Grand Pacific Drive Roadtrip - Part 2

The smell of lemongrass hits you like a splash of water on a hot summer's day - refreshing yet calming. Nan Tien Temple is reputed to be the biggest Buddhist temple in the southern hemisphere, and overlooks Mount Kembla and Mount Keira, it boast numerous temple halls, a Pagoda, a vegetarian restaurant and stone sculptures peppering their vast garden grounds.

We prayed a little in those hallowed halls, made some offerings of a couple dollars, and took a few photos. The temple was our rendezvous point with our two other friends, and honest to Buddha I was just minding my own business meditating when they caught this photo of me unaware and deep in meditation.

We even had a chance to practice Chinese Calligraphy. Mum, dad, those years spent in Chinese tuition has finally paid off.

By the way, for those who finds themselves short on cash for making offerings, I have it on good authority that they accept major forms of credit cards. So light away those candles and joss sticks as long as you are packing plastic.

As the day drew to an end, a little prematurely in my opinion, and as dusk falls, we took off to the coasts of Shellharbour and the small town of Kiama for short we-were-barely-there visits. Admittedly there are many more things that one can do in these suburbs, one of them being the Kiama Blowhole, the other which will probably be more to my taste, canoeing through Minnamura River.

So on we headed to our final stop of the day, dinner at the Gong's Char Char Bar & Grill, which promises to balance the yin to the yang of the vegetarian char siew we ate at the temple by loading us with whole racks of pork ribs.

Was it as good as Hurricane's, the preeminant ribs place in Sydney? Not for a few more ears I believe. They could have also been more generous with their sauce. But judging from the capacity seating that night, this could just be a matter of personal taste.

So for loyal readers of my blog (reader...without the "s"...Hi Mum!) you may remember that I promised Eat, Pray, Love, and the above certainly covers the first two. So where is "Love" then?

~Ta dah!

Love in no words at all.

So there you have it - the condensed version of the Grand Pacific Drive road trip. This trip is best taken in the span of two days, during the summer when the days are longer. I would have loved to spend more time in the Royal National Park, and to visit places like the Symbio Wildlife Gardens near the National Park border, or have coffee at Gerringong, or to visit the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Nowra, but those will have to wait for another day.

For those interested in the full itinerary, please see the following link Grand Pacific Drive

The second one on the list, the Darling River Run (http://www.visitnsw.com/things-to-do/drives-and-road-trips/darling-river-run).

Who's in?

Our Grand Pacific Drive Roadtrip - Part 1

You might think that this is a post about an awesome weekend road trip, but in actual fact this is a post about aging and the loss of memory one suffers as the corrosive effect of time happens to our cerebrum (which is the part of the brain that contains memory - a fact I bet I would forget as soon as I finish this post). The crux of the matter is that if I do not write this down, I will soon forget the events of the weekend; the respite from the rainy days of before and after; the perfect driving conditions through the Royal National Park; the treasured company of friends we take for granted on other days; hot coffee from a flask against the cold sea breeze.

This was a trip that was perfect not for its impeccable planning, but despite the lack of one. We essentially just googled the best drives in New South Wales the night before, picked the first one on the list, and headed of the next morning, armed with hot beverage, a couple of sandwiches and a printout of the aforementioned webpage.

Our first point of destination was the Royal National Park, a journey that took us 40 minutes out from the city. It cost $11 a day if you intend to park your car anywhere within the Royal National Park, a small price to pay if the plan is to picnic at the beach or to hike through the forest - any activities that will take you away from your car. Do not plan on skipping out on this fee, 'cos they will find and fine you - a grand total of $11. We know as we saw a ticket on one of the cars when we made a quick stop at Garie Beach.

Ah...Garie Beach, this is a small stretch of beach which is by far one of the most scenic and relaxing I've seen since I moved to Sydney. There were families picnicking there, not a big crowd, for sure, which made the whole experience more serene. This is one beach where I would love to drive to one sunny weekend and just lie there until the sun sets beyond the horizon of the seas.

Alas, we had a lot more road to cover and we left after a good fifteen minutes of photo-taking and toilet break-taking.

The roads weaving through the national park is also one of the main highlights of the trip, with tall straight trees lining the road, sturdy and green, with the sun peeking through the foliage. If the Sea Cliff Bridge is the road in NSW most used for car advertisements, I dare suggest this winding road of pure tranquility be a worthy successor.

