Saturday, February 14, 2009

Katoomba Golf Course - 2009











We were very unlucky with the weather for our Katoomba Golfing experience. The fog was so thick we could not see the fairways at all.
On the last day we called in and the fog had lifted a little but the rain had set in. There were a couple of diehards who were going out to play but they were regulars who knew the course & could find their way. I guess it was just another day to them.
We decided that we would choose another time to have our golfing experience there as we would not have been able to carry enough golf balls to replace those that we lost.
We stopped in at the clubhouse & had a chat with the Manager of the club. The clubhouse was well set up with good views across the course. There was a new lifestyle complex being built next door which would have the same views. We chatted with one of the greenkeepers who said it had been very dry in the Blue Mountains. They all had a water crisis with just 11 millimetres of rain falling since December. The course (what we could see of it) looked very dry so some slow soaking rain would have been just what they needed.

Carrington Hotel - Katoomba - 2009


























































































































Our few days in Katoomba were spent at the grand old Carrington Hotel. It has been restored but has retained the old fashioned grandeur of stained glass windows; old fashioned lamps & lounges, beautiful timber and detail on the ceilings and walls & a lot of history recorded in paintings and photos in the bars, lounges and foyers. Our room did not have air conditioning (luckily the heat wave was over by the time we arrived) but we did have an ensuite bathroom. The hotel still had a commune bathing room that had shower and bath cubicles.
In it's hey day it would have been the most upmarket place around.
It was a very quaint place to stay and also very convenient to the local restauarants which was very handy as the hotel restaurant only opened at weekends.
Last Sunday was a heatwave for Katoomba reaching 38 degrees. The gardens were burnt with the heat which they were obviously not used to. The drop in temperature over the next day caused the fog to settle in so by the time we got there on Tuesday we could not see the other side of the street. It is known to stay like this for up to four days or whenever there is a strong wind to move it. That was not good news for us as we had come for a golf holiday. The fog remained for the whole of our stay.

Friday, February 13, 2009

On the way home from Byron Bay 2009





For many years we have travelled this path on various holidays & I have never been tempted to call in at the "Rock" mainly because it is too close to home to call in on the outward journey and too close to home on the way home. It was originally a theme park built by the Lleyland Brothers but is now a roadhouse. We called in this time on recommendation and found it a very good stop off for refreshments as it has got a 'Subway' which is one of my preferred fast foods.

Bangalow Markets - 2009



























































No holiday would be complete without visiting the local markets. During our two weeks stay in Byron Bay we were lucky enough to have the markets at Bangalow as well as Byron Bay during our stay. At Bangalow we arrived early to beat the crowds which proved to be a good idea as the skies opened up a huge downpour and washed the markets out in a very short amount of time. When it rains on the coast here it comes from nowhere a teams with rain for an hour or so & then mostly fines up to a hot sunny day.


On the way home we stopped for coffee at a little shop with beautiful views along the beach. After that we tried to get to see the lighthouse but the rain was just too heavy to persevere.

Byron Bay Golf Course - 2009





























Our golf day at Byron Bay Golf Club was a good day. It is a great golf course and well maintained. The concrete paths made quite a difference using the electric carts & we all enjoyed the day. I finished with the same ball I started with so that was my claim to fame. I was the only girl playing - so I won the girl's comp. It was a hot day so having a cart to get around in made a difference. We had lunch in the clubhouse after the game & overall it was a very enjoyable day. I think that another day of golf here will be on my things to do list for next time.

Ocean Shores Lifestyle and golf Resort - Byron Bay 2009



































































I remember years ago Ocean Shores was one of the first lifestyle resorts to open in this part of Australia and they bought the actor Pat Boone over to promote the sales of properties set around the golf course. The place now is starting to show it's age and is in need of some spit and polish. The Pro Shop had changed hands the day we visited and the greens had just been sanded. That wasn't all that bad news for us as the green fees had been reduced to $17 per game so it became an affordable day. There was a lot of water hazards around the course so we were down a few balls at the end of the day. Trevor was the champion player of the day coming in with 36 points.

Gaia Retreat and Health Spa - Byron Bay 2009














































































































































































































































































No visit to Byron Bay would be complete without at least one day visit to Olivia Newton-John's Gaia Retreat & Spa. It is the most beautiful peaceful place & it is so relaxing just to walk through the gardens. Tosca, Vicki & I booked in for a day spa treatment which was just wonderful. We stayed on for lunch & were able to use the other facilities such as the pool, spa and sauna.
Lunch was a very healthy spinich & cheese riccota with salad & green tea with a choice of fruit, nuts & muffins. It was a lovely place & would be a great to stay over & chill out for a day or two.