Learn Something New Everyday

Okay, let's get you up to speed. Bellingen was too beautiful to resist an extended stay. But after three nights, I was cold through to my BONES. Even still I enjoyed myself. Michael Hubbard, the young-slide-guitar-playing-genius, who performed at the Cool Creek Cafe, was gorgeously talented. After the show I walked down to the river where I attempted to cross over to Bat Island. It was pitch black, however, and impossible but the starlit walk was still invigorating. That night I went to stay in a community in the Thora valley. I slept in a caravan on the river's edge. Talk about getting back to nature. These people live in such peace. One woman lived in a house made out of the bamboo she collected from the forest topped off with a VINE ROOF. Amazing. I rode back into town with them for the markets. It was just such a great experience.

From Bellingen I travelled south to Seal Rocks. This is a transparent township on the coast, blink and you'll miss it. But it was the most stunning, pristine ocean scene I have ever witnessed. I stood on a snowy white sand dune above the bluest ocean, surrounded by red cliffs topped with velvety green vegetation, for at least two hours. People were milling about far below me, but I was alone. I sat as the sun drifted down my back, casting haunting shadows towards America. That night we built a fire between dunes and the group from the bus just talked, roasted bananas and marshmallows and looked at the green, orange and pink stars that shot across the sky.

After a night in Sydney I jumped on a bus for the Blue Mountains. The oil from the gum trees lifts into the air and creates a hazy, blue hue from a distance. Just outside of the city limits the mountains rise like indignant shoulders. This nature isn't going without a fight. It's been here, battling for millions of years. I read about a type of pine tree that's just been discovered in a Blue Mountain canyon. It was thought to have become extinct 65 MILLION years ago. It has needles, but they hang on fronds, like a palm tree. It's trunk is alive and textured, like a tall, lanky pine cone. It exists nowhere else in the world and has been hidden in this miraculous maze of mountains for all of man's time on earth.

I am staying in Katoomba, a very New England style town. They are having "Yulefest" right now. Feasts and Christmas-type celebrations. It's a fun time to have stumbled upon. Tomorrow I'm opening another musical door when I see Jodi Martin perform at the Clarendon Hotel. She's meant to be a rising star and her face has been plastered on posters all down the east coast. I will let you know how it goes. Aside from that I am doing countless bush walks which all lead to awesome views of the canyons, cliffs and mountains. The colours change with every minute, as the sun moves and clouds gather or dissipate. I know how lucky I am to be witnessing all this beauty.

"On a night like this I can actually hear the happiness inside me" -Rowan, my little sage