Not too sad to leave the resort at Coffs Harbour. Beautiful setting and position, but badly needs the metaphorical lick of paint. Room was enormous, shower good and the bed comfortable, but the floor was dirty and there was too much evidence of neglect – shabby loungers by the pool without cushions, unswept paths, cheap chairs in the breakfast area with grubby fingermarks, etc., etc. All sounds as though I am carping, but we have certainly been spoilt along the way and are mildly disappointed if we don\’t get the standards we have been used to so far generally. The food, however, was very good.

Only a short drive down the coast to Port MacQuarie for our next stop, with lowering clouds and high humidity. Fortunately, our room was ready when we checked in.

What a difference. This place (Sails Resort) has been extensively refurbished and is also in a very nice spot. The room is standard, but spotlessly clean and well appointed. One can feel one\’s spirits rising!

However, the weather has been threatening to be stormy for a while now. Indeed, as I write this, there is much in the way of thunder, lightning and rain. Jean managed to get a dip in the hotel pool before the heavens opened.

The forecast for the next few days also looks to be somewhat gloomier – maybe the start of the wet season for the area. Still, this is a very nice place to be weather-bound in! It is also the first time we\’ve had bad weather on the east coast, and the only other similar experience was in Tasmania.