A treatise on sand and kindness

 As I write this, I sit looking at a sandy beach, this time in Merry Beach near Kioloa in Southern NSW.  This is my stopping point for the next few days.  A perfect little spot right on the beachfront, where I can watch sea eagles dive for fish, whale spouts (or plumes) in the distance and the constant rolling of the surf.  

We have many sandy beaches, many of them stunningly beautiful.  What has hit me in the last couple of weeks is we also have many types of sandy beaches.  The one I am looking over at the moment has that lovely white squeaky sand, hard where the tide comes in and soft and squeaky above the tide line.  Others have very coarse, sand, gritty and often pebbly.  Then there is the yellow sand, usually quite soft, and the smelly grey sand that has been dredged up from the bay, that the MP Council likes to spread across our beaches, in what seems a futile attempt to reclaim the beaches from the storms and wind. And the in between sand, not so white, not so soft.

So, yes I'm at yet another stop in my van life.  Since the last blog I've been to Boydtown Park, next to the Seahorse Inn, near Eden on the NSW coast.  The joy of travelling out of season is that the parks are almost empty so you can choose your own spot and often get discounted prices.  This one was $20.00 a night for powered site.  A beautiful sheltered bay with what apparently used to be quite a knockabout pub that is now a fairly upmarket hotel.  But a short walk on the beach and one can get a decent coffee or a cocktail while looking over the bay.  (I tried both at different times of the day!).  Could let Banjo off the leash while walking on the beach.  I do love a park that doesn't lock up the amenities and require a code, (which I often forget).  On the recommendation of Steve at Bemm River I bought a folding fire pit, $79.00, folds flat and works perfectly so get to enjoy a fire each night.

Except at Mollymook Holiday Park, would not go back there.  Friendly enough people, and reasonable amenities but in the middle of suburbia.  Had booked there for Storyfest, the writers festival.  Each of the venues was only a five minute drive so that worked fine, Banjo seems to cope with being left in the van while I go to the events, another advantage of being out of season, would be difficult in summer as I'd worry abut it getting too hot. Last event of the festival I mucked up completley thinking it was on Saturday and it was a Sunday so left the Mollymook park and went to Ulladulla Big 4, got another perfect spot just where the walk to the beach started, no coffee to walk to but only one night so I coped.

In between stayed at the Reflections park in Bermagui, just next to the beach, a not for profit park with acknowledgements of traditional owners on their site and in the site information which was good to see.  If I went back I'd ask for site 68, closest to the beach and a nice flat grass site.  Again, on the edge of town, short walk to a good coffee.   

And now at Ingenia Park Merry Beach, Kioloa.  Best place I've stayed in so far.  Camping spot right on beach, and, yes ten minute walk through the bush, which is starting to look more like rainforest - even got a leech, for good coffee.  Hint, if you book through Hipcamp they give you the 'shit' spot according to the office woman.  So I did ask if I could have a beachfront spot and I got that with an upgrade, let me pick my own spot.  

The last event I went to at the writers festival was Gina Chick (Survivor) and Hannah Assafari (Moroccan Soup Bar) and was titled Kindness.  Hannah and Gina talked about small acts of kindness that had an impact on them over a lifetime and how small acts of kindness can reverberate.  Something we need more than ever at the moment with the US and Israel bombing Iran and Israel continuing the genocide in Gaza and the Westbank.

Made me ponder on the acts of kindness I have experienced so far in my travels.  The man in the bait shop at Bemm River who spent time showing me how to rig my fishing line, Steve at Bemm River, collecting firewood to light the camp kitchen open fire for all to enjoy, the Bemm River caravan park operator taking half an hour working out why my van sink was blocked, the woman at Boydtown, checking my neck for a tick and removing it, another Steve at Boydtown inviting me to join their fire when I asked him where you could get wood.  The toothless and at Bermagui who heard me say to the servo operator that I was going to check my tires but  that pressure thing terrified me, s he jumped inane said, 'Don't worry love, I'll do it and you can watch me so you know it's safe'. Wee had a good conversation then about living in Bermagui, where he can rent a 2 bedroom house for $200.00 a week, instead of what he'd been paying in Sydney.  Twice, when I needed to go into a shop where dogs were not allowed had someone offer to look after Banjo while I shopped.  The woman here who upgraded my spot without charge.  

There are acts of kindness all around us, we just need to notice them and appreciate them and make sure we share that kindness around.

