Newcastle: A visitor’s perspective

It appears that 2014 is not the year of blogging for Lateral Movements. (Though you can still catch me every 2 weeks over at APW)

Outside of the virtual world, though, things are happening. Jared and I are buying a house (!) – but that doesn’t mean the traveling will end. We’ve been roaming the globe for too long to give it all up for a little 3 bedroom, even though I am looking forward to having a lime tree and hanging up pictures. Maybe we’ll finally set up the hammock we bought in Bolivia that has been hanging, incongruent, on the wall of our apartment for nearly a year.

Wall hammock
It’s been real useful there.

My dad was also here for his first visit to Australia. Like all visits from the ones you love, it went by at breakneck pace, leaving us all wondering if it ever happened at all. But it did! It did. For ten glorious days, he was able to revel in the autumn sunshine and see what it is that’s entranced me about this country.

One of my favorite parts about having international visitors is that they remind me of what’s unusual about living in Australia; the things I’ve gotten used to. Things like astonishingly high prices at restaurants, where $20 for a pasta dish is average, even at lunchtime. On the flip side, there’s no tax added on at the register, and tipping isn’t expected. My dad was there when we made an offer on what is soon to be our house; he even got to come and check it out. I’m glad he was able to witness a sliver of the house hunt, because otherwise I’d struggle to paint a clear picture of just how ridiculous house prices are in Newcastle, at least when compared to Fishers, Indiana.

I can’t say that things are back to normal now, but what is normal, anyway? So I’ll leave you with some photos of my dad’s – Newcastle through the eyes of a visitor, and it’s never looked prettier.

Towards Newcastle Beach
View towards Newcastle Beach and the Ocean Baths

 

Nest sculpture
This nest sculpture is outside the art gallery right near my work. Just appeared one day, out of the blue.

 

Nobbys Lighthouse
Rite of passage: I take all of my visitors along Macquarie Pier, past Nobbys lighthouse.

 

Stockton dunes
The sand dunes north of Newcastle. Claim to fame: Beyoncé allegedly filmed a video here.

 

The Locale
Best meal of his visit was at the Locale, a buzzing brunch spot (and I do love brunch).

 

Honeysuckle
View from Honeysuckle, not far from where we’ll be living.

 

Low tide
I love low tide at Bar Beach, when the rock pools are exposed. During high tide, we surf over this!

 

Hang gliders
Wouldn’t be complete without visions of hang gliders over Dixon Park beach.

 

Murrays Brewery
I’m sure there was a better shot, but this is the one I have! At Murray’s Brewery, and I’m making that face because it’s raining.

My dad’s verdict: Newcastle is a really nice town.

I’d have to agree.

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4 Comments

  1. Great post and lovely pictures of Newy.
    I moved here from NZ about 3 years ago, and although I get homesick I have fallen in love with Newcastle and it is definitely starting to feel like home 🙂

    1. Yep, there are worse places to be an expat than Newcastle! When we first came back to Australia I was dead-set against returning to this city, but this time around I see a totally different side of it. Feels like home to me, too.

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