Day 1
“Let’s go” said two very excited best friends from Wollongong travelled to Sydney Airport to meet up with two other very excited best friends from Canberra. It was sure to be a fun adventure as the girls became acquainted with greetings of hugs, smiles and banter at the boarding gates. We were given the red carpet treatment from Rex Airlines and were driven to the aeroplane to board first as one of our travellers required the use of the airport hoist. Rex Airlines were very hospitality and caring toward our needs. We took advantage of a quick photo shoot being the only ones on the aeroplane before other travellers boarded. It is always an anticipated take off and we held onto the arms of our chairs, some with eyes closed, until lift off. Once we were floating up into the sky, through the air we released our grips and relaxed. It was a great view from the sky today looking down to the green water’s edge of the Sydney shore lines. There was lots of chatter on the Aeroplane and it was a warm sunny welcome on touchdown in Coffs Harbour. The Quality Hotel was our Accommodation for this trip, so we unpacked and relax before heading out for dinner. The RSL club was chosen for dinner this evening and a great place to kick back and relax while getting to know each other.
Day 2
We enjoyed some breakfast before doing some sightseeing around Coffs. First we enjoyed the drive west, passing many banana plantations to the Sky Pier lookout. It was a great view of Coffs from up high in the hills. Afterward we travelled back down into town to the Shopping Centre so the ladies could do some shopping and pick up some supplies. We were very lucky to run into one of our childhood friends who worked on the fishing boats in Coffs and we were offered to pick up 1 kilo of prawns to enjoy for our lunch. Of course we accepted this offer, as we had intended on Prawns for lunch anyway. So we sat in the big park at the Jetty and thoroughly enjoyed avocado and prawn rolls for lunch. Everyone was very satisfied, and some travellers even tried sucking the prawns head for the first time, did you know this is where all the flavour is? Yum! After lunch some of us walked out to the end of the Jetty to take in the view from out far, while others relaxed. We enjoyed dinner tonight at Tahruah Thai and Vietnamese Cuisine at the Jetty, which was a winner, the food was delicious.
Day 3
We started our day with a scrumptious healthy breakfast at the Coffs Harbour Surf Club, which overlooks the main beach, before travelling to the Big Banana to enjoy the Fun Park activities and Souvenir shop. Our first activity was the 4D Theatre, it was great fun a good way to start the day. Some of us then enjoyed the Giant Slide which is Australia’s biggest indoor slide at 17.5m tall and 83m long with 6 lanes for racing your friends, it certainly was a great laugh and a few screams. Then it was off to the Toboggan for some faster downhill fun and not a bad view of the park on the way down. Last but not least some tried their luck on the Mini Gold Course. After all the fun it was off to the gift shop for Souvenir shopping and one of our travellers even ran into a family member and enjoyed a lovely catch up. We finished off with Banana Splits for lunch from the Café and Ice Creamery, which were absolutely delicious and scoffed down by all of us before strolling over to the Coffs Candy Kitchen to watch a Candy making demonstration and purchase some handmade treats. We had so much fun day at the Big Banana.
We headed north after lunch to Moonee Beach for a drive and then freshened up for dinner, enjoying the authentic flavours of Marias Italian Restaurant “Bellissimo”.
Day 4
We were up early today and headed south along the pacific highway to the Secret Garden for Breakfast. We were so impressed with the gardens, ponds, fountains and surroundings it was just beautiful and so relaxing. The food here was amazing, it was plentiful, well presented and the service was great. Everyone was very happy.
After Breakfast we travelled further south to the Butterfly House in Bonville. There were many activities to enjoy here. We started by meeting Bluey the Dinosaur, a hand held mechanical puppet, and then strolled through the dinosaur garden to look at all the other dinosaur displays, the big gorilla and the fairy garden. It was then onto the Butterfly house, taking in the 33 degree heat while the butterflies flapped past us, with their pretty, colourful wings. After a shop in the souvenir shop some of us wondered through the Looking Glass and Wonderland Mazes, of course we got lost but that was the fun of it, trying to find our way. On our way out we visited the talking tree and watched the beautiful white peacock dance and show off her beautiful white feathers, she was stunning.
We finished our day with a visit to the Clog Barn to see the many clogs hanging from the roof and were pleasantly surprised to see the old Cuckoo Clocks hanging on the wall, what a beautiful sound they all made together. It was an adventurous day enjoyed by all. We relaxed in our rooms this afternoon and it was KFC for dinner.
Day 5
We were up early today and off to the Surf Club again for breakfast to enjoy their amazing menu before returning our vehicle and flying back to Sydney Airport. We said our good buys to half our travelers who were flying to Canberra and returned to Wollongong.
Another fun trip and more friendships made.
