Going with the ebb… and flow

After camping for a while, you find yourself in sync with the light. While our home state friends and family are busy getting extra Z’s, we’re stirring at 4:50am as first light emerges over the coast.  This would normally be an early (and rude) start for a New South Welshman used to daylight saving, but I’ve become accustomed to rising with the birds. I’ve also discovered its many advantages. These include: first dibs on the camp shower block, fabulous sunrises, a peaceful cup of tea, beating crowds to local attractions and a day that feels 20 hours long.

While on Fraser Island we also found ourselves governed by the moon, watching for low tide so we could drive safely on the beach. Beach driving was a thrill, but We had to be off the beach 2 hours either side of high tide for safety (and the wellbeing of our car!). We were lucky with the tides and usually free to drive on the beach between 8am and 2pm most days.

We spent 4 nights on Fraser, switching between ‘beach driving’ and ‘sand driving’ days for variety. While sand driving was just as fun as the beach, it was much harder going. The wheels had a mind of their own in the sand, so you were constantly wrestling with the steering wheel. You were also traveling at an average speed of 20km an hour (so getting around took a while). You’d often have to give way (or back up) for oncoming vehicles, so all of this could make for a long ride. Fortunately, the passing bushland was stunning and made the time pass in an instant. The flora and fauna changed constantly, from rainforests of luscious ferns and staghorns, to bushland filled with the imposing trunks of black butt, satinay and paperbark.

On day 4, we got as far as Indian Head and the famous (but not so well signposted) ‘Champagne Pools’. The ocean at the Northern end of Fraser Island was a gorgeous teal and amethyst (quite different to the Southern end – a less inviting pale blue / green) and the Champagne Pools was our one chance to swim in the ocean without fear of stingers or sharks.  We saw a stinger in a pool at one point, but it was easy enough to see (and avoid!) in the clear water. We also discovered how saying ‘Hey, watch out for the stinger!’ is a sure way to clear all the tourists out of the water.

I loved being on Fraser Island again, wading through Eli Creek and seeing wild dingo’s roam the beach. The kids made me promise to give them $50 if they didn’t see a dingo – I was quietly confident, and thankfully got to keep my money! I also loved the temperate climate which was just the right amount of warmth and humidity for me.

But self-exploration of Fraser is not for the faint hearted. The conditions can be harsh, the wildlife pernicious and the elements unforgiving. It paid to be prepared, and I found myself grateful for Mr M’s meticulous planning and preparation on more than one occasion. Sadly, good preparation doesn’t make for good stories. Hence, I can’t tell of being towed off the beach by 10 dingos, or bogged in the sand dunes only to be rescued by helicopter. Oh well.

After Fraser we made our way (from Hervey Bay) to Noosa. Noosa was a gem – and everything I expected. It’s got truck loads of natural beauty, trendy raw food cafes and lovely (but more-than-I-could-afford) clothing boutiques. Nonetheless, I loved the costal boardwalk around Noosa Heads National Park, and the great camp kitchen at Noosa River Caravan Park which had a view of – you guessed it – the river.

Like all good things, our time on the coast must come to end (for now). We’re headed inland to see some far-flung parts of New South Wales before we hit South Australia. I’m ready to see a more barren side to our country.  Bring on a bit of red dust, I say! Our Hilux (having been splashed with creek and beach water for days) is far too clean for my liking. It’s time to get some grit on this baby.

On reflecting, it’s the variety of experiences in travel that I love most. My eyes look forward to seeing the new and beautiful (also the not so beautiful – but different).  Seeing extremes helps me appreciate, compare, calibrate.

There’s no greater evidence of these differences and contrasts than in nature. Everything has a ying and a yang, an ebb and a flow. Have you ever noticed how everything living pulses? In our bodies – our hearts, our lungs, our digestive system – all pulsate to their own rhythm. Meanwhile, the trees around us breathe, the tides ebb, the seasons change. It’s this pulse that brings renewal and change. It’s what helps us grow and move forward. Trying to resist the ebb and flow of life is like swimming against the tide. It’s exhausting. Before long, we feel burnt out and barren. Not long ago, I felt creatively and emotionally barren. I needed something to break the circuit – I was stuck in a rip tide. Only now am I slowly feeling my creativity come to life, my mind slowly letting go. This hasn’t happened as fast as I had expected or hoped – old habits die hard – but you can’t rush progress any more than you can rush the rising of the sun. All there is to do is keep moving forward. And if we have to, give ourselves the jump start we need to head in a new direction.