The last couple of days we have been living out part of our Yurting mantra - 'go slow'
Yesterday the weather was not great for the beach so we headed into town and visited Johanna's choice of 'touristy' thing to do - the Pet Porpoise Pool. It has the usual dolphin and seal shows (you can also see reef fish, penguins and an almost clone of Steve Irwin with his reptile show) but the difference here is that it is interactive in that you get to feed a seal, penguin and reef fish, touch the reptiles and also touch the dolphins. After the show they swim upside down (belly's exposed) along the edge of the pool where you can stroke them. You can also queue up for a kiss from a seal and dolphin - all of which Johanna enjoyed. She even stuck her hand up as a volunteer during the Dolphin Show and got chosen to clean a Dolphins teeth!
I did feel sorry for the animals though. It can't be much of a life - performing tricks day after day in the same enclosures - although as they explained all their animals had been rescued/injured and were unfit for release in the wild. Still, seeing animals in their natural habitat, doing their natural thing is far preferable.
Later in the afternoon we walked around the harbour area, along the North Wall and up a steep path to the top of Muttonbird Island.(great views of the coast from here, unfortunately the clouds obscured some of it)
Today was 'back to work day' and Colin started working in the mornings. While he worked Johanna and I had a cruisy morning and we all farewelled another of the couples (from the group of four we spent New Years Eve with), Johanna was sad to see them go because they were the ones with three kids. After lunch we packed up the bikes, drove into Coffs and then rode to Sawtell and back. It took over an hour each way, it was however a leisurely ride - Johanna was not really keen to come so her riding was less than enthusiastic! Colin had a swim at Sawtell of course (lovely beach there) and a quick surf once we got back to Coffs. (the surf board stays in the back of the Patrol at the moment, always at hand...) We had fish and chips by the harbour and fantastic icecreams (for your info Heidi, marsbar and passionfruit, Dad had ginger spice)
Most of our evenings are rounded off by pre dinner drinks with our neighbours (4 couples down to 2 today), dinner and then back to visit the neighbours for a night cap. Very pleasant days indeed.