Pacific Highway Sydney to Surfers Paradise Gold Coast for the Indy Car Race
October 2003Just a couple comments regarding the this trip, actually from the Gosford area. BTW we had a wonderful time at this excellent race. If you haven't been to the Gold Coast Indy, you have missed one of the great events.
Bulahdelah I love to stop in Bulahdelah, a couple hours North of Sydney. It is a very picturesque area with a meandering river whose edges turn immediately into lush green fields, the houseboats and cruisers tied up, a quaint pub, lots of shops and a nice park with clean facilities. Why are the people running the shops so hopeless? I never fail to be disappointed! This trip we stopped into 'Detours Cafe'. We ordered scones (biscuit usually served with jam and cream), sausage roll and a large coffee. It took a real long time to get any of it, the lady behind the the counter seemed overwhelmed by our order (she was also working on a burger for the only other customer). When the lady brought my friend a small coffee, he politely mentioned that he had ordered a large. Well she went nuts, yelling "f*ck this" and "f*ck that", threw the cup and coffee into the sink so hard, the coffee splashed up the wall half way to the ceiling. I had gotten tired of waiting and left but returned after about a 10 minute shopping trip to find my scone cut in half but otherwise not being attended to. My friend said my scone had 'already been in the microwave twice' and was now probably cold again. Well my friend escaped while I waited, waited, waited. The lady was looking for something...around around and around the shop she went, into the kitchen etc. etc. and finally found, and with GREAT difficulty, spread the jam from a tiny plastic container on the scone. Then back to looking, looking, looking again finally turning up, you guessed it, the gas cream dispenser. Now around the shop she goes shaking the cream dispenser...around around shake shake shake. She tips the cream dispenser over the scone and a white liquid dribbles out, soaking half the scone. This seemed to befuddle her. I mean there are really only two choices; either try to hide the mistake by covering the scone with cream or grabbing another scone and starting again. She seemed totally confused; looking at me, looking at the scone, at me, at the scone. I stayed silent for 2 or 3 minutes then to put us both out of our misery I suggested she might give me my money back. Relieved, she agreed. I left Bulahdelah after a visit of about 30 minutes having gotten nothing to eat or drink. On future visits I think I'll stick with the Marina coffee shop, on the East side of the highway.
Emerald Beach Holiday Park - Just North of Coffs Harbour, this is probably one of the nicest Caravan Parks in NSW. Next to beautiful Emerald Beach, great facilities and a creek meandering through the forested park. We stopped there to make reservations for a future roadtrip. http://www.ebhp.com.au/
| May 2005 update - Ostas farm
appears to have new owners and a new name. The spectacular service and
even better food, is no more. Lots of exotic plants still there but the
ones that were in pots are goooone. Ostas Farm Roadhouse, Broadwater, NSW - I love this 'cafe'. It is one of my favorite places to stop on any road trip I have done around the world. We stopped here for a late breakfast. My friend said it was the best breakfast he had ever had. Broadwater is a small town with a sugar mill smack in the middle of it. Ostas Farm is a house in town, on the highway, with a beautiful garden, a breakfast and lunch menu, and a small gift shop. On this trip we noticed a 'table' with plants for sale apparently benefiting something called the Broadwater Action Group. We found out from the cafe owner that the Broadwater Action Group is fighting a proposed cogeneration scheme by Delta Electricity. He said (with great passion) the scheme was about to ruin the town. Mmmmm, woodchip the forest, mix the chips with sugar cane and local garbage and burn it in the middle of a small country town..... Anyway, I am sure glad that the cafe owner found out my friend was a big-wig with Delta Electricity AFTER we had our meal. Here's a few pics from the garden at Ostas Farm.
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La Paella Restaurant, Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Queensland A family-run restaurant with pop doing the cooking. My favorite restaurant on the Gold Coast. Paella's are excellent. Everything is very good.