It is fact that we tend to be on the cheaper side and not want to pay for things that are a necessity so last night after driving late, we pulled over at a gas station that had a truck stop in the back and decided here looked as good as any spot, better even because of the close proximity of the dingy bathroom. It was an early morning waking up at 0630 and finding a McDonalds for free WIFI due to the loudness of the trucks coming and going. Let's just say we will try to find a more inventive spot to park before using a truck stop again! You know that it was not a good night sleep when Valena is up and out of the campervan before you...that girl can you usually sleep so hard that a natural disaster could occur and she would only realize it by reading about it in the morning newspaper!
After spending a couple hours getting a coffee and on facebook, we were on the road again and heading south to Newcastle to see Carmen, Megan and Bree; friends from a Contiki trip in Europe a couple of years ago. It is funny that in a few hours time I would see girls from a different lifetime; girls that I hoped to see again but never thought it would happen due to geography...but coming to Australia eliminates that obstacle! We enter Newcastle not really knowing much about the place, only that we have friends and a shower awaiting for us so here are a few facts about Newcastle.
1. It is the 2nd largest city in New South Wales
2. It is the largest coal exporting harbor in the world, exporting 88,880,000 tonnes of coal in 2007/2008
3. In 1989 there was an earthquake measuring 5.6 on the Richter scale.
Getting to Carmen's place was easy thanks to Betsy (our handy GPS). It was fantastic to see sweet Carmen and to introduce the ladies to her. We parked our little campervan in her drive way and were once again treated amazing! Hospitality is alive and well in Australia. Carmen's house become our house for 14 hours and we plugged all our macs in, our camera batteries and each got to have a shower, which was such a delight and much needed since it had been awhile! I can not describe to you how amazing a warm shower in a real house feels to the traveler. It is almost as good as Christmas morning! But better than that was spending the night with old friends. It is amazing how years can go by but friendships remain. It was fabulous catching up with each other's lives and discovering who we still are and have become. Carmen took us for a driving tour of Newcastle and we were pleasantly surprised at how pretty the city was! We then went to Darby's pub for a fantastic and cheap meal!! I would highly recommend this pub for food and good atmosphere, although I was lucky to have such great company. Bree and Megan met us five there and it was lovely catching up! It still was a "pinch me" night being with these ladies! Valena saw her first LDS missionaries here and was ecstatic and of course had to take a picture, and the whole ride home Carmen was educated on the LDS religion and was astounded of the serving aspect! I could just see the wheels in her head turning thinking about the upcoming task of painting the floor and how eager these boys are to help...I wonder if she had them assist her already and what else she has them doing!! Following super was the marathon of showers and the just the delight to be in a house, not a heated, squishy campervan and having a clean bathroom! Valena and I stayed up late, since we are the night owls of the group, just journalling, playing music and enjoying the quiet of the night. We got up early with Carmen as she left for work and were so sad that our stay was so short. Carmen is an amazing hostess and we were blown away how sweet she was to us! I am positive we will be back to visit them again once we return to the east coast! Keep checking our travels out and thanks for all the thoughts and prayers! XOXO Luv B
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