29th October 1980
Hindu Wedding in Madras
20 Years Later in Year 2000
40 Years Later in 2020
Since January 2020, we have been holed up at home like caged animals thanks to Covid-19. Original plan was to Visit Port Blair Andamans my Birth place to celebrate our 40th Wedding Anniversary. Was not possible to even travel interstate leave alone fly overseas.
To be honest I was not keen on going anywhere away from home; but my better half insisted we go away somewhere. It had to be within NSW and she suggested Bega or Tumut (My Fav Place). I had to turn the suggestion down as I was not game to drive for six hours to go stay in a motel. Two to three hours was max considering I had a crook back from Sciatica.
Nowra was a reasonable driving distance to go to.
Mithu picked a Motel in Bomaderry, not far from Nowra. it was called the Balan Village Motel, 175 Cambewarra Road, Bomaderry, NSW 2541
We left home on 28th Oct 2020 at 10.00am as planned. We were going to celebrate our special wedding anniversary and we should have been excited but we were more like two Prisoners who had escaped from a detention centre. We had not travelled more than ten kilometers away from home and they were all visits to doctors or supermarket shopping.
By the time we reached Bulli Pass we were starving and needed Brunch and we chose a Cafe with a View overlooking the Bay that was Priceless
Looking sad as holiday had come to an end.
Very Few People to be seen
Mithu chose Sheesh Kebab Salad and I believe it or not was longing for fish and chips as I had not eaten HOT chips in ages
Coffee was Excellent too
Having refuelled ourselves we got back into our faithful Honda Civic and headed for Bomaderry. Lot of traffic and not much to see on a Motorway besides the backsides of cars in front and the ones overtaking us oldies in a mad hurry.
Before we realised we had reached the Motel at Bomaderry.
I needed a break from Driving. Checking Whatsapp messages as the tea was brewing
Got dark very soon and not being familiar with the area we decided to have chinese in a restaurant attached to the Motel. We happily walked in at 6.30pm and were told sorry booked out as they were allowed only 16 customers at a time. So we had to make a booking for 7.30pm and went back to the room. It was worth the wait as food was good and they had Walnut Fried Ice cream...Yumm
Next day 29th Oct 2020 was THE BIG DAY for our CELEBRATION and Anand and Jessica had made booking for our Special Lunch at 2.00pm at a Winery in Ulladulla called "CUPPITS"
We left the motel at 10.00am as planned and got to Milton by 11.00am for a cuppa. Lunch was only at 2.00pm so we indulged in an exotic late brekkie
Egg Benedict
Bacon and Egg Roll
Unfortunately it became an eating fest of sorts or meaningless shopping.
We still had plenty of time to kill so we wandered up and down the Milton Main Street aimlessly, window shopping and admiring plants etc
We got bored of loitering so we decided to drive to Ulladulla early and may be we could take a walk around the winery until 2.00pm
We got to Cupitt's Estate Restaurant by 1.30pm and were given a warm welcome by the staff who had us seated, ready for this very special lunch.
One valuable lesson I learnt from this trip is that Google Maps chews up Mob Phone Battery like Mad and Sadly my phone had no juice for photos until we were ready to leave by which time the phone got charged at the restaurant to capture the following Dessert Pics
We don't Look our age do we ??
Filled to the Brim I must say, after a Most delicious Lunch.
With Our Charming Hostess at Cupitt's Estate
Took a long time to get back to Motel at Bomaderry from Ulladulla in evening peak hour traffic and we were so full that we decided to have cheese and biscuits with tea for dinner and call it a night.
Next Day 30th October was an unplanned day for wandering and doing what we pleased.
Next Day 30th October was an unplanned day for wandering and doing what we pleased.
We then received this lovely Video from Jess that made us so Happy as we were Missing Bailey Boy badly
Lilo and Bailey having a Ball
Mithu wanted to go to Berry first as she had heard a lot about Berry. (Don't ask me what, as I hate meaningless shopping for the sake of shopping).
I on the other hand wanted to go to Kangaroo Valley first as I have been there before and loved the place.
So Kangaroo Valley here we come.
Winding Roads around hill and down to the Kangaroo valley
All these Country towns are with one Main street of yester years with a Bank, a Post Office and a Pub as a Minimum and many kuttyy katta shops (as Mithu calls them) selling antique gifts.
Bunny Waiting for Carrots & Coffee at Kangaroo Valley
And then we found this nursery with all exotic plants at Kangaroo Valley.
I had to preserve the charge on my phone for Google maps so I turned it off, meaning I took no photos
Berry here we come
I took the following pictures of Plants we purchased after reaching Home on Saturday after going to Helensberg Venkateswara Temple
I received my lovely gifts of Beatles T Shirt and a pair of shorts and we were fortunate to find this quaint little shop in Berry selling Ladies apparel and Mithu chose three outfits for herself and got Jessica a nice dress and a pair of earrings
Got back to the Motel enjoyed a drink and had a light chinese meal of Sanchoi Bow and Stri fried veges with Special Fried Rice
Photos that follow were taken on the last night before vacating the motel
Saturday the 31st of October 2020. Holiday had come to an end and we had to check out before 10.00am. There was a mad storn out there and pouring cats and dogs. Took the risk and hit the highway back home. Traffic was crawling, high winds were rocking the cars and visibility was very poor and all cars had their lights on and used the tail red lights as guide. Most drove sensibly and carefully but then you always have the odd idiot of a driver who thinks he is invincible.
Then the inevitable happened. Some one had crashed miles ahead and the traffic was crawling for almost an hour and my fuel guage was showing 1/4 tank causing a bit of a worry.
Took the first exit out of the Princess Highway and went looking for a Petrol station and believe it or not could not find one for miles in the town.
We rejoined the Motorway and later joined the Princess Highway and headed straight for the Venkateswara Temple at Helensberg. Ran into our good friends Suresh and Usha and son Kiran and his wife and child.
After prayers went to get dosas and coffee at the canteen and the place was chokers so we had to take the food to the car in the rain and eat in the car. Filter coffee was heavenly
Headed straight home to be greeted by Bailey Boy
who was over to moon to see Mum and Dad back home
