Hi Gram,
We were up early this morning to go take a day trip north. I woke up around 5 to do my brain puzzles and some of my morning routine before we hit the road at 6am, the sky just starting to lighten up a little from the evening’s slumber. Rob scared us a little more with this crazy driving on the left side of the road that seems all the rage down under, but there were no accidents so no worries. A couple hours in, we stopped at a little coffee shop to stretch our legs and try a vegemite roll – it looked like a cinnamon roll but with vegemite instead of cinnamon and sugar. Why these people punish themselves is a mystery to me, but they all do seem a lot tougher and more self-sufficient than Americans, so maybe there’s something to it. I think the barista took a little sympathy on us, because the one that David and I split had just a hint of vegemite in between layers of bread while Rob’s had a good smattering. It tasted alright, and I could see how this might become an acquired taste. Can foods inspire Stockholm syndrome in people too?

After our break, we continued north to Port Stephens, where we met up with a new friend, Wally, and his son. They’re on a multi-month road trip around part of Australia, just a boy and his father out in the wilderness with a tent, a car, and determination. Wally is hosting a Fat FIRE conference in a few cities along the way to help spread the word about early retirement and personal finance. We’re going to be attending his event in Sydney this weekend, and I’m one of the panelists. We all decided to have a little fun beforehand, thus our road trip. The original plan was to ride camels through the sand, but there were a bunch of activities available when we got there.

We decided to try sand boarding first, since none of us had tried it before and quite frankly the line was a little bit shorter. With our tickets in hand and waivers signed, we boarded a 4WD bus that carried us out across the sand to a designated dune. Wally’s son was excited to give it a try, and I think Rob and David -kids at heart – were almost as energized and eager. Once we deboarded the bus, a thorough 2 minute instruction briefing was delivered (walk up this part where the sand is denser, point your board at the bottom of the dune, sit on it, and use your hands as rudders), sand boards were handed out, then our shoes, phones, and wallets were gathered so they didn’t get lost in the sand. The next hour consisted of walking up the hill, laying on the board, and screaming our way to the bottom. I stayed with the original basic method of sitting on the board with hands dragging out behind me to steer a tiny bit and control my descent rate. The others were more daring, graduating quickly to riding on their stomachs, going backwards, riding two boards, and racing.

Once we got a little tired, the adults stayed up top and sat in the sand, talking about FI, life, differences between Australia and America, and what to expect from the conference this weekend while Isaac went off and spent some more of his youthful energy. Eventually, we decided lunch was in order, so we all took a few more runs down the hill, then boarded the bus back to the parking lot. We talked briefly about coming back to ride the camels after lunch, but learned that the wait in line would take at least two hours. They only have so many camels, and the line stretched out for what looked like eternity. I think it would have been a great experience earlier in the day when the sun wasn’t as high in the sky, the line wasn’t as long, and we hadn’t already expended so much adrenaline.

With the camel ride off the list, we walked over to a beachfront cafe and enjoyed the view while we filled our bellies. The menu consisted mostly of seafood and fish, but there was a good salad with a unique flavor mix that I ordered with chicken on top. This turned out to be a great choice that David also made and soon there was no sign the bowl had every contained my lunch. Once we were all full and ready, the decision was made to go check out a sky walk, about an hour along on our way back down to Sydney. We split into our two cars, chatted along the drive, then reconvened at the base of the bridge.

The sky walk is a bridge/ walkway that winds along the craggy coast with a view out over the ocean. The history of Australia’s involvement in World War I is told through plaques and carvings along the metal structure, which caused me to slow down and read along and admire. There’s something about reading these placards in museums, memorials, and parks that just satisfies my soul. I couldn’t have told you what the first one said by the time I get to the end, but it brings me such joy in the moment. After reaching the other end, we turned around and meandered back the way we came, continuing the conversation. Once we reached the parking lot, we said goodbye to Wally and his boy. At that moment, Rob decided he wanted ice cream, so started walking towards the beach. Unsure of where he thought he was going to get ice cream, David and I followed along. Towards the other end of the parking lot, he found an ice cream truck that I’m sure wasn’t there when he started. I’m convinced that Rob just manifested the existence of this confectionery with his desire, probably a genie or sweets fairy that goes where they’re needed.

I resisted the temptation, much to the fairy sweets mother’s chagrin I’m sure, but David and Rob had the smile of school children walking back to the car. After a couple hours of chatting and laughing while we drove back to town, we reached the house and unpacked our day, shaking as much of the sand away as we were able. After a bit of a nap and decompressing, Rob headed off to meet up with a friend and David and I headed to pick up some groceries and dinner. Unlike in the states, grocery stores are found in malls on this side of the world. I thought it to be unusual when I first saw this in SE Asia, but I’ve gotten used to it by now. It’s actually pretty convenient – restaurants, groceries, stores, services, pharmacy, and games for the kids are all contained in one indoor, temperature controlled space with a parking garage attached so you can do all of your shopping and get in a decent walk without suffering any inclement weather. Loaded up with the few groceries we needed, we hit up the food court for some panini-grilled wraps, then waddled back to the house to sleep off our fun and food-filled day.