221226 once overlander...... It's forever.. blue mountains nsw trip

 

Been here for 3 months. Miss my families and friends back home so much. Work day in day out. Need a break. Wish I can go home during this holiday festive season. Here most of the Australian take 1 or 2 weeks break. Some people take more. 

Off the city for a while. Most of my students went away all over the world during this holiday.

I am really planned this trip. Ask around but most them having their own activities. So I decided to have short trip with more time spend on scenic views, historical etc. Not on the bike like those days. Good advise from daha. I take it this time.

Started from Hornsby thru berowra waters which is north of Hornsby called berowra. If I am able to bring my family here, berowra is the place where I will reside. Quiet nice little town with untouched nature mostly.

Around 8 am I had a brekki at Mt colah McDonald. My favorite place for 🚚 delivery because the request are from Hornsby height, Mt colah, Mt kurung Gai and berowra. The road are not busy.

Only pancake for brekki. I park just beside the patrol bike. Fjr and bmw rt. Lots of memories with big bikes.

Berowra is famous with nature. The national park is for boat parking at the berowra marina inn. Summer is the busy time. People comes here for the vacation.

It is connected by the ferry. Free and took about 10min to reach the other side.

From berowra I have to go thru country side with stunning views. Not to say about the hilly road. My scooter is too small for this trip. I didn't know that country side road the speed limit is 80kmh. Very hard for me to keep up with others.

I stopped every 15-30min due to traffic and hilly road. I do not know my scooters' performance yet.

From berowra I went thru towns like Windsor, kurrijong, Mt tomah, Mt Victoria and so forth. I stopped to the first blue mountains national park in blackheath at evans lookout. I have to go down about 4km from the main road.

Very warm day today. Got people asking me why wearing jacket. I said it the color for safety. Easy get spotted.

Original plan was to overnite in Mt Victoria. When I googled, more attractions are in katoomba. So I changed my plan to katoomba. Manage to get 1 budget room aud85. Mountain view lodge. Kinda old but okay. Actually there so many hotels in katoomba. Especially if you go towards the 3 sisters lookout. So don't worry about the hotels.

This is world scenic view. 3 lookouts near three sisters. A lot of people when I arrived. Katoomba is actually a tourist town.

I searched for the falls. Many falls but the nearest is katoomba falls just by the lookout. Waterfalls surrounded this mountains area. Picnic, falls and parks area are full with people.

Just like other towns in Australia. 5pm shops are closing down. Worst during the festive season because not many shops are open yet.

Only 1 halal store open and about to close when I arrive. And kebab is the answer for my dinner. No Macca here until 40km. So tomorrow my brekki most probably patrol station again.

221224 crossland park hornsby camping

 

 

ad hoc and unplanned at all. when i got the text for mount view gathering, i forwarded the text to anas and he said he will be in crossland park hornsby for camping on the same day. so i told him i wanted to join after the bbq in mountview.

about 7pm i arrived at the camp site. very nice and well maintained campsite. only we cannot bring the vehicle close to the tent. park at the designated area. i do not have any tent. just bought a few camping stuff like sleeping bed, light, and a few other things. 

 

there are 4 families. setting up big tent for each of them. they were fishing and get ready for the bbq. i helped them started the fire and start cooking. we gathered together surrounding the bbq pit. joining us also the indonesian who are the colleage with ont he families.

by the way for families are ridwan, anas, rozi and amir if i ma not mistaken. did not get the wifes name and the kids. we have fun eating, talking and singing. on e the indonesian bring the guitar for the night.

 

i left the next morning after maggi breakfast since need to do the delivery first before i hit the road again on monday. cannot wait for the ride.

221224 hornsby mosque holiday gathering

 it was the day before christmas this year. hornsby muslim community gathering. we have bbq. i was told by mahbob (the person in-charge of the mosque) to come at 930am to the mosque for preparation. since i have nothing to do on saturday. all the classes were cancelled.

so i have time to come early. meet a few members of the masjid committee. we went at 1030am for setting up. the venue is at mountview oval. it is a community park. each neighborhood has one oval park.

 

we started bbq more or less 11am. people start coming at lunch time. it was a good crowd. almost 300 prople turn out that day. we have chicken wing, hotdog, salad, bread and drinks. typical oz meals i guess. some dishes brought by the members. 

 

we eat, talk, chat and laugh.. i was busy with bbqing with a few other comittee. we perform zuhur prayer on the park. it was a great event. i left early about 3pm for delivery. plan for unplanned camping that evening too...

 

221120 kenduri poklong

Motoring can't be separated from kenduri even in oz. Introduced by Abg mat to poklong a week before Abg mat went back to malaysia.

Saw a Malay restaurant in fb called raina in Guilford. So from Hornsby straight to raina. Stop there just for a teh tarik. Amazed me the restaurant is full with Malay Chinese and Indian. Variaties of Malay food.

Met Abg din from greenacre. He's been here for 7 years with his son. Planning to go home next year. Chat with him almost 30min. Many things we share.

Then I went to poklong house. The event just started. Kind of big community here.

Newly wedded. Anuar with his wife from bangladesh.

Heard about this place owned by naim. Let's makan nsw. Open Thursday till Sunday 6-12pm. Feels so malay..

221110 nsw most

Need an id. So i decided to convert my Malaysian driving license to nsw license. Still need to take the skill test for motorcycle and car. Today only motorcycle because car I need be pre assess by the instructor. Manage to book at hart st ives. About 20min from Hornsby at 7am. It's summer but windy and cold.

Take s about an hour. And passed.

I have 3 months to get the id from rms NSW.