We left the park and climbed higher and higher until we reached Stanwell Park - Bald Hill, to be exact, one of the most popular lookout point in the whole world (I am exaggerating, of course, but not by much as you can judge from the photo).

While there, we took hang-gliding...

...photographs. That is not me, but that will be me one day when the weather is warmer and you don't risk contracting pneumonia while surfing the air currents in one of those bad boys.

We left the breath-taking view of Bald Hill to the main event of the day - the short drive on the 500 meters Sea Cliff Bridge, a bridge officially opened only in 2005 and which projects itself out towards the sea. There is a walkway right next to the driving lanes, and one can easily park your cars after the bridge for this walk. There were some talk in the car (okay, it was I who alone suggested it - the ladies just ignored my nonsense) of driving by the road a couple of times just to take a photo of our new ride on the road like those car ads. Instead, we ended up with shots where we looked short due to our over-sized coats and those huge suicide-preventing rails.

Now that the sun was well and truly above us, it was time to search for lunch. We drove the short drive to Wollongong, or affectionately known as "The Gong" among the locals. We found this small little sandwich cafe from Urbanspoon called Sandygoodwich, which had pretty good sandwiches. The kitchen was closing soon, and my pork sandwich was probably one of the last thing they cooked - which was probably why they were quite generous with the portion of the meat (Urbanspoon - Sandygoodwich).

Our next stop was the lighthouses of the Gong, where opportunities were aplenty to strike ridiculous poses...

...and some pretty darn good ones.

After much persuasion, we managed to coax June from clinging on to the cannons and spread her arms!

Coming up in Part 2 - Eat (Char Char Bar & Grill), Pray (Nan Tien Temple), and a whole lotta love.

Hunter Valley in Two Days

This post have been updated in April 2015 after our third trip to Hunter Valley, this time with my wife's mother and sister. 

The air tastes better in wine country, it truly does.

The absence of smoke spewing monstrous vehicles, the jacket-wearing cows and horses, the mountains in the distance and the green that envelops the landscape, Hunter Valley has come to be one of our favorite weekend places to go. The only thing that puts us off from travelling there twice a month is the distance. Hunter Valley is located approximately 250 kilometers away from Central Sydney where we reside, and it takes slightly more than three hours if one were to drive in adherence to the speed limit of the motorway (which is highly recommended, if not for your own safety then at least for the health of your wallet - the speeding fines here are extremely punitive!)

Without waxing poetry about this vino-paradiso, I lay bare below the suggested itinerary for those who plan to make a trip there by your own goodself, that is, without the crowds of bus tours.

One tip, you may be tempted to drink copious amount of wine, so if possible, have a designated driver, pace yourself and eat and rest along the way with the valley's many cafes and cheese shops.

Without further ado,

Where to Stay

We have been to the valley twice, and both times we have spent the night at the luxurious and cozy Sebel Kirkton Park. It has comfortable rooms with all the amenities that you would expect, an indoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi, a gym, and in the winter, a fireplace at the lounge area.

Before you make any reservations, do make a quick check online for any potential coupons which will give you substantial savings.

You can also check out some of the accommodation provided by some of the more boutique cellars, like one we stumbled upon at the end of Halls Road. Seems to be smacked in the middle of nowhere, with a view you have to be there to believe.

We decided to stay in something a little different our third time to the Hunter, a 2 years old boutique hotel right in the middle of Cessnock town called Vine Valley Inn. This unique, antique themed, hipster-ish hotel finds its home on the first floor of a shop-house, and is owned/managed by the ever friendly and helpful Simon and his wife. Here, you'll find an old record player side by side with a 50-inch flat screen television and an iPod dock, a mounted deer head over a fireplace, an airplane turbine converted into a lamp, beakers used as flower vase and an old mixer bowl turned into a goldfish bowl. It somehow pulls off being trendy without being pretentious and I think that is due to the warm personality of our host.

We managed to book the family room with a king sized bed and two super-single beds, with plenty of empty room in the middle (good for if you have kids and you just want to stuff them on the floor in their sleeping bags). There is also a clean, fully stocked kitchen for you to fry up some late supper.

