Hat Head and Born Again

I arrived at Hat Head campsite at about 6pm Monday to find no running water, considering my state of uncleanliness this was most unwelcome news:( The toilets were just deep holes with seats on them, I hadn't realised how much I like to peer at my stools lol. It gives me a sense of my well being and general health which a thud into the unknown just can't replace. Anyway enough of that, Dave is right when he says I'm from a family obsessed by our bowel movements.

This was the view from the top of the sand dune next to the snail house. I just got there too late to capture the depth of colour but I liked the contrast of the ivory sand dunes against the forest greens.

I'm getting all a bit blase about kangas and roos these days, this family gathering was there to greet me at 7am when I first stuck my sleepy head out of the snail. Mr Kanga had a very impressive morning glory which I failed to digitally capture, I suppose he deserved to keep his dignity intact:D

So yet again I packed up the snail and headed for Hat Head centre. Hat Head is where people go to die and is a collection of retirement homes and holiday cabins, there is one shop and a closed down restaurant. My presence lowered the average age of the population considerably being a mere slip of a girl at 42! I have aptly renamed it Mortsville for obvious reasons and being immortal myself have no intention of ever returning;)

But the headland and coastline were stunning and made the trip worthwhile.

 

This is the secluded beach where I chose to bathe and get clean. After 3 days without a shower I needed to give Adilady's nooks and crannies a good salty soak so went in nude. Of course as soon as I got naked and jumped in the ocean a group of geriatric power walkers (oxymoron?) arrived. I'm guessing they got a big surprise, maybe they thought I was a mermaid or sea nymph lol.

After my bath I did a trek around the headland, remembering to get dressed first of course. Just a few pictures as it started to rain and I have shared a gzillion pictures of the sea. To be honest I am getting mountain withdrawals but after missing out on the Blue Mountains there aren't any accessible climbing opportunities:(

I liked the impressionistic, washed out feel of this photo and it has a mountain in it all be it far away.

A glimpse of blue sky.

I was gonna chill on the beach for the day but there was an almighty thunder storm so I hopped in the snail and made for Coff's Harbour. It was there that I met and spent time with Dale and Kate.

Coff's Harbour is quite a big town and I booked two nights at the campsite as I was getting urban withdrawals. Dale and Kate were camped right next to me and unlike some were really friendly and chatty when they saw that I was on my own. They are born again Christians (which I haven't got a problem with) but unlike any Christian I have ever met have sold all their worldly possessions to give the money to the poor and are heavily involved in projects in both India and Africa. They get by on housesitting or living out of their car and in a tent. Both have led colourful lives, Kate was unmarried and pregnant at 16, a big taboo in the 70's and Dale had a terrible childhood and is a recovered drug addict. The conversation was a tad fire and brimstone and they believe the apocalypse is nigh. I think Dale was testing me out to see if I would bite and get argumentative; needless to say I didn't, I enjoyed the banter and respect their beliefs. Obviously they believe our meeting was engineered by God, so that's two more people praying for my soul which can't be bad. Dale said I am smarter than the average bear and as a mere sinner have a better chance of escaping wailing and gnashing of teeth compared to the hypocrite Pharisees that pay lip service on a Sunday as their insurance policy lol; I took that as a backhanded compliment. Believing the teachings of the bible makes them homophobic and anti gay, that I find hard to tolerate. Their views are as absurd as daddios, how anyone can believe that being gay is a life choice astounds me. Of course there is always the exception that proves the rule which is used to fuel the debate. Maybe they haven't had to deal with a suicidal teenage boy who would rather die than accept who they are? Or maybe they have and tried to cure through the power of prayer?!?

I spent today with Kate, pottering around the shops, strolling through the botanical gardens and drinking coffee on the harbour front.

I really liked the contrast between these orange and purple blossoms.

Kate knew a bit about flowers, apparently this is called the passion fruit flower...

And this nicknamed the 'potato flower' tree.

I just liked the bark on this tree.

And here's a cheeky kookaburra.

 Kate was great company and we chatted about this and that and swapped life stories. We had dinner with Dale who continued to enjoy the banter. Tomorrow I'm off to pastures new but not before a coffee with my new found, unlikely friends. I saw an advert for dermarolling so have booked myself in before I leave, now there's divine intervention. I will turn up to Maureen's looking like a scabby old bag; what can I say? Vanity is one of my many flaws. Before I sign off a joke from Dale that will make daddio smile:

'How do you make holy water?

Boil the hell out of it.'

Hope all is well in blighty, much love as always, Adilady over and out xxx

Mungo Brush and Crowdy Bay

Australians give such cool names to locations it makes thinking up titles really easy:)

After leaving Sydney I packed up the snail house and spent a very uneventful evening in an overpriced campsite in Hawk's Nest. Saturday was carnival day in neighbouring Tea's Garden so I wandered down to check it out. The high street was closed and lined with stalls of local people selling local produce as well as all their shit carbooty style, Dr GraEme would have been in his element.

I just couldn't get my head around the ozzie equivalent to the donkey ride. Surely these ships of the desert belong in the desert? Is that a bouncy camel I spy in the background? I guess they don't know what a castle is down under lol.

I stayed around to see the heats of whatever this is. I call it big brutish Bruce's bludgeoning logs.

And here are small serene Sheila's spinning threads, I don't think they were competing though.

