Thursday. Oh what a day. We decided that since we were going to Kemp anyway it would be shorter to go to Coffs and turn in the computer than a coffs trip alone. It would be a pretty long drive there and back and all the errands so we booked a mote with a spa bath – a bit of luxury. Since it has been raining for long enough that we have gathered a lot of laundry and will probably not have a dry enough day in the near future for it to dry we decided to take the laundry with us and go to a laundromat. We have been doing a bit of spring cleaning and found the bag of travel money. Most of it is used up or given away but we still had Turkish lira so we would try some banks with that. Kempsey is too small we thought. So on the list was: library, post office w check to dr. Alford, dr. appt to Emma, recycling at the cans, bottle and pet bottle centre in Kemp. Drive to Coffs and have lunch at a Chinese restaurant, turn in computer and ask how to arrange for post office to send it back and then go to post office and buy the stuff, try the banks for the lira, laundry, find motel in Urunga, go for evening meal at a fish restaurant in Urunga, use the spa bath at the motel and have microwave popcorn! Second day the list was: leave Urunga and return to Kemp, shop at Bunnings, shop at Woolies, shop at BWS, diesel for cannister for tractor coming next week and for Atlas and then pick up package from IKEA at Cetnaj. Should be a cinch – right! So off we go. The creek is high after the rains so we took the mountain road. Wet, muddy but passable. We had cleared it from trees, vines and branches the day before. Arrived a bit early so we took a morning tea at Tumblegum only they lost our order so we had to take the tea to go and have it after the doc. visit. Dr Emma had moved on and Jen got a new one. They were new and had to work in different places for a couple of years before settling down. Jen thought Emma was going to stay longer but .. oh well. This little lady wanted to do a thorough check up and breast cancer, bowel and cervical but Jen said another day. Should probably do it next year. It’s been a while now. Like 4 to 8 years depending on what. After the GP visit we had our tea and sent the letter at the post office, did the recycling and took off for Coffs. In Coffs we found the Chinese resttaurant and the food was probably the best Chinese so far since we moved up here but still not super. After lunch we found our Apple store and had a chat with the guy who took a look at Pebbles and also said they would take care of sending it back for a small fee. 25 A$! Perfect. Peb will get a new reflective screen. Now for the Turkish lira. ANZ turned us down, the post office sent us packing, Combank said sorry but ….. so we realised they all use the same bank who sends the money but never buys it back. We gave up and thought we might remember to take it next time we go to an airport. Now time for laundry so off the laundromat. Lots of laundry, all the thick winter stuff. Very nice to get it cleaned up allthough it never gets really really clean if it has spots since it never soakes at laundromats. Anyway it’s mostly working clohes so who cares! Now for Urunga and the motel. This was out on a field but the bridge there was being mended so it was closed off. We had to drive a way bit around but we got there. They had two rooms, one was a suit but our had the spa. Perfect. After a beer we took of to find the seafood restaurant, which we did after a bit but it was closed, nobody was ther though it said open 8-21. So we ended up in another place with very good food and super nice service! Back to the motel for a last beer and soak in the spa bath. Haha it was leaking so after 15 min there was barely water to cover our stomachs and there was no more warm water either. What a letdown. The little kitchen had a toaster but no plates or utensils or dishwashing stuffs. Otherwise the room was beautiful and big. The bed was great! So a bit of tweaking was needed for it to get full points.
Friday. We had brought our own breakfast of cereal and lucky for us in plastic container so we could eat out of them since there were no plates. They did have tea and a water heater but no microwave so no popcorn! After hanging in the room and having tea we packed up and left. Back to Kemp. All went smooth until picking up the package at Cetnaj. no parcel. We called the co and she called around. We said we were at Cetnaj. After lot of waiting in the hot sun she let us know the driver had left the package at Natrad. Ok so pick up at Natrad instead and off home. Phew! Better take Postmans and not count on the creek to allready recede. Almost home it started raining and when we stopped outside the gate it came down in buckets and hail! What to do? Wait it out in the car and have a beer. Haha. Rivers and lakes all around. After 40 min or so it stopped so we could unpack . All wet cardboard boxes and some wet bags. The weather had been so sunny and nice we had packed a lot of stuff on the tray! Anyway all was well and all chores done!