Sorry for the extended radio silence, friends! I finally made the move to Australia and have been getting readjusted to life down under for the past week… and making time for some fun and much needed relaxation. Moving across the world is kinda stressful but, I am proud to say, I experienced no jet lag whatsoever. A first for me.
Not unlike my last trip, my first weekend in the country was spent camping. This time in beautiful Bouddi (yes, it does in fact rhyme with booty) National Park, just an hour and a half’s drive north of Sydney’s CBD. Our campsite was called Little Beach. Very appropriate as it is located in a little cove with waves that looked great for surfing.
We saw a number of people heading into the water for a surf while we were there, and there was a hiking trail (Aussies call them “bush walks”, FYI) but for the most part we hung around the BBQ, talked, and drank beers. Apart from the beach being right there it was like any other camping trip.
Granted, said beach was rocky, you had to jump across this little stream to get to it (or I had to anyway with my short legs), and there were quite a few jellyfish strewn about so you had to watch where you stepped — but whatever man. Camping on the beach!
One of the many offending jellyfish around. Blue Bottles. Make a satisfying “pop” sound when you step on the bubbly bit, but avoid those stringy stingers at all costs!
Jellyfish sightings aside, I met some cool, if not a little bit crazy (but aren’t they all anyway?), Aussie folks and it was on this trip that I realized that falling asleep to the sound of the ocean outside your tent is my new favourite thing.
It’s like the music playing in the background at a fancy spa, or a track on a relaxation CD with a name like “Calming Seas”… only better. Unless you really have to go to the bathroom — and you will at some point, embrace it now — it will lull you into the most peaceful, restful slumber you’ve ever had. If you have the chance to try it, you should!
-C
