We leave Sydney after the reparations of the car… But on our way to Shellharbour the car keeps giving troubles, nonetheless we enjoy the beach views. Especially on the Cliff Bridge near Wollongong. Finally we arrive at Stan and Suzanne’s home. We met them earlier on our trip on the Gibb River Road. By being now near Sydney it is more than time we visit them and upon arrival we get a very warm and friendly welcome!

They offer us a nice home to stay a couple of days and rest.
Stan was the first time amazing by finding and solving the car troubles… And this time he is even more amazing! During these days we check (and renew) the entire fuel and ignition system, repair the aerial and handbrake and tune up some little things.
After a couple of days hard working, I’ve learned many new techniques, seen more wreckers and car shops from the interior and played half a car mechanic with Stan as master. But best of all, Janis runs smooth again. Stan was what she really needed!

In the meantime Ilse enjoys playing housewife and cooks delicious meals, cleans all the stuff we travel with and enjoys being home far from home.
Their house is near the sea, so sometimes we go for a refreshing beach walk. Even if it is autumn, the sun visits us daily. A warm wake up welcome on the terrace, some shining along the beach… It feels more like spring instead. We only feel the autumn by the short days. At this moment we are in our so called six ‘dark weeks’ before Christmas. Nonetheless, it never feels like that!
We have a great time with Stan and Suzanne, but after some days and lots and more talking, it is time to keep on going… We have some little things left in Sydney en after that, we’ll continue our trip in an amazing Oz country.

So next morning we head to Sydney in search for a MacBook for me, since I want to develop some drawings and other stuff along the road and Ilses camera lens need reparations.
Before we leave, Stan proposes us to stay that evening with him. An offer we accept in gratitude, since we know that it will be a long day and the showers follow one after another. A great time to be in a home instead of a tent. In Sydney we find the MacBook easily and now we travel with the beautiful white one in our bags… We already use it for much more than initially intended. It proves to be a great buy!
The camera lens is more disappointing… The repair costs are extremely high. So without any option to repair the focus, we leave Sydney. Or do I say Brussels? For some 40 km’s we needed 2 hours driving and then another hour for the last 80 km’s till we arrive back in Shellharbour. No traffic jams is true everywhere in Oz, except for the Sydney and coastal area of NSW.
Like always Stan listens to what we did that day and how all went. (Suzanne left a couple of days to attend a funeral)… So he proposes to call his camera guy in Sydney to repair the lens and there is some small leakage at the wheel that needs to be repaired. So still some more days in a home.

The next morning we repair the car between the showers and ring the camera man. He can do the repair for half the price the next day! Great!
Stan proposes us to go to Sydney by train… It is a 2,5 hour rail trip, but for 23$ for both of us we cannot drive. The next morning Stan drives us to the station and off we go. In the train we have a good chat with our two, finally we spend some great time together. In Sydney we search the camera shop, meet the friendly Chinese who runs the shop and he tells us to return in a couple of hours. We use our spare time to stroll in Chinatown, go for a lunch in the streets and hop in and out a couple of shops. In that way Sydney is a great city! One of the only places in Oz where you have the feeling culture and life as a citizen is an option. There are many cosy shops with a myriad of things, lots of small restaurants and bars, …
A city life like it should be!
Late that afternoon we head back, with a repaired camera to Shellharbour. On the train we discover that today is the opening of the Sydney Light Show Event… And not on sunday, like the person in the information centre told us! Hmmm, a pity… But we have a nice idea.
That evening Suzanne returns, so at the wood fire all of us enjoy a banana filled with chocolate and we propose at our grandparents far from home to go all together to Sydney next day to visit the festival. They agree and we have a great finish before we go.

The next day we sleep long in the warm bed, prepare some things in the car and leave early to Sydney. Ilse and I catch one train earlier, since we need to do some shopping in the Surrey Hill area. Later on we meet Stan and Suzanne at circular quay at the beginning of the event.
The Opera House, a couple of buildings, the P&O cruises ferry, the Harbour Bridge, … All are covered in a vivid light show. We walk the area, enjoy the spectacle and after some two hours we leave back home.
On the train we have a small surprise for our grandparents, a bottle of bubbles and some bread with humus. The bubbles taste excellent, despite Suzannes nerves since drinking on the train is prohibited…
We don’t care about that en enjoy the company.

Next morning we finally leave the two to continue our trip along Oz, but not before we receive a last gift from them… A big computer bag to store our new bought MacBook.
We really had a great time with our grandparents far away from home. Te car is fully repaired, our computer installed, the camera repaired, we’re well fed and a couple of days in a good bed did miracles… So we leave them grateful and have closed them both in our hearts.
We received a warm welcome and a great stay.
They called their house ‘The ESSES R INN’, coming from Stan and Suzanne R…
THANK YOU STAN AND SUZANNE! We love you…

Menu in “The Esses r INN”

De naam van het huis van oma en opa is het bewijs van Suzannes creativiteit.
“The Esses” komt van de beginletters van hun namen, Stan en Suzanne.
“r” betekent are = zijn.
“inn” betekent in = thuis maar kan ook een soort bed&breakfast betekenen.

Superorigineel! Suzanne, de eigenares, staat vermeld in vershillende kunsttijdschriften omwille van haar naaiwerk met figuren die uit de achtergrond komen. Heel speciaal!

Hieronder vind je een voorbeeld:
http://www.gumnutyarns.com/Projects/Magazines/other_goodies.htm
CREATIVE EMBROIDERY & CROSS STITCH
Vol 17 No 2

MENU VAN DE WEEK

Dinsdag
Dinner: Indiaanse schotel

Woensdag
Breakfast: Continentaal ontbijt op terras met zicht op zee
Lunch: Sandwiches
Dinner: Rosbief met groentenschotel in de oven

Donderdag
Breakfast: Continentaal ontbijt op terras met zicht op zee
EXTRA: TEA WITH SCONES IN A REAL TEAHOUSE!!!
Lunch: Broodjes met hesp en groentjes
Dinner: Barbecue

Vrijdag
Breakfast: Continentaal ontbijt op terras met zicht op zee
Lunch: Sandwiches
Dinner: Belgische pannekoeken

Zaterdag
Breakfast: Continentaal ontbijt op terras met zicht op zee
Lunch: Sandwiches met verse pompoensoep (de meest populaire soep in Australië)
Dinner: Tortillas

Zondag
Breakfast: Continentaal ontbijt op terras met zicht op zee
Lunch: Sandwiches met verse pompoensoep
Dinner: Rosbief met groentenschotel in de oven

Maandag
Breakfast: Continentaal ontbijt op terras met zicht op zee
Lunch: Sandwiches met verse pompoensoep
Dinner: Kip met curry à la Ilse

Dinsdag
Breakfast: Continentaal ontbijt op terras met zicht op zee
Lunch: Pizza made at home
Dinner: Australian beef with fresh smashed potatoes

Woensdag
Out in Sydney

Donderdag
Breakfast: Continentaal ontbijt op terras met zicht op zee
Lunch: Slaatje
Dinner: Spiegeleieren

Vrijdag
Out in Sydney

Zaterdag
Breakfast: Continentaal ontbijt op terras met zicht op zee
Lunch: Eggs with curry à la Suzanne
Dinner: Champagne!!!