Kangaroo Valley Surprise B'day Getaway

Last weekend I arranged a two pronged surprise for Nat's Birthday. Phase one was a long weekend getaway down to Kangaroo Valley. Phase two was a surprise attack by some friends on our last night. Both of which, I some how managed to pull off!

Kangaroo Valley is located two hours south of Sydney, and is known for its wine, produce and beautiful country-side. We stayed on a property located in the upper region of the valley called Nellsville, a beautifully newly-renovated farm house owned by a lovely couple named Les & Elizabeth.

Below are some photos from our little getaway to the valley and our explorations from around the region.

Long Weekend Loving

The great thing about long weekends, is that you feel like you've got more time for a bit of extra exploration than you would on your stock standard weekend. But after taking the scenic route down to Kiama (1.5 hours south of Sydney), we've realised that these little roadies are very realistic journey even on a normal weekend. 

If you're keen to get out of sydney for the week here are my four top tips for a southbound scenic session:

1:: Get off the freeway and hit the winding Sir Bertram Stevens Drive through the Royal National Park down to Stanwell Tops for a more scenic journey 
2:: Throw in the picnic provisions for a driver reviver on top of Bald Hill Headland at Stanwell Tops. The combination of the knockout coastal views and hang glider hotspot makes for a good spot for a pitstop 
3:: Walk across the Sea Cliff Bridge, the $52 million dollar off-shore bridge that links the coastal villages Coalcliff and Clifton. It's for good reason that this winding and windy piece of road is frequented by tourists, the views are world-class. 

4:: Grab some super-fresh seafood at Hunky Dory down at the port at Kiama. Despite what the Trip Advisor reviews say its a good feed. **hot tip** This seafood shop is run by some very passionate wildlife warriors, who feel very strongly about keeping the shores of Kiama plastic free. So BYO cutlery or be prepared to get down and dirty with your mits.

Long Weekend Camping Capers

Two weeks ago, we got away for a long weekend filled with surfing, camping and not much else! We had the most perfect weather conditions you could ever ask for. Not a breath of wind and perfect 25 degree, cloudless days for four days in a row. Although the waves were a bit on the small side, the clarity and water temps made up for it.

Here are a few shots of the gang in beach/camp mode.

Enjoy

**Note** We stayed at the Sandbar Holiday Park which is well worth checking out, if you feel the need to get out of the rat race.

A Sausage Named Lola

Most of you who know Nat, know of her mild obsession with dachshunds, especially if they're of the mini variety.

So Nat recently subscribed to a website called Find A Dog Minder, and got the call last week to see if we were available to mind a small lady snag called Lola for the weekend.

Needless to say, Nat and Lola got along like a match made in heaven. But I feel like the photos will probably speak for themselves.

Enjoy.

**Find A Dog Minder, is definitely a great service for those who need to get away and don't have the money to check their dog into a kennel. Its also great for those looking to take a dog for a test run before actually buying one**