Mittagong to Lilli Pilli or formerly known as Port Hacking (south of Sydney)

We got up rather early and were on our way shortly after 9 am. It was RAINING!!! We didn’t expect that. It was rather cool too, only 14 degrees.

Went from Mittagong along even smaller country roads than the day before through mountainous areas that got us onto serpentine roads with switchbacks that made your hair stand up!!! Luckily we didn’t encounter any large trucks or campervans coming towards us on the opposite lane. No idea how to handle something like that …

We hitched up with the freeway towards Sydney and a stretch on the Great Pacific Highway that we had driven the other way before. The clouds were hanging really low, and rain and drizzle didn’t stop until shortly before arriving at our destination. We found the address and house thanks to ‘Oscar’, and met our lovely hostess Nona. She gave us the ins and outs of the place, advised us on good restaurants and which public transit to use if we were interested. 

Apollo Place is a most inviting place with a lovely garden and path winding down to the water of Cronulla Bay. Owner Richard’s pride and joy is the upkeep of his garden with many exotic plants, trees and flowers. Various birds inhabit the many trees and are singing their little hearts out. I took many pictures of a huge gum tree with deliciously smelling yellow flowers, hibiscus flowers as big as dinner plates and other exotic plants. Below our suite is Cronulla Bay with its blue water and yellow sandbars, many boats and hills across the bay. What a view. We certainly didn’t expect this. Our suite has large picture windows overlooking the garden and bay below. 

 
After settling in we went up into town and ate dinner at an Italian restaurant which was very good. Home cooked, fresh and hot. While waiting for dinner on the terrace we watched 3 big white cocatoos fighting for territory and swooping down on to the patio of the restaurant. One of them had the audacity to pick one of the little sugar bags out of the container, open it with its beak and devour the sugar in no time. It knew exactly what to take, not the brown sugar, not the Equal but just the snow white stuff... Needless to say I took many photos of those birds entertaining the guests …