Surprise trip

Yesterday after work we picked up beloved son and his luggage so he could spend the night over at our place (closer to the airport), and so that we could take him to the airport in the morning. We thought we might have to bring some stuff back since they are such sticklers for weight these days but in fact he was okay. He is now on his way to Chile to visit his younger sister, loaded down with Heinz Baked Beans, salt and vinegar chips, and other goodies. Youngest daughter will be very happy. They are going to travel to Patagonia together and also to the Atacama desert.

Going to the airport that early meant that we got an early start for my "surprise" week-end trip. Hubby had concocted something and my only clue was that it was to see something that was in the Guinness Book of Records. You can see how that left open a very wide spectrum of guesses. From  the biggest koala, or the biggest earthworm, or maybe the person with the longest nails or...... It could have been anything really.
On the way I pestered him with questions, like "Does it have anything to do with trains?" or "Does it have anything to do with eating or drinking?" or "Does it have anything to do with animals?" or "Does it have anything to do with motor sports?"  The answer to everything was "No". So I had to just be patient, and we all know I am not so good at that. Anyway we had a little stop on the way in Kiama and it was really beautiful.

We saw some young boys jumping from a very high cliff near the blowhole which itself was quite impressive.

We continued our trip and near the surprise destination we saw a man our own age hitch-hiking and we picked him up. He was very chatty and knowledgeable about the area and told us that we were very close to the beach with the whitest, and cleanest sand in the world and that it was in the Guinness Book of Records.

So, by just picking up a chatty hitch hiker, hubby's surprise was blown, just like that, in a few words. We had a good laugh about it, and then when we arrived where our venerable hitch hiker had to get out, we could hardly part since he had so much to tell us. We had a great lunch at the Hyams Beach Store and Cafe before going to the beach itself.  The cafe has recently come 'under old management', i.e. the original owners bought it back, and we are so glad it did.  'Kingfish with a Moroccan sauce on a bed of cold ratatouille' - beat that!

Here you see me at Hyams Beach in the sand which looks like snow,  and when you walk in it, it actually squeaks, it is that clean.  However, I think the sand in Panama City, Florida might be equally white or even whiter. My memory might be a bit rosy though, I was fifteen after all, when I lived there.