From my spot at Golden Beach as I draft my second blog, I find myself reflecting on the urge to explore and engage with the magnificent world around us. For many years, packing the car full of camping supplies for a weekend or a week of water-skiing adventures became a cherished ritual during my late teens and early twenties, along with our parents and their circle of friends. Our trips to places like Jacob’s Well, Somerset Dam, and the Tweed River fostered a love for the outdoors, a passion that Bob and I nurtured by maintaining the tradition, purchasing the family ski boat, and teaching numerous friends to ski.
Camping became a big part of our lives, exposing our children, Tim and Jannah, to the thrill of discovery. Embracing a life of adventure, we put our belongings in storage, purchased a camper trailer, and set off from Mt Isa, embarking on a six-month, anti-clockwise journey around Australia that was nothing short of unforgettable.
The experiences of that journey were woven with encounters and shared stories, often around a deck of cards or a campfire. Among these memories, an evening of cards at Mary Pools with our newfound friends, Evelyn and Norm, stands out. Far from their grandchildren, they quickly took to our kids, finding in them a sense of kinship. During a loudly voiced game—Evelyn and Norm being somewhat hard of hearing—a mix-up led to a moment that has kept our family laughing for over a quarter of a century. While Evelyn prompted Norm for his turn, he misheard and responded with an unexpected release of wind, thinking she had advised something entirely different. This incident, among others, set the joys of slowing down and thoroughly immersing ourselves in our surroundings. Notably, our inaugural overnight hike in the Bungle Bungles was a revelation, teaching us valuable lessons in hiking light—most memorably for Tim, who consumed his water supply prematurely to lighten his load.
Recalling these adventures, I asked Jannah, now 32, about her most cherished memory. She replied, "I vividly remember the thrill of working on my shell assignment and picking out beads in Broome for a beaded butterfly. But more than anything, it instilled in me an appreciation for nature, our beautiful country, and the warmth of a campfire 🔥❤️😊😊." This sentiment lies at the heart of our philosophy: to Explore, Connect, and Breathe deeply in the beauty that surrounds us.
