He’s Got Kangaroos Loose in the Top Paddock

We are settling into life in Australia - and getting accustomed to all the great slang like the above mentioned - which refers to someone a little wacky. My other favorite is “budgie smugglers” which refers to part of the male anatomy when encased in a Speedo. Very expressive language! We got a good look at Aussie beach life the Sunday just after Xmas when Jim, Joanne and I rented bikes and rode 26 km return on the Blue Mile, a coastal cycle path from Wollongong to Thirroul, a northern suburb and where D. H. Lawrence wrote his novel “Kangaroo” in 1922. This path was not developed when we were last here in 2002. If you build it, they will use it.

We passed glorious beach after glorious beach, some with rock swimming pools, and it seemed all of Wollongong was At the shore, picnicking, swimming, surfing. The coast here has undergone a lot of development with many large expensive homes but the waterfront seems to be mostly public land. Lots of bird life too - pelicans, cockatoos, herons. It felt good to be on a bike again and although we were all tired at the end due to the heaviness of the bikes, the path was great and as always, lots to see enroute. And there was cold beer at the end.

Joanne and I have been going to her local outdoor pool before breakfast for a swim - nice way to start the day. We also had an afternoon at Port Kembla, one of the many nearby beaches. So beautiful with the enormous expanse of golden sand and a gentle surf - lovely swimming and walking on the firm sand.

Saturday was a family get-together for lunch at Joanne’s, kind of in place of the Xmas Eve we missed with everyone. Joanne’s 3 adult kids and 6 grandkids ranging in age from 1 1/2 to 13 including Tyler’s 3 boys, identical twins, the oldest of the bunch, plus an 8 year old; Carly’s 3 1/2 year old fraternal twins, and Lou and Tegan’s 1 year old made for lively company. The pool, spa and basketball hoop all got serious use and it was fun being surrounded by so much young energy. Some Canadian gifts seemed well received if unseasonal.

We visited Tyler’s shop one day. The oldest of Joanne’s kids, he has his own business customizing heavy-duty trucks and campers for off-road adventuring in remote parts of Australia, something they all like to do as a family. Joanne has her own truck and camper trailer and demonstrated for us how easy it is to set-up and take down. The plan had been to go camping for a few days but sadly the worsening fires have nixed that.

We also had a really interesting visit with Joanne’s nephew and his family who have 6 acres nearby with a beautiful house, a horse, pony, goats, chickens and 5 dogs. The creek running through their property has never been dry as it is now and we heard about the black snake that lives on their property that they are happy to have as it keeps the brown snakes (worse tenants) away!

Yesterday was New Years Eve and the family plus friends of Joanne’s that we met on our previous visit came over for a potluck dinner. It was a blazing hot day - 38C. - the hottest we have had. The heat has not been bothersome until now. It has been great to swim and wear so little clothing again. Joanne’s house stays fairly cool and with a ceiling fan on at night, we have been quite comfortable. But 38C. means just going in and out of the pool, reading in the shade and not doing much else - except some cat cuddling with Nash.

The last few days have been a very worrying time for all the fires and there have been high winds to the west of us. This was the smoke haze in Joanne’s neighbourhood last night.

It just is not possible to travel the coast road with over 100 fires burning in New South Wales, Victoria and more elsewhere. In several communities to the south, Mallacoota and Batemans Beach just over the border in Victoria, thousands of people are huddled on the beaches and in a nearby show ground as it is not possible for them to get out. Some have gone out onto a lake in boats and there is talk of even evacuation by the navy from the coast. The TV coverage of conditions there looked truly apocalyptic- barely any light because of the smoke. While there has been smoke haze here, we have not smelled too much the smoke until recently and the haze was very low yesterday and again today obscuring views.

There has been a big debate about whether or not the Sydney fireworks should go ahead last night but they did. Wollongong cancelled theirs thank goodness. There doesn’t seem much for poor Australia to celebrate right now. And there was a terrible accident the day before yesterday where an 8 ton Rural Fire Service truck leaving an area carrying an additional weight of water was without any warning was flipped from behind onto its roof by a “fire tornado”. Of the 3 occupants, one 28 year old volunteer (whose wife is expecting their first child) was killed, one was badly burned and one slightly burned. There is further debate about financial compensation being made to the mostly volunteer firefighters, many of whom have been fighting these fires for extraordinary lengths of time. The very conservative government seems to have reluctantly agreed that in some areas, they can apply for compensation, a likely arduous and bureaucratic process. The PM was shamed into returning from his holiday in Hawaii but the Minister responsible for Emergency Services thought nothing of leaving for a European holiday leaving the Minister of Prisons in charge. Denial about climate change and the resulting fires seems an established government position. Maybe their budgie smugglers are too tight and constricting blood flow to their brains.