Updated:

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.

Terrible year for the world. Could be a lot worse next year, now upon us.

Started visually thus:

Strange and disturbing noise all last day and night. Boom boom boom. Like a 3 bang drum. Bit torturous.

UPDATE 4.05 PM

Shower at Cobargo but foolishly forgot my razor,after waiting 45 minutes because the bloke is out between 9 and 10. Then Bermagui and slept on the headland. Rain spotted in, so I came back to the hilltop rest area, installed a new sensor, and started cooking dinner.

Boring and quiet for my New Years and hoping it stays that way.

UPDATE 5.15 PM

UPDATE 7.30 PM

Southerly has come through and it’s cold, strong breezy and overcast and lonely and bleak. Nothing communal about this place right now.

Which is great and I hope it lasts. I don’t want a noisy car or drunks.

Just me and the lonely bleak landscape.

Mist and rain up in the mountains, light drizzle suspended in the air, though some drops have fallen.

This could be a wild, hillscape bare evening, if no one bothers me, descending into dark. So much for the year. I’ve no idea what it meant for me, other than I’m homeless.

Breathtaking.

UPDATE 9.45 AM

Windy cold and flies at Quaama, on the way to Bega saw this, again. Had a shower right beside the highway, no one knew, warm and safe and gravel for sinkage.

Feels brilliant.

Cobargo shower closed, also, between 9 and 10.

UPDATE 3.20 PM

Bega for shopping and a closer look around. Got some new glasses eventually.

Thought about staying. There are no public toilets outside that I can find. Not easy to piss, unless near the shopping centre or hospital.

But thought I might go to Bermagui again tomorrow, possibly stay a bit for New Years, and stop over at the bush spot nearby.

That meant staying again at Quaama. Someone was in the Bega make-do stopover spot so I quietly checked it out and left without stopping.

Go here now to Quaama and someone is in the spot I’ve twice used, way down the end. Not far away, not too close, I’m behind in the place I first stayed.

But he’s going. So I’m in!

Flies are relentless.

P.S In moving I saw my lights were left on and for 15 minutes including hello to me having a coffee in the van, he didn’t say a thing.

The above was early light. Then this unfolded. Lovely morning indeed.

UPDATE 8.00 AM

First flies.

UPDATE 9 AM

Messing around with a new Brave browser and now getting the heck out of here because of flies. I’ll try to shower at Cobargo pool.

UPDATE 3 PM

Walked aimlessly around Bermagui. Incidentally, the Cobargo shower isv 20c coin and takes two coins for a good length. Best value anywhere. On to Bermagui to try to find potable water and reading glasses. Nothing. But found a tap near the surf lifesavers spot and filled up bottles.

No purpose. Dodging arseholes at Moruya, that’s all. Too windy and too many flies to paint.

I’m out at Quaama hilltop again, cool strong wind and flies inside the van not relentless this afternoon.

It’s been interesting looking around, nevertheless. I could live down this way But no supermarket except at Narooma, Bermagui and Bega.

Lost soul in lost days, counting down the worst period of the year.

This is in the south side of Bermagui:

UPDATE 4.40 PM

As for the flies mentioned above, they hadn’t found me yet. Covered in them since. Horror.

UPDATE 7.50 PM

Spicy sausages that I nearly threw up. Cold wind, no one at the rest area.

This is 100x of the rockface high up on the eastern mountains.

UPDATE 8.20 PM

I took these shots because I needed an excuse to get out of the car in case I had to deal with a cunt-jead. There’s one car way up yonder in 200 yards of car spots and cunt head pulls in 7 feet from my car. I catch him at his car and sure enough he’s staying the night.

Far too close, mate. He pulls his car back.

Next step, doof doof. I don’t want to get out again. So far, nice and quiet. But when you get a fucking thoughtless prick then it’s usually more than one problem. Fingers crossed.

But I can’t believe it. The other car up the way even remarked on how close he parked. It looked ridiculous, jammed up to mine when there’s 200 yds. And in the middle of nowhere, where space is what it’s all about. Unreal.