Norfolk Island

Up to have breakfast at our hotel: scrambled eggs, toast, bacon, and delicious fruit. It would have to tide us over until we arrived at Norfolk Island midafternoon, picked up our car, and checked into our hotel. 

At the train station, I asked if we had enough money left on our card and was told no, we needed to buy a $5 ticket. Fine yet when we left the train and I tapped off, the card has $6.00 left on it. I still don’t understand how the AT Hop card works. However, we followed the arrows and found our way to the Charthams Air international counter to check our bags. 


At TSA, Grant’s backpack was pulled aside. No, after much looking and consultation, the agents decided he could not bring his buck knife as carryon. Another one lost to the garbage. 


Our second prop plane with just a few passengers. It also had a inflight magazine, unfortunately about islands we weren’t going to, but interesting any way. 2 1/2 hours later, and we were coming in over Norfolk Island which was covered with the pines I’d come to see. 

We picked up our car (our name on the dash, key on the seat, I guess no place to go if you steal one), and I carefully drove out of the parking lot. “Drive on the left, drive on the left”. My mantra for the next 3 days. 

Our room at Panorama Seaside Apartments is the lower south end, with picture windows facing the shore and looking at Phillip Island. I am delighted. We offloaded, then headed back to town (“Drive on the left, drive on the left”) to catch the bus to the fish fry. 

A true tourist event dining in tents up on a western cliff so we could watch the sun go down as we ate and listened to a local musician play a 50’s and 60’s playlist. By the end, we were singing along.

Perfectly fried fish, salads (potato, rice, pasta and green), anna (sweet potatoes), puhe (cooked banana), and coconut quick bread. All as much as we wanted. Dessert was coconut pie, sort of like southern chess pie. There was a cash bar, but those in the know knew it was also BYOB. We weren’t so bought beer and white wine. Additional entertainment was a group of 4 young women performing Tahitian style dancing.

Back to our car. “Drive on the left” has been amended with “Don’t run into a cow.” The cattle are all free range, wandering along the roadways. The 3 main roads into the town of Burnt Pine have cattle grates across them to keep the cows out of town. 

I was exhausted. After a shower, I fell asleep 

Steps Today: 7,340

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