FUN, FRIENDS, FAMILY, FOOD and WINE

We set off on our last leg of our road trip from Tamworth to Windella in the Hunter Valley. 

(We are home now)

The weather and the scenery was superb. After 3 hours we arrived at Windella in the Hunter Valley where we stayed overnight with friends Margaret and Peter. The next morning we drove 15 mins to Pokolbin in the heart of the Valley and met our daughter Carol and SIL David, who drove the short distance of 200km from Sydney to meet us.

photo from  google images.

The first vineyards were planted in the Hunter valley in 1823. The first accommodation was built in 1974. Today the Hunter Valley is one of the Australia’s most well-known wine regions in Australia and throughout the world. The Hunter Valley has produced many fine, world recognised wines and with over 150 wineries, 65 restaurants and 180 accommodation properties, the Hunter Valley has become a tourism mecca for food and wine lovers alike.

And Carol and David are food and wine lovers. We met them for breakfast at Enzo's restaurant. I liked the sign hanging on the door . I just had to get those two to pose next to the sign.

The food was delicious and served interestingly. The tea was delivered not on a tray but on an old story book.  The apple juice came in a recycled jam jar.

After breakfast we booked into the hotel and then visited wineries, the Smelly Cheese Shop and a Chocolate shop.

wine tasting

grape vines

Carol's friend recommended Robert's restaurant for dinner. So we went there to make a booking. It didn't have a big impressive entrance but a little rustic door.

We entered a very old house converted into a restaurant. There were a few different rooms.

 The back of the old house opened up into a large restaurant but still in keeping with the rustic timber look with a roaring open fire. The dinner was very nicely presented.

The next day we did it all over again. It was a lovely relaxing time and wonderful to be with our daughter and SIL. We were supposed to meet up with our other daughter too from LA. Unfortunately, their plans to visit Sydney were squashed by Bernie's previous employer. So sadly we won't be seeing them this year and it is Banjo's birthday today, he is one.

The Hunter Valley is also a big coal producing area.
This is a coal fired power station showing its big carbon footprint.
Actually I think it is only steam going into the air here.

The following day we set of for home. we intended taking two days but we got  news that our guest speaker for the Camera Club was not able to attend the meeting in our place tomorrow so we had to drive all day (11 hrs) to get home to prepare a talk for the next day. The last 2hrs in the dark over the ranges was not very pleasant but we made it. Luckily I found a talk that I had prepared earlier in the year so all was well.