Dorrigo

Ern: “How much further?”

Daph: “About 10 minutes, just over the mountain.”

Ern: “OVER THE MOUNTAIN!?”

Daph: “Kombi engines were built for tanks. We’ll be fine.”

Ern is very protective of the old Kombi and lacks confidence in its ability to achieve the things that Daph takes for granted when navigating through mountain ranges.

SIGN: “Roadworks ahead.”

Ern: “Great!” (Worried about performing a hill start after the stop sign).

SIGN: Caution: “Diesel spill ahead.”

Ern: “For f**ks sakes!” (Expertly swerving around the oil spill).

SIGN: “Danger. Falling rocks.”

Ern: *Exasperated, “What am I meant to do about that?!”

Daph: “Did you know that gorge down there is called Never Never. How cute!”

Ern doesn’t think any of this is “cute”. Ern’s jaw is aching from anxiously over-chewing his gum. All the while, Daph is hanging her head out the window, enjoying the views.

Today we have swapped beaches for mountains, and whales for cows... staying at Dangar Falls Lodge in the Dorrigo National Park. It’s freezing up here. But peaceful and so beautiful. The population is small, and elderly. The ladies in the antique store were chatting about how Mrs. Eldridge had died. If they don’t get some young blood in here soon, they’ll all be dead, and the place will be a ghost town in ten years. The landlord at the lodge is surely a hundred years old and would benefit from an ear trumpet. At least he won’t hear our wild parties tonight.