The Purple Penguin

Yesterday was driving, just driving pretty much! We woke up to a bit less smoke – not sure if it was the towel or the a/c but slept better. Up and over cups of tea we worked out a safe route – we wanted to spend a couple of days by the coast so last week we booked a hotel in Wollongong which was far enough from the fires, we hoped! So we worked out a safe route to Wollongong, checking to make sure roads were still open.

The drive started in smoke as we headed for the motorway. This time the GPS said 472 kilometres on one road! And it was motorway pretty much the entire way, with parts like motorway and others a bit more like dual carriageway. But not as interesting, not as much to turn off and see (what there was was closed due to fires), so just driving. We drove out of the smoke and it was clear for a while, though we kept an eye on the warning signs on the road (lots of side roads closed and warnings of smoke). We drove back into some smoke and saw a lot of fire engines driving past going the other way, but all in all it was a rather boring drive.

Until we got outside Wollongong. We’d been gradually working our way up but as we came to just outside the city we suddenly plunged down – you just drop from the mountains into the city and there are excellent views across the city to the sea. That part of the drive is lovely! We didn’t do much once we’d arrived – headed out and walked along the coast to find a place to eat!

Wollongong is still smokey – the wind is blowing the smoke this way and slightly in and the mountains seem to hold it over the city. Though the north seems a bit clearer.

We got up this morning a bit later and had breakfast in the room before heading out for a walk along the beach. It was a cloudy, windy day with lots of smoke adding to the general gloom. The morning was a bit brighter. We walked along Wollongong Beach to Flagstaff Point and the lighthouse, then out along the breakwater to the Breakwater Lighthouse, before heading along the coast up the North Beach past the swimming pools and the old gentlemen’s swimming baths. It was a nice walk and the north beach wasn’t as smokey (or we’re getting used to it!)

We had lunch at a little cafe then walked back along the Cliff Road looking down at our morning route. It got darker while we were having lunch and started to rain on our walk back, but mostly drizzle. It did a little bit of a heavier rain then almost immediately stopped. But once we were back in the room it came down quite heavily. It’s supposed to be a bit wet tomorrow so we’re planning indoor activities!