Category: Posted on the fly

Seconds ago, using "night" mode on the camera.

The shots of the rest area are actually taken in the dark. In others, barely light from predawn with the moon receding behind mist shrouded mountains.

I noticed this morning a couple of other vans had stopped over. Lovely foggy, warery morning. A real joy to see and feel it unfold from the night.

UPDATE 7.35 AM

Just went outside to get these shots of wonderful persisting fog and got assaulted by a hundred voracious flies.

UPDATE 12 NOON

Thunderstorm brewing. Here at Quaama low site having painted all morning. A bloke prior to that stuck his stickybeak head in the window to see if I was alright Sure. He lives up the road and my being at hilltop day after day spun out his little head. Lives with his wife, who’s been doing watercolours all her life, won Quaama awards or some such (birds), on their daughter’s property.

“It’s not normal, ” the daughter told him so, on his way for the daily paper at Quaama store, he stuck his head in.

Nice enough, and had a lot to say about neighbours.

A few people have called in to the toilets, and the highway is very busy. Nonstop.

It’ll be good to leave here after tonight. Been a very good escape. Not at all looking forward to Waldren’s Swamp rest area, mainly because of the jamming up close and, particularly, the Pests of Waldrens Swamp. Daniel and Jarnie. Guaranteed to disturb, and act like it’s theirs and not the community’s. Smug selfishness. Horrible.

As soon as I can (Bluetti hold up) I’ll get up on the tablelands.

2.15 PM

Gone up to hilltop. The storm has passed. Going to just chill and enjoy the spot, leaving tomorrow. Bit weary from painting earlier.

The updated works from today. Still a long way to go on some.

7.45 AM

Requiring food I’ll have to go to Bermagui or Bega today, which gives me something to do and therefore a false sense of purpose.

I might paint for a few hours beforehand.

No one stopped over, here at hilltop Quaama. Very damp landscape to wake to. Actually woke at 2 15AM and listened to radio, couldn’t turn the damn thing off without glasses and sparked another sleepless passage.

I’m really just counting out the days right now. Christmas to New Years and their relevant weekends are the worst for me. I need to reduce everything to the task of getting through the period.

So it’s not long now. Three more nights, storage opens and I can hopefully finish with the idiotic Bluetti and get away properly.

UPDATE 2.45 PM

Back at Quaama. Today: shower at the bush spot near Bermy turn off, then into Bermagui. Groceries. Down to Cuttagee after the lookout. Faffed around the whole time. Lunch at Cuttagee.

Back to Cobargo where I checked out the field on which the Dolphins I coached beat Cobargo in the Grand Final. Good memories.

Then low blood sugar after lunch, unusually. Took food nibbles but no good. Stopped at Cobargo pub until it came good, had coke no sugar.

Months ago I put $10 into the pokies at BBay Ex Services and took out $40. Today I put that 40 into Cobargo and won two jackpots and took out 200. Could have easily been a lot more. I got out of there. I’ve known for days I’d win.

Photos from the day.

Cool, still morning.This looks over the low range to Bermagui. 

Mist shot through an unclean window, later:

Oats And Peanut Butter Breakfast

After six years of oats and almond meal for breakfast, today is a first. We’ll see how the sugar levels respond.

9.25 AM

Showered, leaving hilltop for creekstop

Glucose levels are brilliant.

Loving patches of sunlight, playing with the landscape.

UPDATE 2.30 PM

Big day. Went down the hill to the creek stop, put on the flynet because the flies were horrendous, and painted all day. Three new ones inspired by the Quaama valleys landscape.

Met three motorbike riders, serious travel rigs both bikes, and struck up immediate rapport. They fed me bits of unusual foods they were carrying, had studied nursing and were from Sydney, going to Melbourne, and with hearty goodbyes roared off on their way. Indonesian heritage. Terrific to meet them. Man, wife and probably friend.

Sun is out now and belting.

Glucose levels have been superb all day. No big post breakfast hike or pre lunch plummet.

Going for a short walk to the creek, then up the hill. Hopefully the repetitive noise isn’t thete this afternoon. Hate it. Should be banned but no one else (probably) hears it.

Windy bleak chilly overcast empty morning. The boomg noises are back. A huntsman dropped out of the toilet roll dispenser, onto the floor when I couldn’t easily move  That lightly threatening kind of morning, absent completely of any new year celebration. 

150 yds of no one:

Windswept, desolate and very, very lonely. Trying to work out where to have a shower: out of the cold wind.

The repetitive pounding sound is going to get to me – seems to come from a farm shown in the dawn photo – so I’ll have to fuck off and probably stay down the hill.

While I remember it. I could see distant fireworks last night, possibly and likely in Bega. 8.30 to 9.15 on and off, before sleep.

It’s now 9 AM. Clueless again.

UPDATE 9.35 AM

These showers are sensational. 10x the buzz. Had the car sideways to the wind, no one could see from the rest area entrance side. Wet patch visible:

Took time for a shave during it, too.

Big problem now – relentless flies.

UPDATE 10.20 AM

Arrived Bega. I don’t know why. Will try to save petrol and stay nearby.

UPDATE 11.40 AM

Arrived Merimbula

Quick look around, have a piss, and get out of there. Frantic scatty energy.

1.10 PM

Back in Bega. Sleepy. Bit lost internally. Don’t know where I’m staying.

3.20 PM

Quaama Hilltop

Back. Busy highway, no one here. Except flies.

And that fucking pounding noise. Four booms, dame again , over and over.

I called in, got out of the car, at the SMHighway turnoff area but it was too dusty, and someone else will stop, and it’s not big enough for one close.

ABOUT BERMAGUI:

It’s a confusing place. I thought I was travelling north after a couple of bridges and town turns, but was going south. Went to the edge of Pambula but though the traffic wasn’t clogged it was heavy and stressed. The whole place seemed stressed and rushing. It’s just not the time of year to be there. I had to have a look though, and keep ip to date.

The trip from Bega is easy and quite flat down along the valley to the coast then literally down the hill to the town. Some great views westward but hard to stop.

Late autumn would be sensational.