15 August - Moss Vale

We left Traralgon yesterday on our almost annual winter pilgrimage to Queensland. Each year the crappy Victorian winter weather gets a bit much to bear and if possible we hook up the van and head north. Yesterday we had an uneventful run to Bombala where we arrived early in the afternoon. The weather had been perfect and the skies were clear which promised a freezing night. When we woke this morning the car and the caravan and the ground were covered in ice and I had to pour hot water on to our water hose because it was frozen on to our caravan. We were on the road by 7:15 and all the way up the Monaro Highway the fields were covered in fog and frost - quite spectacular. Our first stop was the excellent bakery in Nimmatabel where we stopped for breakfast. Our next stop was for fuel in Cooma and then onward through the outskirts of Canberra and north up the Hume highway. As we approached the Moss Vale/Bowral region, the weather was perfect and we made a last minute decision to spend a couple of days in Moss Vale. We have stayed here on a number of occasions but never had much luck with the weather so this was an opportunity too good to pass up. By 3 pm we had the van all set up and headed into Bowral for a coffee at one of our all time favourite cafes - The Elephant Boy. This wonderful establishment serves excellent coffee and the decor of wall to wall bookshelves and comfortable seating  always makes it a great place to visit.

This was probably our third or fourth visit over the years and it is wonderful to see the place still thriving and still looking great. Next, after a walk around the town we visited one of our favourite restaurants called Briars. We had dinner here a few years ago and enjoyed great steaks and salad and exceptional red wines so it was great to find, when we walked in that once again nothing had changed. We immediately booked a table for dinner, and have just returned from what I would rate as one of the best meals I've ever had. Everything was simply superb.

So, after a very enjoyable day, we are holed up in our little mobile hide away reading and getting ready to snuggle into bed to experience what undoubtedly will be another chilly night.