To be honest, I find village fetes at home tres Dullsville and they are pretty much the same here in Oz so after about half an hour me and the snail headed for Mungo Brush (cool name) in Myall Lakes National Park.

These amazing sand dunes can be found at Black Point. An aboriginal heritage site because it is of cultural significance to the indigenous people. The settlers also massacred them here in 1800 and something but try and find somewhere where that didnt happen. What puzzles me is that discussing the butchery and genocide of the aborigines is still taboo here in middle Australia, descendents of the settlers seem embarrassed to talk about it. 

  

I have finally found out how to camp on the cheap in Oz, national park campsites are the way to go. Unfortunately they don't have showers:(

Meet Les and Roy my camping neighbours, we struck up conversation due to their fascination with the snail house. The lovely lady is Mrs Les and I'm ashamed to say that I can't remember her name. Mrs Roy, who I believe is called Judy was not around when I took the snap:( They well and truly looked after me, gave me drinking water (none available and I didn't know), fed me cups of tea, eggs and bacon and advised me on routes. A big THANKS to you all, it was a real pleasure to meet you.

This is the wistful sunset over the lake. I shared it and a beer with a bunch of pissed up prawn catchers up for the weekend from Newcastle (NSW not Tyneside). 

The following day after breakfasting with Roy and Judy I went for a 4 hour hike through the rainforest, around the lakes and along the beach. Here are the photos.

 

The map said to 'make your way through the bush to the sand dunes' but it was really dense. I did give it a go but felt like the prince from sleeping beauty fighting my way through the thorns. I got covered in scratches and was a bit nervous about meeting snakes so decided to walk along the road, I did head to the beach via a different route though.

The sea here is wild

And although the beach is beautiful it was covered with a plague of dead birds, they were either crows or seabirds blackened by oil. I stopped counting corpses when I got to 50, all a bit spooky, fortunately I don't believe in omens.

I got back to camp around 2ish, said my goodbyes and headed for Crowdy Bay, this is the snail house on the ferry.

I took a detour via Seals Rock to visit the famous lighthouse at Suagarloaf Point.

A paraglider, I have a voucher to do that when I get home. What fun!

This is the closest I have got to photographing the bird of prey I keep seeing. Not being a twitcher I have no idea of species but I know they get ospreys around here.

Pictures of the lighthouse and surrounding views.

I got to a basic campsite at Crowdy Gap around 7ish. The only other people there were 3 stoned teenagers painting a nude woman on the side of their campervan. So early to bed and early to rise for Adilady, this morning I headed for Diamond Head.

When I arrived these cuties were waiting to greet me...

And the beach was stunning.

This feature is called 'Split Rock'.

I spent 2 happy hours on the beach finishing my book and I am now in Laurieton library throwing this bloggington together, I have about 5 minutes left!

I'm about to hit the road for Hat Head NP. I'm in desperate need of a shower, my hair itches and my skin is terrible. I can't believe I used to be a styley bird who wore perfume, lipstick and had a skincare regime! The good thing is I don't give a monkies cos I'm having a ball. Much love and sorry this bloggage is sooo badly written, over and out xxx

Sculpture by the Sea; 2013

Well I made the effort to go back to Bondi Beach and repeat the walk (although in reverse) to Coogee; the main reason was to check out the 'sculpture by the sea' exhibition. I am so glad I did, I saw some truly unique and beautiful creations - what a lot of talent there is in the world. The place was packed with truck loads of pensioners, pedagogs and pupils which is how it should be for a free artistic event on this scale. Still, part of me did crave the place to myself at sunrise so that I could wander at my leisure without the crowds and noise. Below is a selection of my favourites, I will save my top 3 until last. I have a clear favourite by a mile, which is unusual for me. It is also the obvious choice lol.

 

 

Top 3 in reverse order:

Third place: I love these mirrored dogs, almost invisible in the sand.

Runner up: a staircase to infinity, I wonder where it leads?

Winner by a mile: this creation depends on form and location. It's like a magical crystal ball where you can capture your happy place; sneaking a peek when you are feeling blue...

So I have been pondering my newly found happy state (long may it continue) considering only two months ago I suffered heart breakingtons and felt very alone and sad; it is because I am on phase 2 of the 3 stage recovery process.

Phase 1 involves letting go of anger and realising nobody is to blame, things just got too hard for one or both. It took me a long time to work through phase 1 after my marriage collapsed although I'm glad I did it properly as Kris and I can now be friends.

Phase 2 is accepting and loving yourself and enjoying being alone. I'm good as a solo act and I do mean 'good' and not 'better.' I'd still like to meet someone special but it has to be the right someone; no making do for this Adilady.

Phase 3 is moving on. There wasn't enough love to make things work which means it wasn't meant to be.

So CSB, if you are still reading bloggingtons then that is where I am at. Emotional brain is still having pipedreams about second chances and  reconciliations at the airport but this is real life not a schmaltzy movie. So I'm guessing phase 3 will probably kick in on my return, which is pretty good timing really;)

I'm now back on the road and currently in Tea Gardens about to make my way to Mungo Brush. I have no idea when I will next be able to update bloggage but will try my best. A big HAPPY BIRTHDAY for daddio, who is 79 years young tomorrow. All my love to you dad and many thanks for the regular e mail updates. I'm now off to check out a village fete, over and out:D