MHs eggs from yesterday, bacon, inverter in its box in the front, beside the river in one of the shower spots, and quite cold and very overcast morning in Moruya.
Late breakfast. Woke 2AM and hung out for a while.
5 PM
Waldrens. Only one van here, at the top, old guy well behaved been here two nights that I have. Hoping that the Pests O Waldrens Swamp don’t arrive. I’m at the bottom this time in the turning circle exit.
Very tired and nothing day. Shower at Moruya Pool, southerly, then Batemans Bay for van containers, and bits but didn’t buy much. Measured and located the inverter but didn’t go ahead. Need a sparky re earthing. Just not ready for the impact and I won’t use it hardly.
Slowly adjusting the layout and contents, making it less heavy on the eye. If something isn’t used for months it goes into storage such as today: a spare shower boiling pot that’s only been a daily hassle.
If no pests tonight, I’ll feel better. I need a good sleep as I’m depressed and not recharging.
Ended up a good sleep. Place is packed out but no late disruptors. The ant bites have resulted in a rather numb lower leg but under phone light doesn’t seem to be a reaction. Still burning but less sharp.
I really should have a look for a better place to stay though.
Shot from the window.
A bit later:
And breakfast by the river, cool, overcast, enjoyable heavy clouds to the south.
7.30 PM
Shower at the pool rhen to MH for 2½ hour chat and pick up the inverter delivered to his address.
Then Broulee for a heap of medication. Fill up with water at the river boatramp and to Waldrens after quick Woolies stop.
Getting dark now, a caravan and camperute with noisy talking old folk but rarely and same guy as last night, no others so far.
Dead tired. I do not want late arseholes. Could be a problem as some fuckwit squeezes in behind me.
Strange night. Started very hot, too hot for a sheet, then I woke cold at around 2 AM. Awake for a long while and then woke again earlier than I thought.
Not a soul in the rest area.
So chilly and a night I wish I could have again, knowing it wouldn’t be disturbed and would be cold.
Seems I have to go back to the coast today which is overswamped by the travails of Waldrens.
But right now I’m covered in doonas and sipping coffee with the nyt, and in peace. No one has yet come in this morning. Not like a rest stop at all.
Tge photo is a night shot out the open window and needs a black background to do its thing.
7.26 AM
Glucose levels high all afternoon, night and still. Had 2 kransky rolls for the House visit and too late to get usual kyievs so had 2 pies and vegs last night. Feeling it.
First car in, per usual here a ute.
12.25 PM
BATEMANS BAY
Arrived about 45 minutes ago. Nothing in the P.O Box but the inverter has arrived at M’s. Picking it up tomorrow at 10.
M called while typing this and suggested I jump in for a swim. Great idea.
I don’t really want to be here but that is badly situated. I’m fortunate as hell.
2.20 PM
Waldrens Swamp. Bit early but I get a few hours before the stress. One bloke here, been here before, a motohome that opens out and he tows a car behind. Barry met him here once, said he said he’s been on the road since early 2000s.
He’s out there now lining up a satellite dish, on a 20m lead. No thanks.
Had a swim at Batehaven and another shower, beach, with shampoo. Late lunch because sugars so high.
Then to storage, dropped off a backpack that I bought at Vinnies Fyshwick that had too many pockets, a Big W plastic draw that didn’t fit anywhere, and about 6 brushes that fit the dustpans I altered for rain diverters. These few things make a difference and I’ve wanted to do it for weeks. Putting up with them.
Never seen Waldrens so neglected. Hoping for no ip my arses, no late night arrivals, no young louts, and no marsupial rat things splitting through the van at 2AM. Big asks.
6.40 PM
Stinking hot in the van, no breeze. Horrible. Bursting to have a towel shower but I’ll only get hot instantly again. Waiting until it’s darker. 3 more vans arrived, one an obvious old creep sleazebag. When the last van arrived the single occupant young girl wasn’t out of her seat before the sleaze is over there bailing her up. He even leaned against her van. I felt sick.
Anyway he’s gone and I don’t have to worry as the girl is quiet and well mannered.
It’s just badly hot. The van won’t cool down either until midnight.
Anyway, so far it’s good but this is the place of disruptive late turn ups.
