10th August 2015 The crayfish trap I’d ordered from eBay finally turned up, and I was practically salivating at the thought of a wok brimming with succulent American interlopers. Armed with the recommended bait, cat food, no less, I set the trap in a deep pool just a few yards upriver from the little garden… Continue Reading

13th July 2015 Summer truly announced itself on the 1st of July when the country baked under clear blue skies and a scorching 37 degrees. The day before had been warm enough, prompting Jamie and a gaggle of his mates to descend on the pool for a splash and a cool-down. But as the real… Continue Reading

28th June 2015 The day after returning from Australia, the family gathered in Willow Bank during the evening for a meal. I gave Sue a copper bracelet with inset magnets to help her wrist, purchased in Byron Bay, and presented Charlotte and Sarah with bracelets made of shells, a small keepsake from the trip. Sunday… Continue Reading

10th June 2015 At 5:30 am, it was still dark enough to clearly see the Southern Cross directly overhead as I climbed out of the campervan. I first noticed it reflected through the gum trees in the little pool next to where we were parked. How apt, I thought, as this marked the start of… Continue Reading

9th June 2015 Another good night’s sleep! This morning, Jamie made coffee and breakfast while I had a shower. The shower blocks at both campsites we’ve stayed at have been excellent, with plenty of hot water. However, unlike Katoomba, where the block was directly behind our van, the one here is a couple of minutes’… Continue Reading

8th June 2015 We both had a much warmer night this time, so much so that we even had to open one of the windows to keep cool. Only one sleeping bag was needed, and at 8 am, we were greeted by a bright yellow sun, a clear blue sky, and a very large bird… Continue Reading

7th June 2015 Surprisingly, despite being “up in the gods,” I had a warm and peaceful night’s sleep, while Jamie once again grumbled about enduring a freezing night down in the hellish depths of ‘Shiela. Perhaps the difference was that I’d used two sleeping bags, whereas he hadn’t. Thankfully, tonight’s forecast in Byron Bay suggests… Continue Reading

6th June 2015 I slept as snug as a bug in a rug until Jamie climbed down from his lofty perch at 8 a.m. We’ve agreed to alternate the sleeping arrangements, and I couldn’t help but feel smug as Jamie grumbled about his freezing, cramped night. The ground was frosty this morning, but once again,… Continue Reading

5th June 2015 What a cold night! Adding to the discomfort, we had rain and wind, and Jamie’s late-night trips to the loo rattled and rocked Sheila enough to disturb my sleep. That said, I must have managed a fair bit of rest as I woke around 9 a.m. to find Jamie returning from a… Continue Reading

4th June 2015 I woke in the night feeling rather cold. On investigating (in the dark), I discovered that the window was wide open. Jamie, having washed his underwear before going to bed, had decided that leaving the window open would help them dry faster. I closed it and went back to bed, sleeping soundly… Continue Reading