Travelling with a dog in a Ford Transit campervan, Rye to Sydney and Toowoomba

Jac

 Well my beloved travel companion - Jac, has headed off to wherever good dogs go to when they die.  But I now have Banjo, he of the little legs who joined our family 15 months ago, has watched the decline and eventual demise of Jac and is now my sole travelling companion.

This time we are travelling in a campervan, otherwise known as Betty Van White, the Pelican.  A Ford Transit.  It is a lot easier than trying to find pet friendly accommodation as there are so many campgrounds and caravan parks that are pet friendly. Bought it secondhand already fitted out and with a number of small trips have identified its quirks and issues and mostly had them fixed.

Farewell cake with van and Banjo made by board member of Rye Community House - thank you to Cliff

Have also now retired so am footloose and fancy free.  So this is a meandering trip - timelines are Milton in NSW for 19th June for a Writers Festival and Sydney by July 5th for the John Curtin oration with Albo.

So, little planning.  Did book first three nights at Paradise Valley neat Glenmaggie in Gippsland and Paradise it was!  One of those campgrounds with no bins - take out what you bring, but has a few powered sites and quite comfortable and clean facilities like toilets and showers and a very rudimentary camp kitchen which is in the process of being rebuilt.  All the campsites are along a very impressive river, with lots of deep swimming holes so have to return in summer.  This time contented ourselves with lots of walks along the river, climbing the hill and just chilling.  No mobile or internet coverage, so perfect way to start by turning off.  Sheep roam around, wallabies on other side of river and we met a very feisty fox, who was not at all flummoxed by our presence or banjo barking.

Lovely bunch of Filipinos staying nearby, all registered nurses working in aged care or hospitals.  Where would we be without immigration.  Also a lovely young couple who were camping for the 3rd time - impressive set up, sleeping tent and eating gazebo with walls joined by an overhead canopy and a lovely rug in between.  Had a heater, induction cooktop, shelves, a blow up Queen sized bed, all the comforts.  

One of the things  have indulged in is a compositing toilet.  Perfect for late night and first morning pee so don't have to get dressed and slog to the facilities. When I bought the van (already kitted out) it had a chemical toilet which, firstly, was so complicated and then, I hated the idea of using chemicals.  Found this one on line - Joolca Gotta Go and one of the short trip stays was at an organic farm where she was using them as the campsite toilets.  They are perfect!

I've been reading two books on my travels, Chris Hammer's The River about his journey tot he Murray Darling Basin and the complexities of river systems that lie behind it.  Has encouraged me to visit Bourke on my return trip.  The other is End of Morning by Chairman Clift, both give interesting perspectives on Australia and the bush.  

Spent a night in Marlo, beautiful place but didn't like the Ocean Shores camping and caravan park, although I chose to stay in the front part where there are many permanent set ups, do love the creativity, the different ways people have incorporated caravans into cabin styles and roofs which allow for storage of kayaks and other equipment.

Now writing I this sitting in front of the camp kitchen fire at Bemm River, where I have been absolutely taken by the friendliness and helpfulness of this tiny community (population around 90).  The caravan park where the owner (on lease from the Council) spent 30 minutes fixing my blocked drainage from my sink, the Bait shop people who helped me understand how to rig my fishing line and gave me fresh venison meat for Banjo and an elastic doovylacker to hold my air fryer in place without charge because 'I had it anyway love'.

Steve and Kimme who foraged for wood for this fire and are so happy to share it.  Not to mention the heavenly waterways with pelicans galore.  Had a try at fishing today, thanks to the Bait shop owner, but was foiled at the first stop by Banjo who decided he would leap off the wharf, so had to guide him back through the swamp to a place where the walkway was low enough that I could li him up.  But when I returned ot the wharf after locking him in the car, I was rewarded with a bemused posse of pelicans close by and another lot off a bit further.  I neve realised what noise pelicans made when they landed in the water.  

Campfire stories - one about a kelpie who jumped into a river in NT and almost got eaten by a crocodile.  After Banjo's little escapade I think I would be very nervous abut him around water in the NT.

Last night had dinner at the pub on the verandah because I had Banjo but with a heater, travelling in June does mean it's rather cold and the days are short.  We've had mornings of only 2 degrees.Tonight when I called in for a pre dinner drink they allowed Banjo inside in the warmth.