Bit of a blog hiatus - blame the fact I got my examination results for the PhD back. Passed pending minor amendments!!!!!! Cause for alcohol-free celebrations. But now back to the good stuff, rainforest photos, me sooking about my ears and a little tribute to the nicest motel owner on our trip.
Ahhh Dorrigo, Dorrigo, Dorrigo. Home to some spectacular views, two waterfalls and a trek that felled me.
Usually I love bushwalking, indeed I love walking of any kind. Don't load me up with a backpack and call it hiking but a good couple of hours stroll in the wilderness is good for the soul. The heat, mixed with a fever from an oncoming ear infection meant that I bit off more than I could chew with this walk. I got 5kms through the 6kms and lost it. I couldn't walk more than 100 metres without needing a lie down! And it wasn't really a very difficuly trek (uphill, and humid but not too hot and not too steep.) My lovely cousin let me rest in a picnic area while she hiked the last bit on her own to get the Betty Reg (the car, remember). At this stage we didn't know how sick I was (and was going to get) so to a less trained eye it might've been unfitness winning out. But thanks Cuz for being such an understanding champion!
After this we meandered through Armidale to Tamworth, and the Golden Guitar. This was just one of the many 'big' things we encountered on this trip.
Then on to Scone where we had booked into the Airlie House and Motor Inn. By this stage I was hallucinating, as I thought the lovely lady who checked us in was the grandmother of the owners, and the raven-haired lady who checked us out the next morning was the granddaughter. Turns out they were the same woman! Oooooops, another foul thanks to the ear mess.
Now this place was just lovely. We chose it randomly off Wotif, judging it by price, reviews and the general vibe of the thing. What luck! We were given an upgrade to a twin room without charge, which was so kind. In the end it was fortuitous, as I woke up in the middle of the night in agony, and would have driven my cousin mental if I was tossing and turning in the same bed as her (which I did later on anyway.) It was clean and comfy, and we had what was probably a very tasty breakfast. By that stage I was mainlining Sudafed and couldn't taste, hear, or comprehend much. At least it looked good (and my cousin loved hers.) Breakfast isn't included in the room price (unless you get a B and B deal I guess) but it was certainly reasonably priced and filling.
They also had so many awesome roses. (I'm a gardener, remember, if in doubt, visit this blog)
I'd highly recommend this Motor Lodge/Motel/Guesthouse/whatever you call them these days if you are in the area. Scone's big on horses, apparently, at least from what we could tell.
I do admit, I'm a bit of a wuss when I get sick. I usually pine for my Mum and curl up in bed. I don't usually trapse across the Eastern Coast of Australia but I do get on with life. If it is the flu, or a stomach bug or even a headache I'll whinge but soldier on. Hell, I gave a 1 hour completion seminar while suffering vestibular migraine, and no, kiddies, it isn't smart to work while sick and it isn't a badge of honour, but it's something you have to do when you are a poorly paid casual staffer.) However, an ear infection, and one which ended up in both ears, is something that really fells me. The lack of balance, the fever, the auditory disturbances and the sheer pain of it all gets too much. That it still isn't completely healed today, a month on, possibly also shows how severe it was (and highlights that I was an idiot for not seeing a Dr earlier!)
From here we ventured to the land time forgot - Katoomba!
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