Shark-hunting bear goes all country *cough* urm music

Usual routine on waking - me makes breakfast - then we eat together  - after that I trundle of for shower / teeth etc and while that happens, Mamabear does dishes and un-makes the bed! Then she trundles off to her shower and I catch up with everything else. We are so in the routine, we were on the road by 8.30am! First stop was meant to be local info centre and they are, surprise surprise, closed 'till 9 am.  Filling in time is never a problem so went to Coles for supplies  stored them away and then the info centre. I got a badge for Armidale - wohoo!
Having picked up a map from the local young guide chappie - we walked round town for about an hour and were met by a local cycle race - 'round the block of which half was down hill and the other half - yup uphill.  This doubled as a fund raiser and a fun day out for the support crew!! Very picturesque town!! Spotted the local market garden so cruised that for things - Mamabear buying a new book - ok its an old book but one she has never read!


In-between we saw the local birds doing a funny weird thing - seems they enjoy swinging by the rope -  This you understand was serious business with a definite pecking order in place as to who got to go when. It was real funny seeing them  effortless swinging from side to side = and enjoying it!
Ok either that or they were trying to take down the Australian flag from the flag-pole!  
I go with the fun-swing-ride theme . . . .










We promised to be in Tamworth for the day - so it was high time we made tracks, so with mixed emotions headed to Tamworth. We could easily have stayed another night in Armidale - and yet looked forward to catch up with Jade.
Found camping ground ok and then were met by Jade and Scott who took us to the Marsurpial park for lunch!
Park is run entirely by volunteers and entry is free. 

With Scott being dropped back to work (Milking the cows) we went and saw various animals / birds at the park - including another set of Roo's but no Wombat and no Croc!!  I am beginning to wonder if the hunting skills of this bear have spread far and wide and the locals are - urm - ducking for cover???? 



By the time we seen what was to see in the park,  Jade picked us up and we went to the "big guitar".  Yes it is a big golden guitar.  Seems Tamworth is world famous in Australia for its once a year Country and Western singer song get-together-hoe-down festival thing!  It has of course a wax museum of all famous country singers (from Australia) and an extensive shop where we bought ONE CD and a badge and got some info for our trip down to the hunter valley.  From there it was back to Jades house for a very relaxing afternoon and chat including a entertaining play with two new kittens. “The League” local club provided a dinner for us - so no cooking or dishes.

Sadly we had to say farewell to Jade and Scott when we got dropped back afterwards at the holiday park, and we nearly left all our prezzies in the car behind. It was good to meet Jade in the flesh so to speak - we have known  each other since she was a teeny weeny grasshopper - thanks to Scoutlink!!

Provisional planning ahead for tomorrow and then bed – it is going to be a long drive tomorrow down to the Hunter valley - where there are grapes galore being made into lovely drinks!  yumm yumm - something to look forward to

Uh nearly forgot - we sat in the park enjoying the breeze and so forth when several black mean looking birds decided to urm - take a look -  I tell you it felt very much like in Hitchcock's film "The Birds". 

Tamworth has about 50 000 people and is well known in Australia.  I suffered from the misconception it is sort of what Nashville is like for USA - a place where there are lots of recording studios and the whole town lives and breathes Country and Western music!  Alas - seems it is only a once a year get together thing.