Sandy Beach, but no sand

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DAY 408



My cold is well and truly coming out now, I stayed in bed until 9.00 but soon got bored and got up. I had some breakfast put a load of towels in the washing machine and did some reading.

Helen received a phone call from Jason, but it was for us, Kristy, Jason’s partner was asking if we wanted to go into Wagga with them for some lunch, we thought it would be a great idea to head out for a spell, we had a couple of things that we wanted to do as well so a plan was formed.

In the meantime Andy and I put the mattress from the swag bag into its cover and then back into the swag for rolling up, but before we finished Jason and Kristy arrived, so we all jumped into the Patrol and off we set.

Kristy currently lives in Albury, which is about a 2 hour drive from here, she often comes up for the weekend to stay with Jason, but she will soon be moving to Wagga as she is starting her training to be a Nurse early in the new year. Kristy has a little Kelpie called DJ, he is the one whose ears are too big for him, but I am sure he will grow into them. When DJ was a tiny puppy (he is a large puppy now!) another dog bit him and his jaw was broken, but he seems un perturbed by it.

When we arrive in Wagga, we head to Bunnings, it is a new store, it opened last week and is now the largest Bunnings in Australia (B&Q equivalent in England). It is exceptionally busy today, we spy a bouncy castle outside but it looks as if it is for kids only, not that I am up to much bouncing around today!

Jason and Andy get the bits and pieces they need in the meantime while they look at the tools Kirsty and I decide that we are bored already and it must be lunchtime. Great they take the hint and off we go into Wagga central!

We have some lunch and do a bit more shopping, the shops are really busy today, this maybe the last chance some people get to do Christmas shopping. One thing that I must say is how much the locals say that Wagga is horrendously crazy with lots of people, it will be hard to park and the traffic will be bad, well I see no evidence of that yet, they should try Christmas shopping in Southampton or London (England) this close to Christmas, that’s crazy!

On the way back, we take a detour, Jason is keen to show us the beach, yes I did say the beach, “But you are not on the coast!” I hear you all cry, well no we are not, but we are on the Murrumbidgee river and we have been assured that there is a beach.

We turn off at Wantabadgery the weird thing is that we are heading to Sandy Beach, but when we get there, we find no sand. Jason assures us that there used to be sand here, but as with everything here the landscape is changing with the drought, the sand has long since washed away with the rain, the river is much lower than it should be but we find a great camping spot, complete with fireplaces for camp fire.

We chat about a plan, perhaps we should all come out for a New Year celebration, no we must not sit indoors with a cup of cocoa and go to bed at 10.00 and let the new year just slide in like any other day. We decide who might want to come out for the day a great picnic, swimming and party games, a tinnie or two, maybe even throw a shrimp on the Barbie. The problem being that this place will probably be heaving with the locals who have the same idea, but we will scope it out.

We see a little more of the area, we drive past old shearing sheds, buildings that used to house the contract Shearer’s all much worse for age now, but I am sure once upon a time they were a hive of activity.

Back at Woodstock Kristy and Jason come in, but Jason and Andy have a little bit of work to do on Kristys car and Andy wants to change the oil on the Patrol (we are not due for a service and an interim oil change it will do it some good). So they disappear while Kristy, Helen and I indulge in a glass of something chilled and sparkling and I am not talking about lemonade.

Dinner is in the oven, the table is laid and by 8.00 they boys return, the work is done, they are both grubby but we are all ready for our dinner.

By 10.30 everything is eaten, dishes are in the dishwasher Kristy and Jason head back to Merriville, and we all head to bed.

I feel for Kristy she has to be up and away at 5.00 in the morning, she needs to be at work at 7.30 in the morning and has a 2 hour drive ahead of her.

Until tomorrow and another day towards the festivities and Santa coming

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