmas fireworks display over Lake Illawarra. Check out the nighttime pelicans.

 

     Yesterday, Steve went up to Sydney to spend a special father/daughter day with Andrea. They went to a place called "The Cipher Room" where they had to collaboratively solve a 1945 Russian spy mystery in rooms filled with clues. These types of "escape rooms" have apparently become quite popular as a way to develop team-building and problem-solving skills. Participants must productively pool their wits and imaginations to figure out the series of clues that will allow them "escape." Steve loved the experience, and especially sharing it with his daughter.

     While Steve was in Sydney, I went to my French conversation group in North Wollongong for the final time. Merci to Céline, our lovely French instructor! This is the view as I walk from the bus to the café where the French group meets. Pas mal!

 

 

North Wollongong Harbor

 

     After French, I took the train south to Kiama and from there caught a bus to the town of Berry, which people had told us wasn't to be missed. Unfortunately, the train and bus connections were not ideal, so by the time I arrived in Berry at 3:30 PM there wasn't much time before the shops started closing up. But it was still fun to walk around, and the countryside between Kiama and Berry was stunning -- green rolling hills on one side and light blue ocean on the other. Here are a couple of shots from right near the train station.

 

     Today is another low-key day was we prepare for a major thunderstorm. We've been hearing distant thunder for the last hour or so. It's the perfect day to catch up on emails and news from home. Speaking of which, here's a shout-out to our little grandson, Solomon, who just turned 6-months-old on December 10th. Happy 1/2 Birthday Little Solly!!! We love and miss you!!!

 

 

Steve's Skydive!

     A couple of days after we arrived in Windang, Steve and I took the bus to the beach at North Wollongong because I wanted to check out a weekly French conversation group that meets at a restaurant there. Right next to The Lagoon restaurant we saw a business called Skydive Australia, and pretty soon we started seeing groups of people gently drifting down in parachutes and landing in a large field right near us. Later that day we also saw skydivers landing in the sand right behind the restaurant.
     Steve had an epiphany:  "I'm going to do it!" Even though skydiving had not been on his bucket list, he suddenly realized, "If not now, when?" and "Why not?" He thought of his mother who had waited and waited to do so many things in retirement, but died just before turning 65 and never got to do them. He thought of our dear friend Tom who recently passed away after a rich and full life. Steve asked himself, "What would Tom do?" And Steve heard Tom's voice answer: "JUMP!" And Steve even thought of recently deceased George H.W. Bush who had gone skydiving for the first time on his 80th birthday. Steve called and made his skyjump reservation.
     Tuesday, December 4 at 9:00 AM was the time. The morning was cool and overcast as we took the bus into Wollongong. We were the first to arrive at Skydive Australia and waited for them to open. After signing all those legal waiver and disclaimer forms, Steve was suiting up and getting into his harness.





The yellow fanny pack contains a life jacket -- just in case of a water landing!

Harnessing up.

     Then there was a brief group instruction on what positions to assume when leaving the plane, freefalling, and landing. Steve met his guide, Tony -- the guy whom (we thought) would literally have Steve's life in his hands. (There would later be a slight change of plans.) Everyone jumps in tandem with an instructor, with the instructor harnessed behind the student.

     At last it was time to get on the bus that would take Steve and his group to the airport about 20 minutes away for their one-way plane ride to 15,000 feet and their rendezvous with the sky! 

Practicing what to do when leaving the plane.

With first instructor Tony (the plans would change...)

Boarding the bus to the airport. 

     Even though Steve was the very first to arrive that morning, he somehow ended up getting scheduled in the second skydiving group. This ended up making for a very long morning.
     The first group took off in the plane and a while later I watched them land on the sand. Just as they were landing, the weather turned more threatening and it began to rain. We had hoped Steve's group would get to jump before the rain got bad, but it was not to be. Soon it was pouring and Steve's group was grounded indefinitely at the airport. After a good hour's wait, the weather started to lift. I checked in at the office and it looked like Steve's group would be jumping soon.
     But, then I was informed that Steve and been bumped to group #3. Apparently, with the changing weather conditions the plane needed more fuel and that meant less weight left for passengers. Someone had to be bumped, and as Steve was skydiving by himself and everyone else was with a partner, he was chosen. Sigh... More waiting...
     But eventually at around 1:00 PM, Steve was finally on the plane and ready to go. In the meantime, there was a change of instructors for him. Now instead of Tony, Steve would be jumping with Scott. Through all the waiting and the frustrations of being bumped twice, Steve never once thought of quitting. 
     Take a look at some of these amazing GoPro photos Scott was able to take of their experience. Due to the changing weather conditions, Steve's group would be landing on the grass field, not the sand.

Walking to the plane.

On the plane with Scott.

At the plane door.

Ready to JUMP!

 

 

 

FREEFALL!

 

Looking down on North Wollongong Beach.

Landing!

Mission Accomplished at 74!!!
 

 





This & That...

     Last Saturday, December 1, Andrea, Adam, Olivia, and Owen drove down to Windang from Sydney for the day. The weather was perfect so that meant BEACH DAY!!!

Lunch at Oh Dang! café in Windang

     Later on, after dinner at the Windang Club, it was time to walk back to the car and head home to Sydney. After playing at the beach all afternoon, I'm pretty sure Olivia and Owen slept the whole way home.

     Golf was the order of the day on Monday - just a 3 kilometer bike ride away at the Port Kembla Golf Club.

     Check out this warning sign at the golf course. Luckily, we didn't spot any slitherers. (Or any kangaroos, emus, or koalas for that matter.)

 

     Tuesday was Steve's SKYDIVING DAY!!! I'll describe that very soon in another, special post.
     On Wednesday, after my French conversation group in North Wollongong, Steve and I took the train up to Sydney. Our mission was to take Owen and Olivia swimming at their neighborhood pool to help them learn how to swim. With Andrea we made three adults and two kids, so it was easy to give Olivia and Owen lots of individual attention. While they are not quite swimming yet, both kids loved being in the water and seemed unafraid of putting their heads underwater or even jumping into water over their heads if we were there to catch them. We'll definitely be taking back them to the pool, and I think they'll be swimming very soon. Afterwards we went straight from the pool for Mexican food. Both kids were starving!
     On Thursday morning, it was time to walk Owen and Olivia to Sunshine Kids daycare before Steve and I boarded the train back south.

     But before returning to Windang, we met up with friends Jan and Bob in Wollongong. On several previous trips to Australia, Steve and I housesat for Jan and Bob while they were vacationing. They live in Maianbar, a lovely area south of Sydney near Cronulla. It was great to see Jan and Bob again and we enjoyed catching up over a yummy lunch at a beach café in North Wollongong. Steve noticed this anatomically correct bathroom sign at the café...

     Bob and Jan's son, Simon, and his wife Camille are good friends with Andrea and Adam. Simon and Camille currently live in Portland, Oregon and have a 15-month old daughter named Holly. Starting next week, Simon, Camille, and Holly will be in Australia for the holidays, and so we are hoping to all get together -- grandparents, kids, and grandkids -- while everyone is in country.
     Meanwhile, today is a catch-up day for me in Windang and Steve is off golfing. Stay tuned for photos from Steve's big skydive!