What a week! or two!

One of my goals for this next chapter of travel is to be more outgoing and social. Once I boarded the boat, I got talking to another passenger. Great start!

It’s actually not that hard to find something in common with someone else (especially if you hailed from Tassie), we’re all human after all.

I stayed the night at Mount Duneed and headed into Barwon Heads in the morning. I was cruising around checking out the town and saw lots of people walking and jogging, so I decided to go walking and jogging.

Barwon Heads is a really cute little Surf Coast town. I had visited and swooned over the area a bit when I lived in Melbourne, but that was years ago now and I don’t have real good memory so I had the opportunity to swoon once again.

I’ve been trying to jog a little each time I go for a walk and I can report, nearly 2 weeks on I am feeling way more energetic and powerful with jogging. I don’t go for long or really push myself, but I am definitely getting further and quicker recovery time to go again with each bout I run.

I travelled on down to Torquay where I spent the rest of the day.

I absolutely love Torquay.

If it wasn’t so cold, I would move there in a heartbeat. The surf outlets, the surf beaches, the colours! Ohmigosh.

Stopped for coffee – did I tell you my Dad built a table for my tailgate?!

This makes life so much easier.

Found a little cliff to perch myself on and finish reading my book. I adored this book. I love Marian Keyes’ work, especially from the 90s.

My current aesthetic is definitely 90s/early 00s at the moment, given I don’t trust the rapid rise of AI etc. The Analog lifestyle aligns with the off-grid lifestyle I live.

Following my body dysphoria in Tas, I have decided to be proactive and make sure I am getting 10k steps in a day. It’s easier while you’re “on the road” as there isn’t a couch (ha) but it also helps prepare me for the long drive ahead.

I camped at a free campsite in Seymour on my last day in Melbourne – the weather was starting to get icky and I really don’t like the city. I felt the anxiety building and decided to bounce.

Daylight savings being turned off is kinda messing with me, it works well for living in your car – go to bed when it gets dark and wake up with the light – but it can catch you out when you’re not at the destination or you haven’t calculated your trip properly.

I drove 10 hours on my first day of travel. Seymour to Shellharbour.
I never expected this – I’m a 4-5 hour drive max kinda girl.

All I can say, is inland roads are very boring and non-stimulating and I wanted to get to the coast as soon as possible.

I started listening to Bridget Jones Diary which was very entertaining and kept me going.

I tried reading it last year, but struggled because she is obsessed with/notes down her weight and food intake, but listening to it was like listening to the movie.

I had originally planned to stay the night in Yass, but as I passed the turnoff I thought, fuck this I can drive a little further to Woollongong.

I stopped in Goulbourn for a quick rest and the sun was starting to leave the sky. I tried to press on to Robertson, where there is a free camp but started to feel anxious about having to sign in at the premise. I kept driving around looking for a safe space to park, but by this time it was dark and I’m driving around in a very country area. I wasn’t happy.

I have no disrespect for the country – I myself am from the country and that’s why I don’t trust country towns I am not familiar with.

I went to Fitzroy Falls to suss if anyone else was camping there – nope – and decided to soldier on. Little did I know, I would be driving down the side of a mountain, twists and hairpin turns, and intermittent rain. Love my life!

I was a bit disappointed once I realised that I’d passed so many waterfalls!!! I would have loved to check them out but didn’t want to head back over and drive for an hour. Maybe on the way back.

Alas, I arrived in Shellharbour and found a safe place to park for the night. A bit of cupping on my back gave reprieve to my tired muscles and I hit the hay.

In the morning, I went for a walk/jog around the harbour, then went for a swim. The perfect cover for using the shower and washing my hair.

I hit the road to Sydney – a detour I would have liked to miss – I’ve been wanting a bike rack, but didn’t want to pay $500+ for a brand new one. I found one on Marketplace for $100 and went for the bargain. The lovely seller even installed it for me.

Cruised up to Port Macquarie, the weather was getting very tropical up the mid-north coast. Giving Cairns vibes… Rainy, green and humid. I really didn’t expect it this far down, because I am so used to the far north but I was pleasantly surprised.

I found a safe space to sleep for the night – unpacked the kitchen to cook dinner but it was very windy by the sea, so I made do with a protein shake. Comes in handy!

En route to Goldy!

I have a housesitting gig in Gold Coast, so I needed to arrive with time to meet the residents (human and otherwise).

I stopped at the Big Banana on my way through Coffs. I love Coffs Harbour, but the weather was really poor so a quick trip to the landmark was all that was in store.

I would like to go to Byron for a day or two, I went the week before before Covid hit (feels like a lifetime ago) and it’s always been somewhere that interested me. Once again, the weather wasn’t real good so I didn’t bother. (That’s a half-truth, I missed the turn off)

I went to Mullimbimby instead.

I’ve heard that Mullumbimby is what Byron Bay was 20-30 years ago. I didn’t get a good look around because of the rain, but it was a super cute town.

The petrol station had health foods (my fave). I fucking love health conscious areas.

I picked up some Loco Love in preparation for my Luteal phase.

When I’ve finished housesitting in Gold Coast, I have a week or two before I start my next stint. I’d like to head down to Byron and check out the Hinterland during that time.

Xx