This is a test. Sent predawn of Tumut and first hint of light far to the east.
shots sunrise
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9 AM
Sitting at the makeshift boat ramp near the racecourse by the Tumut River, absolutely buggered. Boiling a billy to shower. Sure to create negativity but I’m too tired to care, and don’t want to hang around.
I’ve the most dangerous part of the trip to come and I’m at my worst to do it.
Had a critical incident with this website that put me off updating all the photos. Fixed. Have to do that later.
Toilet in the dark no phone up Sheridan St, just showered. To Woolies, get water, and to Tumut where I’ve wanted to see for years. Bit isolated in the old van so a but worried, but just gonna do it.
Where water-
10.46 AM
Done in Gundagai. Leaving now. Glucose going low – I fucking hate this, every day. For the next hour I have to monitor levels minute by minute but usually something else also presses.
So I leave, can’t glimpse the number because it’s illegal and the phone blacks out anyway even though on the longest setting, and I have big troubles.
11.35 AM
Arrived in Tumut and stopped. Absolutely love it. River is thumping along – terrific sound.
Tumut
7.30 PM
Just set up stealth camping behind the old railway station, near to a house and nect to a fucking big noisy motor in a parked truck. Shit scared I’ll get told to move on.
Spent a total of four hours looking for a spot, very few. Got two more up the sleeve but if I’m gone here it doesn’t bode well.
Walked a couple of hours all around town. Took plenty of shots. I’ll load them up later. Just have to now both be aware and try to relax. Sugar levels low and weird all day. Doesn’t help.
Definitely a tough stayover. Fingers crossed.
Buggered. Up early too.
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9 15 PM
Couldn’t get easy with streaming comedy per usual so tried to sleep about 8.30.
Now a huge semi trailer pulled in where you’re not allowed, and idled noisily, been there over 20 minutes. Then killed the engine but it’s emitting this loud high pitched constant noise, like a vacuum cleaner motor but dominating. No othet truck does this and I get the only fucking one. Excruciating. If he’s there overnight I’m in real trouble. Have to move and I’m set up to sleep.
The morning unfolded peacefully – lapped it up – and uneventfully except for the gentle visitors. Cacophony now, from the trees.
BOM is suggesting thunderstorms and some rain at Tumut. Not so much here, but some. Not smart to drive there and risk rain. Don’t know my way around, either, and now do a little here. So it’ll be another day in Gundagai. I’ll walk the main street in a while.
Lovely to be in the country, right outside the door.
2 PM
Bad day. Low sugar, danger levels, twice. Heatwave conditions. I was weak, shaky, vague, with whiteout vision.
Laying down now and trying to pick up.
Atmosphere getting heavy so forecast thunderstorm might happen.
Some miscellaneous Gundagai shots:
4.05 PM
Went for a walk to the toilets and both sides of the street remaining, came across a pen museum, very unusual, and back now to a generator running.
So I’m on the van, in a heatwave, unwell, and I’m not going to open the flowthrough rear hatch because I’ll get a noise headache for sure.
Same thing. People use generators when they’re surrounded by other people. Not stopping somewhere isolated. Forcing other people to suffer their shit. Who cares? They don’t. They just don’t care. Everyone else can just get fucked.
I can’t stand the disruptive noise or being around that attitude. So profoundly unpleasant.
Gundagai is a fabulous place and zo can’t blame the heat on it, but I’ve had enough. It’s just a main street.
Have to see the Murrumbidgee here though.
5.20 PM
This arsehole.
The generator has been running for an hour and a half that I know and the prick just came out and filled it up again with petrol. People all around him.
6.16vPM
Disturbance stopped, looks like the thing is packed away. Fingers crossed. 2½ hours is far too much.
Finally can open up the van.
7.55 PM
Wind struck suddenly about 6.30 and a branch cracked loudly and fell somewhere close, so I rechecked the location given the wind direction and moved the car.
Had a towel shower. The place filled quickly and someone moved into my old spot nearby. Now it’s raining, which is fabulous ten times over.
I’ve got the dustbin drip deflectors up cracked windows either side, and looking forward to a thunderstormy possibly eventful and wonderfully cool night.
9 PM
More motorhomes came in. A caravan backed in across the path without reversing lights. Rooftops and vans. It’s packed.
Maybe the weather in the region drove them in, but it’s full on, like Bodalla SF. Worrying someone will hit into the van.
Hot and steamy again. Hopefully I can get a good night’s sleep.
Several stages completed today in the heat. Long way to go, but first day results here enable me to work on them later.
Set up next to the grand big fucker Red River Gum (I looked it up), at Morley’s RV stop, looking towards Prince Alfred Bridge (I looked that up too).
2.55 PM
Long day painting in the heat. Left here about 9am and found a clean modern toilet facility and tap water, near the BBQs in Sheridan St at the library end.
Across the road then to Woolies.
Back to Morley’s for a shower. Then painted.
Some arrivals earlier who talk loudly and worry me, but one there on his own now is quiet. Two vehicles. I expect they’re drinking and it could well be a horrible night until they shut down but we’ll see.
Lots of vehicles in and out. It might fill up tonight.
5 PM
Sure enough, the selfish trouble-looking people in two vehicles have started a generator. Going 15 minutes now. Set up smack in the open so everyone has to hear it.
It’s so fucking selfish and inconsiderate. People do this. They sit out the day and then run a constantly disturbing noisy generator at the exact time everyone else is setting in to relax. Absolutely got me fucked how they can do it.
Why don’t they run the arsehole machine before they come anywhere near other people ‘ who are always dead quiet! Do it in the bush or bu the highway.
But no. They’ve got to be in a rest area and do it late in the day so they can watch television at night.
Generators should be banned from areas with people.
So that’s arsehole act number 1. There’ll be more from these pricks. Arseholes!
Do they look like they give a fuck about anyone else?
That generator is surrounded by other people, about 10 vehicles.
6.18 PM
It’s been off for 15 minutes and the peace is wonderful.
Still muggy sweltering hot. Cooked.
8.10 PM
Darkness coming in but no cool. Stifling debilitating hot. Just had a towel shower which was lovely, although the water out of the van tank, usually chilly, was mild. Back to feeling hit again instantly.
Anyway, despite the lethargy and oppression, been a good day to remember Gundagai by in the future. Paintings are special like that.
