CENTRAL COAST

After spending ten fabulous days staying at Steve and Beth's in Sydney, our next stop was the Central Coast. Years ago, before I was transferred to the US, I lived and worked in this region. It is approximately 80 kilometers north of Sydney and a really nice area to live. I have a dear friend who I had worked alongside of - as an engineer back then. Over the past three years he has been fighting the terrible decease know as cancer.

Reuniting with Mike and his family was just another amazing episode in my journey. I wanted to spend quality time with him because one never knows when the next time might be. It had just been 16 years since I last saw him. During my stay with Mike and his family I accompanied him to one of his Chemo sessions. This was something I had never experienced or even thought too much about in the past. I sure on the drive to the hospital, I was more nervous than Mike was. We chatted about our lives and the things we had done since we last hung out. He spoke about the mental anguish he had gone through after being diagnosed with cancer, the physical side of dealing with chemo and what it does to your body. The sickness and not being able to eat for months on end. All this plus still having to hold a job down and provide for his family while going through this torturous chapter in his life.

On the Saturday morning we went and watched his daughter play soccer, ate two bacon and egg roles for breakfast- bought from the local lads cooking them at the soccer field. I must say, there is nothing like a good bacon and egg role, egg yoke running through your fingers as you eat it. Bella was jealous.

Mike lives one street back from a bush walk to the beach. This became Bella's and my morning walk for the time we stayed there. What an awesome way to start the day! A walk up to the top of this peninsular that overlooks the ocean, while watching the sun rise - waves crashing against the rocky coast line below us.

The one morning we went to watch the sunrise at the Norah Head Light House, the sunrise was not that spectacular and the weather was really cold. My hands were well and truly frozen by the time the sun rose. We soon left and headed to the nearest cafe to get a nice hot cup of coffee. Oh - have I mentioned the coffee here in Australia is to die for! No Starbucks in this country. They would be out of business within a day.

The picture at the top was taken at Long Jetty just as the sun started to disappear, the water was so still and the reflections were spectacular, mirror imaging everything in sight.