to explain my long absences :)

I am sorry I have not been leaving any blogs … well not regularly anyway. I am sure I am not alone in my questing for the next leg of my journey. I have been feeling so very inward these last months, every time I blog it seems like an effort and those reading my writings deserve so much better than that!
I have learned much along the way, including a new found ability to step outside my own emotions to feel another’s… well its a heightened one anyway and for that gift I am eternally grateful. Here is an excerpt of my encounter yesterday afternoon and the subsequent outcome which I shared via email with a very close female friend of many years standing, so she knows me well enough to know my intentions though this woman did not!.. had a very positive outcome though nonetheless 🙂

“I have been feeling ill at ease about ‘free camping’ here and there in Mylestom for an odd night the last couple of weeks,and as it turns out, with good reason. I decided to go back to Mylestom this afternoon to walk the lad (Alex my dog) along the beach. Poor bugger spends a lot of time on the leash though a lot of that is walking and I just wanted to let him run free. He injured himself chasing that ball he is so obsessed with you see and so I had to keep him to just walking for a couple of weeks lol…

I decided to drop into the public loos at the surf club to do a number two and this woman came in. I only knew that because I suddenly heard a voice through the loo door as she asked me if I owned the ‘blue van’… I said yes and then all hell broke loose. She began yelling at me through that door, calling me a free loader and saying she was sick of people like me taking advantage of rate payers like her. She was yelling so much even though I said I had only come to use the loo! She stalked off in a huff I presume, yelling at me that if she ever saw me free camping anywhere in Mylestom again she would call the ranger; she had my number plates written down … I was still a captive of my bodily functions LOL and more than a little shocked at the tirade. Well I did have that bad feeling, had been having it for the last couple of days though I had been in the caravan park then …

When I finished I went in search of her. She was just around the corner. I called out to her, apologising if she had been offended by what I was doing. She said about how she was a member of the surf club and was forever trying to keep it clean. At this point I caught onto some of what was upsetting her. I was quick to point out I knew that there were hot showers at the surf club and did not use them, had my own actually. This seemed to mollify her a bit. I then went on to explain to her why I was hanging around the area and that I had rented in Repton. She thawed even more then, saying that she knew not everyone could afford to buy a house and that the caravan park was dear but she had to pay dear rates to live here; we should not be able to just ‘free load’ on her LOL… I do see what she is saying btw though as far as I am concerned what I am doing isn’t freeloading as I am for the most part self sufficient and I do all my shopping in this area, including for my dog and Josh. Anyway, I was so over it… had been feeling so very heavy there and knew my time in this area was coming to an end. I drove to Bello (Bellingen) with the intent of looking around. Upshot is I am now at the showground which only charges $15 a night if you are a single! Love that! I was paying thirty two a night at that lovely park 🙂 I can get my gas refilled at a lovely organic fruits place along with my diesel, taking away my need to go to Coffs tomorrow. To top it all off, I met some more travellers with whom I swapped ideas. Love it 😛 Hope you have had a lovely day… truly mine has had the best of outcomes so am feeling very peaceful here….”

Funny how a disastrous encounter can put your feet on the path. I sincerely hope she does not decide to dob me in for the few times I have free camped there but I have no control over that; just have to go in faith. Will however stay out of that place and do my shopping where the people are less quick to judge one’s actions. I am so glad I handled it without mirroring her rage. It really is only a lack of understanding that causes this and, to be honest, there are quite a few out there who deliberately abuse the privilege. Having said that, there are also many, many places that not only welcome those who wish to spend some quiet time by the river etc but actively encourage it. Sadly this area is not one of them. Could explain why so many decide to make their stay short…I feel for her though. I know very well the rates are over the top and that is in my opinion to the council’s eternal shame! Blessings, wonderful how peaceful I feel today. Had I listened to my guides I would have missed that encounter entirely. The irony is I had no intention of overnighting, I just wanted to let Alex have some fun. He is going to be doing that later today. I found a wonderful little swimming hole where other doggy people let their dogs play in the water.. sheer bliss for him and for me! 🙂