Norfolk Island Hospitality....

While on the island we found everyone to be so friendly and every where we went we were welcomed like an old friend.  Most cafes in town are only open until 4pm each day so what do you do for dinner if you don't want to cook.

There are some amazing places to eat and we went to three of them.  We went back to Hilli's on Saturday night and again enjoyed a lovely meal and wonderful friendly service.  

Another night we visited Norfolk Blue.  This is a beautiful restaurant in an old homestead on the original 100 acre farm.  It is here that they breed the 'Norfolk Blue' cattle all descended from Dr Blue Suit said to have been brought to the island over 100 years ago by Gillie Bailey.    Dinner was steak, of course, and it was delicious.  With the owners being your hosts you are guaranteed a wonderful welcome as well.

Another old homestead was Dino's at Bumboras and we had dinner here on our last night.  This property dates back to the 1800's and has been renovated and used as a restaurant since 1992.  Once again a delicious meal and wonderful hospitality.

Another favorite way to dine is to join a Progressive Dinner tour.  You are collected in town at 6pm and then driven to three island homes for entree, main and desert.  At each place you meet the owners who give a bit of a talk about their life in the island.  All are very welcoming and are happy to answer any questions you might have.  We did this dinner during our second week and thoroughly enjoyed the fun night out.

The fish fry at Puppy's Point is another favorite but with very chilly and windy nights we didn't do this. We might have to visit again because it sounded like fun.  

As you drive around during the day there are a few places that do lunch and Devonshire teas.  We found two of these, again, just island homes, offering lovely food and another insight into life on Norfolk Island.  Bedrock was one of these and the house next door to the Silky Oak stables another boasting the 'Best Pot of Tea on the Island'.  We had coffee so cant comment on that. The garden here was lovely too.  

Another favorite cafe where you were treated like an old friend was The Golden Orb.  Yes, named after the spider.  These are a real feature on the island and everywhere you go they are hanging there in their huge webs.  They don't seem to move and even this confirmed arcana phobic got quite used to them just as long as I didn't have to get too close.  Back to the cafe, great coffee, lovely people and a quirky bookshop.

A real highlight was having dinner at Watermill Valley one night.  Before leaving I had met a lady at work one day who lived on Norfolk Island.  When I told her I would be there in a couple of weeks she gave me her phone number and said I must ring her and come for dinner.  We did this and Bill and I had a wonderful night with Pauline and John at their home. Their friends Tony and Theresa joined us for dinner and it was so interesting to hear all about life in this very interesting place.  

Visits to the supermarket, bakery, fish and chip shop, news agents and most other shops were all like visiting friends as people actually talked to you and told you how their day had been.  Something that rarely happens here in our big busy cities.  Every purchase came with a life story but it was a wonderful experience and so lovely to talk to these people.

We have come home with a real feeling of visiting friends not just having a holiday in a remote place.  Each day as we relaxed in our gorgeous unit, we would see our hostess, Gaewyn, who would stop for a quick hello before continuing on with her daily chores.

With tourism being the mainstay of the island I guess all this makes sense but so often you visit places where you really don't feel the welcome mat has been put out.  Norfolk Island is certainly not one of these places.  They love their visitors and make each and every one of them feel very welcome.

Two things stood out making this island such a unique place in my mind.  The first was how clean everything is.  There is absolutely no graffiti anywhere.  The beautiful historic buildings at Kingston are in pristine condition and it was so lovely to be able to find toilets around the island, and whether in the National Parks or the town centre they were all spotless with no hint of spray paint, textas or carvings hacked into the doors and walls.   

The second was how polite and well mannered all the young people were.  Children and teenagers were a pleasure to meet and talk to with not one ounce of attitude or rudeness.   I guess if everyone knows who you are you would be found out pretty quick if you did get up to mischief.  Still it made a pleasant change from day to day encounters in the big smoke.  

Think I'm sounding a bit old here.   Until next time......