Cherrybrook Walk

Ian left the Camry for us to use, but as the girls were still ill we opted to go out for a short time. We went over to Cherrybrook shops to pick up supplies - tissues for me, Bundaberg Ginger Beer and chocolate bars for the last two Saturday nights.

I parked in the sports centre car park opposite the track and off we set. We walked for thirty minutes and then back. At one point the council have built solid stepping stones, but judging by the weather I wonder how often they are needed.

Despite being near houses it is very much bush. We saw the usual white parrots, crimsom parrots and kookabura. Towards the end of our walk we came across an cave created from an enormous rocky overhang. It is easy to believe that aborigine tribes once lived in this area.

The trees and rocks have, for me an Australian feel.

In the afternoon we did a few jobs and Sally went to fetch fish. We ate Dori. It was delicious. Next Nimo?

The House

The house we are now in is two storeys. It is in a place called Dural. It has a steep drive to a double garage with a remote roller door. There is a lockable door from it to the house. There is a main entrance door to a hall with steps up to the kitchen and stairs on the left. On the right is a carpetted lounge with steps up to another carpetted area. There is door from here into the kitchen. The kitchen area can be closed off with sliding doors; otherwise the rooms are open. The kitcken has a bar sticking out from the rear wall with a large dining space. Through an archway is an even larger area. All the floors in these areas and in the hall are quarry tiled. Off the large empty area (now a playroom) is the downstairs toilet/shower and a laundry which open to the left side garden of the house. A gass area goes along the rear of the house.

Up stairs is large hall. To the left is the family bathroom with bath and shower. Next to it is the guest room which takes a double bed and a wide work bench. Next to this is a sizeable rear bedroom for Emily. Zoe has aslightly larger room looking over the front of the house. Between this bedroom and the main bedroom is an alcove which takes a large computer desk. The main bedroom has an ensuite. All the rooms have horizontal wooden blinds, plastic frames and sliding insect screen outside. All the rooms have fitted wardrobes. The house is air conditioned and heated by ducted air to vents in all the rooms.

In the bathrooms all the floor have drainage holes and the showers have high tiled surrounds.
The modem has had to be put in the kitchen for now, but the wireless signal is good to both Ian and my computer.

One evening we had the pleasure of parrots on the roof.


We have spent the time going to shops, looking after children and I have exercised by walking along the streets. There is next to no access to park type walks, but I did start on a walking track near the Cherrybrook shops while the girls were in swimming.

Two SATNAVs and Still Lost

On Monday mum and I went for walk down to the Parramatta information centre and along the river. You could get some idea of the reasons for the poor relationships between the Aborigines and the Europeans. It seems to be as the history books tell us. Whole tribes were wiped out; children were kidnapped and westernised. I spoke to an old Ozy yesterday and the fear of the Aborigines is still real.


I also saw that much of the pressure for Australia becoming a republic is from the newer immigrants (Chinese and Indian). Again this was confirmed by my friend at the park. He was pretty much not bothered either way. I wonder what the younger generation Ozy thinks.

We walked down to the rivercat stop. The river is blocked by a weir at this point.

We had a leisurely icecream at a Sudenese shop. Very tasty; we were given tastes of the different ones.

We arrived back to find out that Sally was called to take the Camry in for minor repairs 30 minutes earlier. First we had to go out to Cherrybrook to collect it. We attempted to set up both SATNAVs to get us to the Camry garage. At first Sally led with my SATNAV continuously recalculating. She gave up. I led until Sally came to the conclusion that we were heading the wrong way. I did a turn left; hoping to go around but finished on the motorway. At this point Sally overtook. The map had won. Before going back to collect the Camry I did an intersection check on Google when this was put into the SATNAV we took 15 minutes instead one and half hours. Should I tell Garmin?

Yesterday we went Featherdale Wildlife Park. It would take to long to list the variety of Australian wildlife on show. Zoe enjoyed looking and Emily enjoyed walking around. She has still not learned the lesson on taking on a kangaroo. She got away with it this time.


In the afternoon mum and I took Zoe to the park. She played, I spoke to an Australian grandad. He has story to tell. He was abought up in the back of a lorry, they then moved to live on the water before finally getting a house. His wife's family lived in two caves and had to move out when the world got to be less secure.