My only complain is that Simon keeps all the best vinyl records in his own home. I wasn't able to find any Beatles records, so I whiled the night away to a mix of Richard Marx, Whitney Houston and U2's Joshua Tree, and the only thing missing for a perfect night was a glass of good scotch.

Simon says "Welcome to your home away from home" and it was, indeed.

Where to Dine

If you enjoy big breakfast served right, as in BIG, then you must not miss Taste of the Country, situated at the Hunter Valley Gardens. Here, you get breakfast food like the aforementioned Big Breakfast with sausages, poached eggs, mushrooms, bacon, and delectable pancakes with a sinful serving of maple syrup, Chantilly cream and ice cream! Choose the Banana Pancakes for the mouth watering caramelized bananas. Also not to be missed are their gourmet burgers (try the beef with caramelized onions, beetroot and cheese).

Another favorite of ours is the cafe at Lindeman's 1843 Harvest Cafe. The restaurant is right next to its cellar door, so you can have your wine tasting there (which is also highly recommended, but more on that later) before sitting down for a meal while deciding if you would leave with a few bottle of their finest (you will, but again, more on that later). We had their antipasto as well as pizzas and we were not disappointed. Fuss free and friendly environment.

For a little bit of la-di-da for dinner, go to 221 Restaurant and Bar at the Royal Oak Hotel, Cessnock for a fancy seafood on huge warm white plates. Not to be missed here is the seared Atlantic Sea Scallops, and the lamb shanks.

The only place you should go for dessert is Sabor in the Hunter, a dessert bar which is known for serving a huge variety of desserts, with recommendation of pairing with wines, dessert wines and ports from the valley itself.

A place to check out which we did not have a chance to due to it being closed when we were there is Muse Kitchen. Friends and strangers whom we got to know at the valley highly recommended this place for food. Be prepared to pay though, there is a minimum order of 2 course per person, and this comes to $75 for each diner. 

And Most Importantly, Where To Go For Wine

Start at Tempus Two. Here you can find some of the best moscato in beautiful bottles. Try their Copper Series Moscato.

After Tempus Two, the next reasonable stop should be McGuigan, which is just across the road. Here, if you are a fan of full bodied red wine, try the Summer Shiraz 2013. It cost just a little bit more than the other wines, but at just $40 it is still very much a steal. If you love sweet wine like we do, try their Late Picked Traminer with its hint of lychee.

Tower Estate which is just down Broke Road, and is worth a visit too. While we were there, there were barrels of grapes fermenting in the room next to the wine tasting counter, and the smell there was delicious. We got another bottle of dessert wine from Tower Estate too, one where its sweetness is not overbearing, the Off Dry Semillon. 

Of course, one of our favorite places for wine and food, Linderman's, where we got a bottle of Viognier sweet white (I think you can tell we are a couple of sweet wine lovers, not the most sophisticated palates maybe but too each their own I say!).

And if you do drop by Kevin Sobel's, do say hello to the owner's pet dog Archie, a 5 year old St. Bernard the size of a small pony. This place also sells a beautiful sweet red wine called "Sweet and Luverly". Give it a try - it has became one of our latest favorites.

For a wine cellar with a view of the valley, try Audrey Wilkinson Vineyard situated atop a hill which offers a spectacular vantage point.  Say hi to the man-in-charge Ross and listen to him tell you the history of the place, and if you happen to have some lying around, bring him a durian and tell him an auditor sends his regards.

So there you have it, a simple easy two day one night itinerary for those who prefer a little planning in their weekend getaways. If not, then just dump these information, throw away that magazine and map, and just drive around getting lost among the aroma of the grapes, stopping wherever and whenever you want!

(Photo Credits to Guo Ming & Candy)

Quotes on Social Media by JT

Risk your life doing something and live to share it on Facebook and you get a hundred likes, comments and shares.

Don't survive it and you get a thousand.

Quotes on Failure by JT

How do you win $1 million in the lottery? You don't win it by winning $1,000 one thousand times, you win it by losing 999 times and getting the 1000th one right.

So don't fear failure.

A Quote By Charlie Chaplin

"We think too much, and feel too little."

The Great Dictator, 1940

The Man In The Arena

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

Extract from the "Citizenship in a Republic" speech