Exactly one year ago today, we flew from New Zealand to Australia to commence this amazing adventure. While it does not seem so long ago, I am also in awe of what we have done. We did not set off on the road until 1 February and so will leave it until then to record some of the statistics I consider so significant.
Today was set aside for practical matters and so when we finally rose and were ready for our day, with the eski packed with lunch and a list of to-dos drawn up, we firstly set out to call on half a dozen tyre dealers and hit them up for a complete re-shoe. Our decision was based on service attitudes rather than the lowest price as is so often the situation and we have all arranged for late tomorrow afternoon. This however did screw up the thought that we would deal with such practical matters today, explore the Ballarine Peninsula tomorrow and escape this overpriced caravan park the next day. We will have to humbly go cap in hand and book a further night, and worse still, given that the Family Parks discount only relates to the one upfront payment, pay the exorbitant peak time one night charge.
Today after calling in to half a dozen tyre dealers, we drove to the extent of the Eastern Beach foreshore and parked up at Limeburner’s Point, a rather desolate point obviously well patronised by those who launch their small fishing boats but otherwise by those who prefer to park up and drop their fast food litter. We found a rotunda no longer easily accessed by a pathway, full of a dusty pile of rubbish but with a wonderful view back over Corio Bay. A flock of seagulls lined up to fight over our measly scraps, and then left us in peace to contemplate the afternoon.
Geelong is a significant city of 172,000 people, the second largest city in Victoria and a modern seaport. The first Europeans set foot in Geelong in 1802; our well known Matthew Flinders and his cohorts. When in 1824 Hume and Howell arrived in Corio Bay on their overland expedition, the area was known by the local inhabitants as Jilong, hence the Europeanised name that stuck. European settlement started in the 1830s, grew through the 1850s gold rush days and subsequently expanded around the wool industry. More recently, since 1925, Ford has been an integral part of Geelong. Museums telling the stories of both wool and Ford are likely to be destinations tomorrow however the fitting of new tyres and the related safety issues around the land cruiser will take precedence.
We shopped at a nearby Coles, stocking up on provisions, visited the adjacent Liquorland to purchase wine to complement our rotisserie chicken, and have thus indulged. Of course anniversaries are wonderful excuses for indulgences, and we seem to be able to conjure up a number of them. The next is that relating to the day we actually set forth with this rig, into the relative unknown, on 1 February, and then in the months to come, that of when Chris and I were first an item, that we set up a house together, the date of our official and socially acceptable marriage, and so it goes on. I am sure if one thought hard enough, every day could be put down to some anniversary or another. But for us, every day is a celebration, a celebration of life and of our on-going compatibility. We would wish that upon every one of our family and friends, but then life is never quite so simple.
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