Day 25: Monday April 6

In Australia, there is a thing called Easter Monday. I have no idea what it’s significance is, I just know it means I get an extra day off. So, in the morning, I got up extra early to video chat with Adam’s family since it was Easter for them. Then I hopped in the car with Terri and John and we took a little road trip up the coast. Well, more like down the mountain, because it was nothing but twists and turns and hills. It was crazy! I’m talking actual hairpin turns and sudden drop offs. It really was quite gorgeous. Eventually we made it all the way to Bateman’s Bay. BB is the best; it’s basically the vacation spot of people who actually live in Australia. It’s just a small coast town lined with little shops and lots of beaches. We started our day off with a three-hour boat tour (yes, I did sing the Gilligan’s Island theme song several times) aboard the Escapade.

It was a tab bit rainy earlier in the afternoon.

They took us down the Clyde’s River, which winds through all the mountains and hills and forests and all along the national park.

Let’s side note to mention that we were served lunch on the ship- fish and chips. For those of you who don’t know, I am not a fish person (a person who eats fish, not a person who is also half fish. I’m neither of those things.) Any who, I’d just like it to go on record that I did at least try some of the fish. And I am still, in no way, a fish person. Moving on, halfway through we made a stop at the tiny town of Nelligen where we climbed a humongous hill to see a church at the top.

But, it turns out that the church is now a house so we couldn’t go in. It was interesting to see nonetheless. We also looked at the old schoolhouse and the courthouse, which, coincidentally, is now a church.  Once we reached the bottom again, I treated myself to a waffle cone and some actual real ice cream. Hey, I earned it.Then we hopped back on the boat and made our way down river.

It was called "Rainbow" but it tasted awfully close to Superman!

Back on land, we decided to drive along the coast in search of an actual beach. The first one we found, Corrigans, was a strange little thing. It was covered in seaweed and shells and it twisted along the shape of the water.

We spent a considerable amount of time shell hunting then went on our way. We went further up and as we went around one more bend, we came upon one of the prettiest beach I may have ever seen. On the map it actually said ‘”Pretty Point” but the beach itself is called Malua. The pictures don't do it justice but I'll share anyway.

There were surfers bobbing on crashing blue and white waves, fisherman casting on short black rocks, and the most gorgeous sunshine coming down on us all. Soft sand swallowed my feet and I wiggled my toes up the surface.

I could’ve spent the rest of the trip on this beach. I didn’t go swimming but that doesn’t mean I didn’t try my best. I waded in as far as my capris would let me. Then the water took on a mind of it’s own and decided to slam against the rock I was standing next to, which of course flew over the edge of the rock and all over me. I assume it was the universe just saying hello.

Once we had our fill, we piled into the van and made the long trek back up the mountain. Two hours and one grocery store pit stop later, I was warm in bed (with a cheeseburger and fries) and ready for a good nights sleep.