We came across this giant billboard. A reference to the lifestyle adopted by many Australian surfers, surely. But also a nod to what crossed our mind when we decided to make this trip exactly six months ago. We wish you all to live the life you love and love the life you live. We will take our "life coach" hat off now.

What to do in Sydney on a Sunday morning? Attend the weekly meeting of Nippers on Bondi Beach. The Nippers? They are children who go to the local day camp. Except that in Australia we do not teach them to do macramé or to manipulate clay to make cups that nobody will ever use (since they explode at the first firing anyway). It is a fun way to learn how to tame the dangers of the beach and the ocean. All this is organized by the local Surf Club. It is refreshing, sometimes funny and says a lot about how the ocean is part of the Australian way of life.

It is never a nice feeling to be robbed. It is even less when it occurs during a long-term trip abroad and when the thief leaves with 95% of your personal belongings. This is what we experienced (a first time for us) this week in Adamstown, a district of Newcastle reputedly quiet. This lowlife even left with food and petrol! We will make no comment about the New South Wales Police here even if we would have a lot to say about it. Our initial impressions upon arriving in Newcastle were negative (popular city without character). We are leaving it (certainly extremely light) with an evidential confirmation of our doubts. Run away from Newcastle and prefer the surrounding area (Port Stephens, Lake Macquarie) which are, in our opinion, the only valid reason why Newcastle is ranked in Lonely Planet's Top 10 cities to visit in the world.

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You will find Nobbys Beach (photo) in a quiet neighborhood northeast of Newcastle (just steps away from the YHA Newcastle Beach Hostel). From the lighthouse overlooking the bay, you can walk along the 5 kilometres Bathers Way coastal walk. If you are afraid of sharks (which are not a myth in Australia!), it is possible to swim in the Newcastle Ocean Baths, large salt water pools located near Nobbys Beach behind an Art Deco pavilion.

In what surroundings are you used to camping in? We are not big fans of camping but we have been tempted by the Wangi Point Lakeside Holiday Park. Thus we spent a week at their camping ground enjoying the incredible scenery. The holiday park is located at Lake Macquarie's waterfront, insulated enough from civilization to achieve the status of a holiday haven. But do not worry as supermarkets are nearby and Newcastle is less than an hour away. Unfortunately it rained a lot during our stay which made the few sunny mornings especially energizing. For more information, see the various accommodation types available on the holiday park's website.

iPhoneography Oz was a guest of Wangi Point Lakeside Holiday Park.

The weather has not been kind since we arrived in Newcastle area. As seen on the Sunshine Coast, it can change within a few minutes in Australia. This afternoon it was sunny at the National Surfing Reserve of Merewether Beach (an extension of Bar Beach). Surfers had fun in the waves of the Tasman Sea before massive clouds arrived in a few seconds. Time for them to get out of the water. Here is the result!

Impressed by the countless exotic birds that you come across in Australia. Parakeets, or multicolored parrots, pelicans (not all of their name start with "P") are as common as pigeons and magpies are in western cities. But until now our favorite is the Laughing Kookaburra, a mythical bird in Aboriginal culture, famous for its endless laughing call. And it makes us laugh! We came across one not too long ago. Its look says it all. Judge for yourself!