Having packed up the awning and sunshields the night before, we knew that we would have a relatively easy departure today. We had planned to leave by 9:00am and that was to include time to say our goodbyes.
It was relatively warm when we started to say goodbye initially to the remaining members of the ACC Sydney Explorers and finally to our friends from the ACC Sydney City Slickers who we had spent the past two weeks with. “He” had become very attached to our friends’ dogs and you could sense in the dogs that they knew they were going home. A special thanks to John and Lorraine for their friendship, company and generosity over the past two weeks.
We left Budgewoi at 9:20am and headed back to Sydney in light traffic. We found ourselves in moderate traffic as soon as we hit Pennant Hills Road (cannot wait for the missing tunnel to be built) but soon we were on the M2, then the M7 and finally the M4 heading towards the Blue Mountains. The run up the mountains was also trouble free and in light traffic. It was relatively warm and there was some wind. Just before descending Victoria Pass, we head of a rock fall between Hartley and the Jenolan Caves turn-off but the rock had been removed before we arrive there.
We continued on to the roadhouse near Walang where we stopped for lunch. That was a mistake as the food was very ordinary. It was very hot so we only stayed for a short time. On the way into Bathurst we noticed darkening clouds to our north. These clouds would ultimately turn into a storm that would cause havoc over several Sydney suburbs. We only received a few drops of rain as we drove into the caravan park.
After setting up we headed into Bathurst for a little bit of shopping and some cold drinks. We also refuelled before buying a pizza for our evening meal.
Further storms developed into the evening but none cause us problems.