There’s a block of time between Christmas and New Year where you drift from one day to the next, hardly aware of what day it is.

It was during this time that we found ourselves looking for an escape from the smoke that had descended on Canberra from the bushfires.  Our normally pristine air was become suffocating.

Leonie and Chris were heading to Thredbo for mountain biking fun and suggested we take a drive to join them for an evening.

We jumped at the chance.

I had imagined that driving away from the ACT would see the air clearing, but no.  The air quality was very bad indeed until we reached higher altitudes near Jindabyne.

Some habits are firmly ingrained and a cup of green tea after lunch is a must.   We stopped at the Red Door cafe in Jindabyne.

The beautiful NSW Snowy Mountains was our destination, in the summer popular for mountain biking, walking, climbing, kayaking and trout fishing, in the winter a ski resort.

We were looking forward to the crisp and clear mountain air.

The last time we had visited Thredbo it had been nearing winter and cold, but in the summer the temperatures are perfect, at times even hot.

Mountain biking is a popular and ever growing sport in the skiing off season here, but we managed to get a night’s accommodation in one of the hotels.  Highly recommend Bernti’s Mountain Inn for location in the village and a comfy bed for a reasonable price.

We met up with Leonie and Chris after their strenuous day on the mountain (those crazy kids) and enjoyed a fabulous dinner together.

 

It was a quick overnight visit, but there was time to enjoy one of the smaller walks you can take from Thredbo Village, around the golf course and following the crystal-clear Thredbo River back to the Village.  A good chance for some exercise and to enjoy the bushland and flora of the alpine region.

Back to civilisation.

A most enjoyable respite indeed.

Jeff & Catherine xx