good natured Australians

April 27th:

Thunderstorms. 

This is new. Thunder, lightning, hail, heavy rain.  All the familiar friends of a thunderstorm.  

I've typically been exceptionally spoiled by the sun gods on cycling and bushwalking ventures. For example:  seven weeks cycling Tasmania-2 days rain. Three weeks hiking North Cascade Mountains in WA- 1 day rain. One week hiking west coast Vancouver Island- 20 minutes rain. All places known for their more than fair share of the wet mind you. 

so I wonder, "what does one do in a day of predicted scattered t-storms?" 

Wait for a gap, I suppose. 

But funnily enough, of all mornings to have to wait out a storm, guess where I am?  The garage of a retirement village abode in Hallidays Point, NSW. 

Yes, I stopped for a late lunch at a picnic/river fishing spot north of Forster- Tuncurry and an older gentlemen, Steve, came up to me to ask many questions.  I was rather heat/traffic overwhelmed and food underwhelmed at that moment, so after a minute he let me go on my resting/picnicking way.  However, as I went to leave he said, "where do you think yall get to now?" Tapping his watch.  "Ya won't get to Crowdy Bay national park like you wanted, it's too late!"  He went on to tell me of all the caravan parks up ahead off the main road. "Yea, you should go there.  If you go to this one, ya could swing round our place for a nice dinner.  Or you could sleep at our place.  In the garage.  Family is in town, so we'd have no other place for ya. Or do ya prefer caravan parks?" 

I'd sleep in a garage, no problem.  So I rode the fifteen k's to the 'village'. Whereupon I received a shower, cakes, tea, dinner, rock melon and ice cream, and delightful company in Steve, Eleanor, their son Brian and his wife, Cheryl, plus two sons.  Delightful company by all means.  And Steve is an amazing photographer and had a box full of Australian landscape shots from eight continuous years traveling around the country with Eleanor.  I kept getting travelers glee then envy at all the beautiful places here.  Had to keep laughing and reminding myself, 'oh, I am traveling through incredible places right now!'  

So I wait out the storm. Repack my bags extra waterproofingly well. And hope for shelter as needed when I hit the road.