After so many years of living in the very flat and under-sea-level Netherlands... it is a bit of a surprise to experience hills and slopes again! The kids are full of complaints when they are going up.... but screaming around and having more than an equal measure of fun (and some danger...) when they are going down!
What really gets me about the trip to the beach is the fact that you walk DOWNHILL to the beach like most of the rest of the world! We have been so accustomed to walking UPHILL to beach in the Netherlands, and that habit starts to feel normal. So, walking downhill to the beach is quite a new experience again!
Coming down from the higher slopes reveals a vast expanse of beach... this is another thing that we are starting to remember... Australia is big, you really have the feeling of space and openess (unless you live in Sydney or Melbourne...). Even in the smaller cities and towns, there is a sense of space... space on the roads, paths... the space that people give each other on the roads. There just isn't that same sense of hurry and pushiness that you would find in other busier places in the world. Time just moves differently and experienced in a different way! Of course, maybe part of this is because we are still in the honeymoon phase of our arrival!
So, after finding ourselves a little place to camp on the coastal desert (yes, my wife's family are crazy about the beach... I'm a little less keen!), you can see that there is a vast expanse of water and sand to share for everyone... however, given the surf livesaving rules, you should only try to swim within the two yellow and red flags. Sure, it is pretty narrow given the huge swathe of beach and water... but if you get into trouble, you know that someone is going to be keeping an eye out in that area!
Off to the right... is my sort of idea of relaxation... Rocks and greenery. I could just walk and sit on the rocks... going around a tricky path around the headland to find a secluded area which is going to be quiet and away from everyone else (not that there are many people...). Or just walk up the hill and perch up high... listening to the waves breaking on the rocks and the scrabble of insects and rustles of bees... hopefully, less slithering of snakes!
I just love sitting and closing my eyes.... casting out your awareness and just listening to everything around you.
However... for the time being, I should stay close to the family! Well, things could be much much worse!