A brief pause in the day in between visiting the breathtakingly magnificent Blue Mountains and heading into Sydney for an evening meal provides me with the opportunity to record a word or two!

N will be back from the office shortly, then we will be off out for the evening. M’s office is the back room of his in-laws’ house. He has been telecommuting to Horsham (West Sussex), since he moved back from England, last year!

The barefoot author sits in the evening cool on the patio of N’s parents’ house, the site of last night’s fantastic barbecue: steaks and prawns, mushrooms and hash browns. We also had some lovely smoked mullet, fresh salad and the finest home-brewed beer I have ever tasted, as we caught up with M and N. We are surrounded by fruit trees and vines. I can see lemons, oranges, grapefruit and grapes growing in green-fingered B’s garden.

Australian hospitality really is overwhelmingly good! In Perth, we were provided with lovely accommodation, tasty meals, superb day-trips and, of course, fine company. Our time in New South Wales looks like being every bit as good, it has to be said.

B and M (N’s parents for those not in the know), not only make fine home brews and a comfortable guest room, but also ensure that their guests get a personal guided tour of the Blue Mountains. The scenery at 1000m, above the eucalyptus and gum trees, is absolutely awesome.

On our tour of the Blue Mountains, we visited the towns of Katoomba, Blackheath and Lithgow. Wonderfully peaceful towns with views that would make it so easy to get up in the morning. We saw scenic railway lines and orchard after orchard. We really are in a fruit-growing region, here.