This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
We flew to Melbourne for the weekend and stayed with friends that we had met for only 6 hours in a hotel in Ile de Re and then kept up an email correspondence for two years which included the line from them, “if ever you are in Australia then you must visit” and we did!! I am not sure who was more surprised, us with our spontaneity or them that ‘these Pommies would be so much fun’, as I think we are known down here as being so reserved and not risk taking! Well it worked brilliantly, as if we had known them for decades, all helped by the fact that the Aussies are so welcoming and wanting for you to have a good time and ultimately love their country as much as they do. It was an alcohol fuelled weekend, with vodka martinis giving it a kick-start! We visited an animal sanctuary, ate in a pub and also in a top fusion restaurant, viewed their national galleries, had dinner with their family and then a party with many of their local friends. It was a blast and we left wanting them to come to the UK so that we could give them the same hospitality!
We flew onto Byron Bay and met up with more friends for a few beach days. Last night we had a barbie using the public barbecue facility where everyone brings their own food and there are tables, running water and very clean cooking facilities. Everyone shared or more accurately I think some of the Aussies recognised that we were first-timers and again wanted us to fully enjoy their way of life so OH returned to the table with some potato bake from our neighbours on the beach!! It was rounded off with local champagne, mangoes eaten in their skins that were like liquid sunshine, a moonlit walk on the beach, spotting the Orion (constellation), bed by 10 pm feeling that we could embrace this way of living in a minute.
I was intrigued by all the travellers, some of whom were gappies but many seemed to be taking a gap decade rather than just a limiting year, actually I met a few with beards, dreadlocks and wrinkles who had obviously opted for the ‘Gap-Life’. Their worldly possessions were all in their camper van and they just followed the sun and the surf doing jobs along the way such as harvesting the olives. Their lives were care-free, happy and relaxed not dogged by material needs and money worries – just maybe they have got it right and we have got it wrong as we are constantly chasing our tails with less time to enjoy the world we live in.
Macadamia nuts are indigenous to this area and are completely addictive but sadly they are low in protein and high in fats which is just my luck, plus who knew that they are also highly toxic to dogs so won’t be bringing a bag home. Aussies are very keen on gluten free foods and everywhere we go there are signs outside the cafes advertising this fact.
We went yesterday to a very small town in land called Bangalow with a population of 1902!! However it has about 10 cafe restaurants, the same number of clothes and gift shops so clearly they expect lots of visitors!!
Internet is a bit dodgy outside the main Australian cities but everyone just says “No worries” which is pretty much the answer to everything…..and it is one I am going to adopt!
