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It was very windy last night and this morning there's a heavy haze obscuring the view. Despite a desire to be on the move at 10 we didn't leave until gone eleven. The first task on the relatively short road north to Newcastle was to follow the bus route into town. Surprisingly difficult given that most of the time you look at the shops out of the side window and so it was no surprise that we first went wrong less than halfway into the city. Fortunately there are plenty of helpful signs pointing you back in. There was half an idea to follow the coast up but that petered out just over the bridge when we were caught in the wrong lane. Having omitted to look at the map before we left the rest of the journey became a voyage of discovery sometimes with the sign saying we were on the road to Newcastle, sometimes not.

We disgressed onto the Old Pacific Highway which appeared to be a haven for all the motorcycles we haven't seen on the trip so far. Surprisingly few wear leathers. The heat, you might say. But what about the absence of skin after a tumble? We tried to stop in Gosport for lunch but having been directed to the city centre off the main road we couldn't turn right into it and after a few hopeful crests and bends ended up back on the main road. At the next town we just stopped at McDonalds. No time to stand on ceremony.

By now we seemed to have got ourselves on the Really Very Old Indeed Pacific Highway and ran through a number of sea/lake side towns with barely a glimpse of the Pacific before we found ourselves unexpectedly in Newcastle. A quick wander reveals an almost dormant town (isn't this the height of summer?) so we stole a look at the beach (blowing a gale, still very hazy) and had a coffee and a cookie (for a fortune) before joining the throng from the YHA for the free meal at a local pub.

The local pub was a good hike away and the bangers and mash were a delicate portion. To be expected, I guess. Washed down with slightly cleaning fluid contaminated beer. Neither of which reminded us of Stella or Guiness. We booked ourselves in for the James Bond movie which we later shared with six other people -- a great relief when four arrived at once and doubled the audience. A good romp, pushing James Bond's implausibility to the limit.

Newcastle YHA S32.92862 E151.78532 Elev. 14m