Yamba

We left the Gold Coast and travelled south to visit our fabulous friends the Joneses who we met while living in London and travelled through Africa with fourteen years ago. After a great lunch and a catch up we drove onwards to Yamba, 2 hours south of the border. We were told Yamba was only 20 minutes south of Byron Bay. For the record that is Ballina and Yamba is another 1 hour 40 minutes further south of Byron! Usually Mel ‘the Co-pilot’ checks these things but instead took some one elses opinion on this so we passed beer-o-clock and were not happy! To top it off Mel who is usually organised and writes everything in her little camping notebook had written down the wrong van park we were staying at. When we called them on the road to inform them we would arrive after reception closed they told her they had no booking. Mel panicked and started calling every van park in Yamba to see if they had any accommodation at late notice in the school holidays (bahahahaha). 

Glen pulled over on the side of the road and tried to talk to Mel who lost the plot and told everyone not to talk for one minute. As the awkward silence ticked by in the car Mel had a 'brain wave' and checked the bank account and realised we had a paid a deposit at the Salt Water Big 4. So, off we drove, set up under dark rainy clouds and had our first early night in over a week.

Yamba is a hidden gem and we were told by Glen's brother that if they moved anywhere in Australia, it would be Yamba. Being school holidays we had to choose a town for the next 5 days as most van parks will only let you book for a week. So Yamba was great for our "Theme Park Hangovers" as you could do as little or as much as you wanted. Yamba has 3 main beaches close to the decent size shopping precinct, 1 with no waves and 2 with good waves, a fun skate park and plenty of fishing spots off rocks, from the beach, in channels or the river, but since we are no good at fishing we have no idea where to actually catch them but we could see plenty of people trying!

Beach option 1, no waves

Looking over beach option 2, where the surfers enter the water

Beach option 3, the main beach with rock pools

About 5 minutes south of Yamba is a tiny town called Angourie. It has a "spooky beach" and two fresh water pools 100 metres from the beach created by mining the rocks for the towns breakwall, when in 1899 fresh water began to seep into the deep pits causing the mine to be abandoned. Despite the signs warning of high levels of algae, it was too good an opportunity not to jump off the various size rock ledges. 100 other people couldn't all be that silly could they?

Angourie Pool No 1

Mel took the opportunity to get a decent massage (from somebody other than Glen) while the kids and Glen checked out the skate park, pools and beaches, then took Mel to the best spots the next day. After Taylah cracked it and wanted to stay in the car, she had a great time at the pools because all of her friends from the van park were there swimming as well!

The kids mixing it with the locals

The van park was great, although 10 minutes out of town, had some great time killers for the kids (as it was school holidays) like "sand art" "scratch art" "movie night", "scavenger hunt" as well as a pool and pirate splash park, flying fox and jumping pillow which Cam and Taylah enjoyed. They also organised a lazer skirmish for the older teens. It had heaps of room, fire pits, boat ramp, free canoe hire, but it did have a few bogans who obviously don't get out much and let their kids yell and scream from 6am and turn their tape player up at night singing the Eagles Greatest Hits until their goon bags run out. Maybe that's the Theme Park Hangover still lingering or maybe we are just over caravan parks a little bit.

Cam and Taylah enjoying Sand Art

We did enjoy some good company here again! Its great to meet like minded families from different parts of the country and share stories around the firepits, eating crackers and cheese, prawns from the local fish market and letting our kids entertain each other. This park was perfect for a few games of "walkie talkie hide and seek" as well.

Fun for the whole 3 families

The last destination on our stevozsafari is back up to Coolangatta for the MGP reunion so we took the coast road through Ballina and Byron Bay. It rained the whole trip so I guess we were lucky not to be setting up in the rain. Along the way we called into bunnings at Ballina where they have restored the big prawn. We had to pick up some sealant for a leaky sunroof as well.

Strapping the Big Prawn to the roof: Ballina

Mel and Taylah got to see a house they saw getting built for $7.1 million on the show "Grand Designs". The owner kept changing his mind, blowing the budget out by $2 million, and ended up selling for $5.6 million and moving back to Sydney. A cool $1.5 million loss!!

At the "Grand Designs house" Byron Bay"

A 'theme park hangover' consists of the following symptoms;

* Kids thinking that every minute of your day is about pleasing them,

* Kids struggling to sit down, even while eating, wanting the next adrenaline rush to be presented to them,

* Kids wanting an ice cream, roll up or packet of chips straight after saying they are full and can't eat anymore sandwich,

* Parents hitting the wall and wanting to sleep,

* Parents letting kids wander off to the jumping pillow or splash park to avoid throttling them.

* Parents buying a different box of beer which tastes like the water from the pools.

* Theme Park Hangaover is a serious condition with major symptoms such as fatigue, sore feet, red eyes, grumpiness, head ache, dehydration and feeling lethargic.

TIP: Do Not underestimate your theme park stamina, if you go for a 28 day theme park pass you are at risk of TPH! Write down the van park's name as soon as you book it or risk driving to the wrong one. For the record "Hahn Premium Dry 3.5 cans" is the beer in question.