7.15 PM Just had a quick towel off because 3 cars arrived and a caravan close but before that I stepped just here right next to the van to brush my teeth and was
Bitten By Fierce Ants
Stinging and burning like hell. I put firstly Rid on the lower left leg,where they got me, and then now Pinetarsol in case it’s stronger.
Never had the problem before. Really burning and screaming.
Council neglect. The place is overrun and a jungle mess.
Using night mode. Heavy mist has blotted out moonlight and it’s in real life dead dark.
5.50 AM
No other overnighters. A few cars circling through. Still dark. (That’s a car light in the shot above.
Slept through but a bad dream woke me. Usual.
Strange I don’t want to go back to the coast. It’s like going backwards, or something I can’t yet identify. The rest area stopovers used to be a highlight but when they’re busy it can be horrible. A sitting duck waiting for an arsehole to park right up close invading space, or thoughtlessly talking outside your window, or turning up with music blaring, turning up late and cooking dinner loudly, filthy selfish young people not caring or capable of it until spoken to, especially hired cans…it’s all actual unpleasantness that I’ve had.
Just depends on who turns up. But it’s a me-take-all selfish attitude there because people are stopping only to save money. There’s for them nothing else attractive about it. (I love the bush and trees.) So it’s that mindset, with the odd rare lovely exception, such as old Barry.
And then the weekend possibility of the Pests of Waldrens Swamp turning up.
I really need a property to park on.
I’m also a ball of worries and fears. I can’t seem to shake the attitude for long, and it’s replete with death and dying.
7 AM
Quite like this little foggy morning snapshot:
10.30 AM
Actually this minute inside the mens at Old Parliament House and booked in for Question Time in the big one.
Tour Guide Clueless
I saw the sign so hung around for ten minutes for the Old Parliament House tour. 10.45. Been keen to do it for a while.
When I come back a small group of maybe six are locked around a bloke talking quietly. I get a lanyard ID from a girl. Is that it I ask, to the private party. Yes.
So I try here, I try there, I try different places to get a spot where I can hear this bloke quietly droning on. He knew I was there, he knew I was trying to hear. He just ignored me.
So I try again and none of the idiot grey numbnuts let me into the private party either.
Usually you can’t shut them the guide up and they’re so loud everyone around can hear them if they want to or not.
Not this clueless, arrogant no-energy fuck.
I handed back the lanyard. I can’t hear that Om sorry.
“Oh you can get closer.”
You have to be fucking kidding. I was already breathing down their necks. And it’s not my fault the bloke was a clueless, arrogant no-energy fuck who didn’t do his job and didn’t even fucking try.
Old Parliament House.
What a blight that episode has left. The prick should be sacked and the girl given a job doing something else. I left in a dignified hurry, with bad feelings and memories of a place I treasured.
Questions Without Notice
I finally did it. I went to Question Time in the House of Reps.
A polite hokd up getting through security as I forgot about my keys, and I was causing a strange sound from the female guard’s hand-held detector.
Then one queue after another, everything, phone, wallet, hat, keys, checked into cloaking then another queue then ushered into chambers.
I didn’t think, didn’t realise, that I couldn’t see clearly. My long vision, usually fine, was blurred, so I couldn’t make out who was who. Terrible reality check.
When the govt spoke, I could.
It was interesting, but less gripping or earthshaking than I expected. Very matter of course.
A couple of winter Olympians were there, got a mention and stood, gold medals brandished. And the five Iranian soccer players given asylum at 2AM that morning by Tony Bourke were a highlight. Very moving.
Mostly the topic was about petrol and diesel shortages due to the Iran war, due according to Chris Bowen to panic buying, with a very weak Opposition which contributed to the low-consequence atmosphere.
I left three minutes early to avoid queues at the cloaking bench and discovered later that the leader of the Nats, Littleproud, resigned at the tine I was walking out. Might’ve been able to spot that. No real loss.
Glad I did it and, with glasses for it, will probably do it again. It’s comforting, tge whole organised, controlled, architectured, space.
Then drove to Brooks Hill, full hot sun. Batteries on 97% because I disconnected the solar when in the House because of intense sunlight. Went straight onto the fridge over the time, using power.
