Port Macquarie (called "Port" by the locals) was an even smaller and quieter town than Coffs Harbour. It's located about 200 km south of Coffs and about 400 km north of Sydney. This is the town where my good friend, Toni Bate, grew up. Her parents, Robyn and Warrick, still live there and I was there to visit them. I stayed at their place. They were fantastic hosts and made me feel like I had a new home away from home. They housed me, fed me, and entertained me. With good hospitality like that, I'll have to make sure to visit them again some day!
Even though its small, I still found activities to entertain me in Port. I took a river cruise on the Hastings River and saw some dolphins. The town has an artfully graffitied breakwall that is fun to walk past and read all the rocks with people saying, "HI! I WAS HERE!" I visited the lighthouse and took lots of pictures of the various beautiful beaches around the town. I rode a camel on the beach! Riding a camel is not really like riding a horse -- they seem to sway more and are smellier! Warrick took me body boarding for the first time. I admit, I wasn't very good at it. There was a nor'easter wind blowing that made the water really choppy. Warrick was basically like a fish in the water... he moved around naturally and jumped through the crashing waves like they were nothing at all, while I floundered around clumsily. I need my sea legs!
I was in Port for three days. Those days were a good break from the backpacking trail. From Port, it was a seven hour bus ride south to Sydney. But, more on that next time.
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Rob Szumlakowski
Sydney, Australia
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