Winding Down

Now that I am so close to home, I am keen to push on. I am in Narrabri and will stay the night at the showgrounds, with hot showers available. It's interesting how decisions boil down to fundamentals like hot showers and shade.

A lovely spot for an afternoon siesta

I imagine it is like this when a local emergency threatens - what is important enough to spend time on. It used to be that the first thing people grabbed was family photos and, no doubt there are some that are irreplaceable. For most of us now, our photos are easily accessible through social media and on friends' devices.

For us travellers, decisions are also very simple. Is this a safe place to stay overnight? Am I close enough to fellow campers to feel secure but far enough way to be private? Is there shade and shelter without the risk of falling tree branches? Will it be quiet enough to sleep? Is there easy egress in case of an emergency? Sometimes we might be looking for water, power, internet access or phone. But really, once we are on the road, our needs are few.

This time next week I expect to be home and I know it doesn't take long to get busy again.  It's a long time since I have seen the family so I hope to arrange a get together fairly soon.And there are friends I didn't say goodbye to in October. If I want to stay friends, I had better do something about that. I know I am already of the agenda for the next Toastmasters meeting at Peninsula and I definitely want to attend each of my other clubs. and keep my membership up to date. In six weeks I have to be in Mackay to look after Tim and Oscar so I have a busy six weeks ahead of me.

And the Van Rocked

Wow! I think all of NSW must be on the move - or at least all the topsoil and leaves. I've just checked out Facebook posts and everyone I know seems to be battening down. I had two nights at Forbes and the van rocked both nights. No, I wasn't entertaining or plying a trade! There were 25-35 knot winds. It was good weather for hot soup and a few rows of knitting.

I spent a pleasant couple of hours in Yeoval at the Banjo Patterson museum. Although I have always appreciated his poetry, I really didn't know much about his life, particularly as a war correspondent in the Boer war and his involvement in WW1. I didn't know that he had been awarded an OBE (or CBE?) or that he is listed among the 100 most influential Australians - though I would have assumed that. I talked to the curator (and creator) of the museum for ages and he showed me some of the treasures that are not on display.

One fascinating item was a letter from Banjo's father is a bank manager in Lanark, Scotland that ended up in the museum through an incredible pathway. The letter was the very old style of paper folded, sealed with wax, with three stamps attached. The stamps, over 150 years old, have become very valuable and the letter was bought by an American philatelist who, for some serendipitous reason, had not removed the stamps. When he died, his estate sold the letter as part of the collection to an Australian stamp collector who realised the historical significance of the letter and offered it to the museum. It was obviously meant to be.

After a good hot free shower at the Yeoval showgrounds, I pushed on to Dubbo as it was still early in the afternoon. I am overnighting at a Member Stop Over (MSO) with four other vans. The owner Peter has a huge area and could probably fit about 20 rigs if needed. He and his wife Janet are trying to get enough information to persuade the Dubbo council to make the city an RV friendly town. They have asked visitors to list their spending in the town. After topping up my fuel and having a coffee in town, I accumulated $110 just on my way in. I will probably have to get a few groceries in the morning so there go another few dollars. Anyone who does any sightseeing or visits the zoo will easily double that amount. It would be interesting to see how much is spent in town from the few CMCA members who use the MSO.

Time at Temora

I overestimated my stamina today. I had expected to get much further but I am at Temora tonight - an unexpected stop but a lovely little spot with free camping at the old railway station. It has been renovated and is now the Youth Centre, with beautifully set out rooms and activity areas.. It borders on an open grassy space with a small concert shell. Everything is within walking distance (so the brochures say) or within easy driving distance.

I was glad I had driven today when I went to the recreation centre. I saw that an hour in the heated pool was $3.50 so I didn't want to waste my hour changing. I changed in the car, gathered my gear and discovered that the centre is closed for the season. With the kids still at school till Friday and then ten days holiday for Easter, it seems ridiculous to close so early. I would have thought they'd want to be open for the holidays. The swimming was incidental to a hot shower. I now know where the showers are for a clean start to tomorrow. One of my camping neighbours said that the Catholic Secondary School is presenting the Passion Play tomorrow and I told her I will go with her. I will find the showers before then.

Next day.
There are some lovely little coffee shops in town. The Information Centre lady recommended a few but when I asked where she went, she said Living and Giving.While I was parking there Meredie, who was just passing, asked me about my van. As she had an appointment, she invited me to her home for lunch so she could have a good look. She is a recently retired teacher with a huge task of renovating her home which is more than 120 years old. At the same time she is having a huge shed built to accommodate a motor home (for travels in the future) and to serve as her studio. She makes Venetian glass beads for jewellery and bespoke buttons. I even had a lesson - well I observed Meredie as I would never be steady enough for such precise work. Oh, and she cooked delicious fresh crumbed brains for lunch. I didn't remember about the Passion Play until it was far too late - but I had a shower at Meredie's house - an offer too good to refuse.

By the time I had had my little kindy kip, my parking area was a buzz of activity. There had been a fun run for drug awareness (or something similar) and the kids had all arrived for a barbecue and a band at the station. I chatted to the school chaplain for a while when she also came over to look at my van. (A lot of solo women see the small Sprinter as a good introduction to travel.) After the kids' celebrations finished, another band was to start up in the park. I decided that a night at the Club with a book to read, pokies to play and drinks on tap was a viable alternative to the camp ground entertainment. I didn't stay terribly late but everything was quiet when I returned.