I recently spent some time back home on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia, probably a little more time than my friends (who I was crashing with) had expected… LOL!
…but it gave me pause to look at familiar places through different eyes
Seriously, when is the last time you actually took the time to see where you live …? yes I do mean see...and no, don’t tell me you see it every day.
Looking at familiar loved places through a different lens, as it were, can be as wonderful as actually going on a holiday and a lot cheaper!
So I behaved as a tourist rather than a local resident and decided to go bumbering around…
I even did some research about some of the attractions I should include in my itinerary!
And so …
I spent many hours walking along familiar beaches breathing in the fresh sea smell and watching the waves roll in endlessly with the sunlight sparkling on the spray as the waves crashed on the shore.
I watched the birds preen, play and squawk amongst themselves before chasing clueless tourists who had food on them – all happening while I desperately tried to catch just one magic shot of birds in flight that was not blurred.
I walked across the world famous Sea-Cliff Bridge that I had driven across so many times, having lost count of the times I would say to myself ….”must do that one day”
I drove up and down the coast taking in the tourist signs ….and the views from Bald Hill Stanwell Tops to Black Head Beach in Gerroa were simply breathtaking.
I took a number of walks around Lake Illawarra where the Pelicans are so friendly that you can get up pretty close and personal …so close that they look like cartoon characters!
I got up early to see the spectacular colours of the sunrise as the sun peeked over the watery horizon and then watched in awe as it set behind the incredible Illawarra escarpment with the colours of the rainbow glowing.
Then the ‘Super Storm’ of June hit the east coast of Australia and I suddenly spent the following chasing the waves to get the best shot I could …And well. I’ve gotta say that from some 1500 photos there were a couple of lucky moments when I pointed and clicked at precisely the right moment …practice makes perfect!
….I was rained on, covered in sand and wind blown with salt water spray … it was certainly exhilarating!
Clearly Poseidon had the shits with us mere mortals and in a fit of temper struck the ocean floor with his trident sending the waves hurtling to the nearest shore.
I had never actually seen the ocean so angry …mind you, I have to confess that I have never really looked! And isn’t that the point? When do we ever look?
It’s now time for me to (finally!) leave Wollongong and indeed Australia. But, I now consider that my time at home was a significant part of my journey to date, rather than some lost time waiting around and annoying my friends with my couch surfing requests.
I recommend that the next time you have a day off, take your dog or kids or just yourself for a drive or a walk and really see where you live!
I guarantee you it will be eye opening…
Happy bumbering
