The Kronikles of Tony and Ruth
Day 26 - Tuesday 25 July 2006
Morning routine: tea and muesli with Noel ("I have carried out my ablutions and feel much better now" – Noel does a good Peter Sellers doing an Indian accent), Marion and Noel go for a walk, Rex and Anne are taking a bike ride whole Ruth and I enjoy coffees in Salt opposite a huge Peppers holiday development.
Tumbulgum is our target for the midday meal today. On the way we inspect the Armstrong Acres, on top of a hill near Terranora. To get to it I jump into the back of the 4WD and Noel drives cross-country. This is the site of their future manor. 360-degree views of the Mt Warning Shield volcano caldera are stunning.
At the picturesque Tumbulgum Hotel, Marion has a Vegie Stack, Noel orders Prawn Salad, Anne loves Pork Chops, Rex likes Lamb Fry (Liver) and Bacon, Ruth stays slim on Gravalax (Smoked Salmon) and I attack the Hand Grenade Duck. I will call it that because when I finish the meal the carcase has the appearance of being ripped apart. The hotel is by a stream so the setting is charming but the duck must have been sourced at an archaeological site; it is the toughest fowl I have ever tackled.
The beautiful tweed valley has the granite plug Mt Warning at the centre. This area stretching from the coast to Mt.Lamington Nat. Park to Border ranges Nat. Park is the decayed caldera of a volcano 2000 metres in height 20 million years ago. The drive back takes in escarpments, spectacular views of a patchwork of banana, corn and sugar cane plantations deep forests and some smaller granite batholiths – a landform of memorable rugged beauty.
While we are having coffee at Kingscliff, Ruth and Anne go shopping and disappear for hours, such formidable fortitude.
Dinner fare is salami, cheese, sausage and wine while we watch skating with the stars and make wise comments
Codlath Samh Duit at 10PM (for our Gaelic descendants)
