Warm and quiet from 4AM darkness to sunbreak. But there were gusts, and these battered the van.
A bit out of sorts, not knowing where to go, cooked oats near the servo, faffed around, and had a shower using the first of my ten visit entry card.
Did the geological timewalk again, had a look for the wreckers, got groceries and drove to the rest area in howling, disconcerting wind.
In the end, it turned out a warm night and very nice, mostly uninterrupted sleep.
It’s scary checking eyesight first thing, worried about further bleeding or worse: a bleed in the right eye which would leave me in life-threatening trouble.
But the half a percent improvement continues, the left eye also loosening the extreme dark grip in its new willow branches.
Rain also, through the night. Lovely, actually.
The big challenge since daylight is the dangerous westerly wind. I’m not game to drive in it. Here again tomorrow apparently but I’ll have to risk it then to get food.
Two overnighters, one still here plus the permanent who’s also gone.
Soon I guess I’ll try for a shower. I should use the tent but it would probably be more of a nuisance, blown around, squashed.
Before too long lunch visitors will arrive.
Current view:
UPDATE 12.25PM
Well that was frenetic. Had a shower in very cramped space and horrible mad wind that blew out the jet burner five times, with people coming and going in various ways. Had to do it to wash the eyes.
Hand held, because of the wind and need to hurry. Not pleasant, except now afterwards sitting in a warm shelter, the van. And hiding away, but I’m sure its going to be okay, without complaints.
Frenetic and stressful but done and good, the shower gear packed away.
That’s the log I stood on, and the ants nest next to it and the van which I didn’t disturb.
UPDATE 2.28PM
Back from a 65 minute walk from the rest area directly up the hill to the A.C.T. N.S.W. border, on the bush track that I read was once a racetrack, but what kind of race I don’t know, or whether it was up or downhill.
Had to get exercise and rest the eyes with bushland sight.
On the bottom left (mobile view) is the top of the hill and border. Also wombat hole, old rusted guard rails, and bitumen and concrete track having grown lichen.
Woke early, 3.15AM and couldn’t get back to sleep. Showered in Queanbeyan and bought a ten day pass to save embarrassment for me and the wonderful attendants, "Just to pay for a shower, please."
Then had to exercise, so walked for about three hours here and there around town.
My eye is again a bit better. I improve a bit less that 1% each day, I’d now say. Very minor nut it shows the direction is good.
Here’s a knuckly old trunk that looks like how my hands feel. Some charming old buildings in Queanbeyan, tucked out of immediate sight.
On my phone. Past the dark matted gunk. The big numbers showing the time. Just.
(There’s a crescent moon near the top)
UPDATE 9.23AM
Chilly in Bungendore rest area and I like it
Tired today already of struggling to look through gunk in the left eye. Though I can see the phone’s large time numbers I have to wait until the gunk flings around, just so,to do so. And even then it’s a struggle to make them out through the affected but ‘better’ spot.
I’m still disoriented walking around. I feel emotionally and corporally removed from the world, too, more than usual.
Prime goal today is to not stress if possible, do nothing to cause stress, and rest the eyes often. I’d like to paint but won’t due to the focus.
Not sure when I’ll try to set up the shower.
Three car visitors overnight plus the permanent, who’ve all gone, and as ever here lots of people stop for the toilets and shelteted seats. And, it’s cold.
UPDATE 12.20PM
The photo doesn’t capture the vibe of this place, which is not orderly nor as restful as in it.
It’s quite heavily visited, with both worktrucks, tourers and sedans alike. An extraordinary number of cars, trucks, buses and 4WDs ho in and out of the road for which the rest area serves as an entrance. The road is marked “Private Property”.
What’s down there? A cult? A commune? Development. attractive for which reason? 6ks out of Bungendore and 22ks out of Queanbeyan?
I wouldn’t say the spot is friendly. If anything it tilts towards threatening, with youngish locals heaving up to hang out in front of, and use, the toilets.
Lots of people get out of their cars, or just appear out of nowhere, often with dogs (in the cult?) each day to walk the Cooks Reserve bush track.
I must do that, and get the history guide from Bungendore to do it.
Anyway, I managed a shower without anyone turning up. Got to wash particularly the eyes with warm water, something I have to do each day before I feel I can see properly.
Breezy, cold wind, but the sun is venturing out.
