20170412 – Wednesday – decisions, where to stay, Waikerie or Glenloch?

20170412 – Wednesday – decisions

After breakfast this morning, I drove to Woolworths to buy groceries. I got myself blocked in a dead end in the car park and was having difficulty getting out again. Nice guy helped me. I parked further up the road and then had to climb some steps, which meant I had to carry my walker up the steps. These places are so badly designed and certainly not designed for the “walking challenged” people such as me. I took my walker inside instead of a trolley and got my groceries and one of the staff helped me get my shopping to my car.

I drove to the camp site, hoping that the two gates would have been opened by this stage in the proceedings but that was being hopeful. I opened and closed them and then drove to the amenities block. My car which I parked under a tree last night was covered with bird droppings, sigh. I washed the hood of the car which was the worst affected. I drove along the river and when I came to the swimming area, I found a small park there that just fitted my car and trailer. I drove in, taking about ten efforts to get myself in a suitable position. There is enough room for my little brazier too, but of course I haven’t brought any wood with me, though I did bring matches. I have parked in such a way, that if I decide not to stay there, I am able to drive straight out. There is a toilet close by, and bushes for privacy. It is not too far to the hall, but way too far to the amenities block. If I stay there and don’t go anywhere, I will be able to wash in the river in the morning, there is a loo near by for night, hall within proximity, but, nowhere near where Ali and Trevor will be, and nowhere near Mark and Nat Lunn, but it would be nice not to have to drive anywhere or go up to Waikerie. Well, I will give it a go and see what happens.

I think I will have to leave my walker in the hall at the front. That will mean I will know where my seat is going to be each night and I can still save a seat for Ali and Trevor in the 2nd row from the front on the right. If I do that I will have to use my walking stick to get here and back, but it will mean I have something to sit on at night events. I think that is what I will do. The thinking you have to do when any part of your body simply doesn’t work properly!

I am glad I did a good shop today. I have plenty of tins, plenty of fruit and lots of dates which is my staple on my travels. That means I won’t have to buy any more food, well, very little anyway. But it means no more breakfast at Viewpoint cafe and clean up in comfort. Nothing but the river for me for the next week. Ah well, not the first time, and probably not the last.  The only thing that may be a problem is that my solar panel may be too much in the shade to charge my battery, but surely my battery will stay charged for a week? Hope so anyway, because without my iPad and iPhone I am not a happy chappy. One good thing, having transcribed NC’s Houston Job studies, I pretty well know everything he is going to say, so I won’t have to take any notes at all, just listen, so that will be nice.

4.30 pm. Well, I have had a good rest in my trailer and now I am sitting here at the back of my trailer, on the box Dad made me 30+ years ago and using the tailgate as a table as he designed it at that time. I have just charged up my iPad using one of the power points inside my trailer. Overhead the birds are making a terrific din, as they do when there are not many people on the flat. When the multitudes arrive, it will be a different story, we won’t see too many birds then. I always wonder where they go when they are not happy to share the flats with us.

More people are setting up camp. I love this spot. I could easily set up my little brazier for a fire but there will be no point really unless there are others to share it, but because I am camping here and not with Ali and Trev or Mark and Natalie, haven’t a blue clue who will be my neighbours at this camp. One thing is for sure, camped where I am, beside the swimming hole, every single person at the camp will come here at some time or another during the camp, so all I have to do is sit in my comfy camp chair and watch who turns up. Such fun!

Well, the first lot of people who came down to swim were Phillip Palmer and his children, then Mark Baddams came along. He looks so much like Gwen Wigzell. Dinner, was baked beans and vegetables (raw) which is what they are going to be the whole time I am here since I didn’t bring any cooking facilities. Suits me fine though, because much healthier raw, that’s for sure

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