On the road again, Etsuko Yasunaga enjoys unexpected encounters and a moving reminder of this fragile, precious life. By Etsuko Yasunaga
AFTER two long years of hiatus due to Covid, we finally hit the road with our caravan in late June. Although we enjoyed many short caravan trips in Victoria in 2021, I felt we were out of practice. I thought the best way to get back into caravan travelling was to go with the flow.Unlike other years we had no set itinerary, plan or destinations. The main focus was to escape the cold winter in Victoria and enjoy the sunshine in relaxed and simple caravan living for a couple of months. We upgraded our camper to a pop top caravan in April. With some trepidation we headed north again in search of the warmth and a carefree nomadic life.
We were heading from Lake Cargelligo to Cobar following Google maps. About half way in, we were stuck on the dirt road, couldn’t drive forward any more because the water was running on the road. It had rained heavily the day before and the edges of the road were too loose and slippery to turn around.
AFTER two long years of hiatus due to Covid, we finally hit the road with our caravan in late June. Although we enjoyed many short caravan trips in Victoria in 2021, I felt we were out of practice. I thought the best way to get back into caravan travelling was to go with the flow.Unlike other years we had no set itinerary, plan or destinations. The main focus was to escape the cold winter in Victoria and enjoy the sunshine in relaxed and simple caravan living for a couple of months. We upgraded our camper to a pop top caravan in April. With some trepidation we headed north again in search of the warmth and a carefree nomadic life.
We were heading from Lake Cargelligo to Cobar following Google maps. About half way in, we were stuck on the dirt road, couldn’t drive forward any more because the water was running on the road. It had rained heavily the day before and the edges of the road were too loose and slippery to turn around.
The only way out was to reverse with a heavily loaded caravan then to turn around at a suitable spot. I walked back to look for a possible place for turning. Just before the cattle grid I noticed the ground was slightly firmer. We decided to give it a go. At least it was better than being stranded. Rob drove back slowly as I walked back guiding him. It was less than one kilometre of reversing, but felt forever to get to the turning spot. After many small turns, Rob managed to turn our vehicle and caravan without damage. What a relief! It was a real hallelujah moment. We later learned the road was officially closed at the other end, but not the end where we entered! We went back to Lake Cargelligo, washed the heavy clods of mud stuck under the car and the van using the water from the lake. The following day we took a slightly different route to get to Cobar safe and sound.
This was our fifth visit to Queensland. Even so there were still some places we hadn’t visited before. We were basically cruising around but tried to explore those places that we had driven past on our previous travelling and also to revisit our favourite places. We stayed in commercial caravan parks, free-to-low-cost facilities at RV-friendly towns and national parks. Attending parkrun every Saturday morning along our route gave us a weekly structure. For someone who likes routine and thrives on planning, it was surprisingly exciting not knowing which parkrun I was running the coming Saturday. Every parkrun I visited was unique but the friendly welcome was the same everywhere. I could feel a common thread of the strong community spirit wherever I went. Cobram, Bourke, Rockhampton, Mackay, Bowen, Cardwell, Airlie Beach, Yeppoon, Wandoan and Numurkah, 10 different parkrun events in 10 weeks was indeed a very special experience for me. I carry memories of those beautiful places and people I met when I run parkrun back home in Inverloch.
This was our fifth visit to Queensland. Even so there were still some places we hadn’t visited before. We were basically cruising around but tried to explore those places that we had driven past on our previous travelling and also to revisit our favourite places. We stayed in commercial caravan parks, free-to-low-cost facilities at RV-friendly towns and national parks. Attending parkrun every Saturday morning along our route gave us a weekly structure. For someone who likes routine and thrives on planning, it was surprisingly exciting not knowing which parkrun I was running the coming Saturday. Every parkrun I visited was unique but the friendly welcome was the same everywhere. I could feel a common thread of the strong community spirit wherever I went. Cobram, Bourke, Rockhampton, Mackay, Bowen, Cardwell, Airlie Beach, Yeppoon, Wandoan and Numurkah, 10 different parkrun events in 10 weeks was indeed a very special experience for me. I carry memories of those beautiful places and people I met when I run parkrun back home in Inverloch.
Cobar sunset We continued to have porridge for breakfast and used our diesel heater for weeks because we were travelling up slowly and it was still very cold in the mornings. I enjoyed good soaks in various artesian hot springs at Walgett, Lightning Ridge, Goodooga and Mitchell. Immersing in the flowing hot mineral rich artesian waters was one of many highlights of travelling for me. As soon as you enter the hot bath, you sigh and your shoulders drop. It feels like all the worries and concerns you may have immediately melt away. The good soak was relaxing and rejuvenating for me and the smell of sulphur took me right back to the hot springs of Japan.
The landscape changed from the rich fertile soil of the food bowls to cotton fields to sugarcane fields then to pineapple fields and mango orchards as we continued our travel north. We finally felt the warmth we had been looking for when we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn near Rockhampton. We put our winter clothes away and swapped to t-shirts, shorts and sandals. The winter doona was replaced by a summer lightweight blanket. I started to understand the limitations that come with travelling in a caravan and made peace with them. Caravan life helped me realise that I don’t actually need that much stuff to live a comfortable life. We travelled as far north as a place called Ellerbeck near Cardwell in tropical North Queensland, just south of banana fields. The heat had certainly intensified by then so we enjoyed cooling off in several swimming holes at naturally fed creeks. The cool, striking blue coloured water of Cardwell Spa pool was especially delightful.
I encountered countless beauties on our travels – the expansive sky that stretched above me and made me feel so small, astonishing sunrises and burning sunsets, silence with the periodical rustle of the wind in the trees, majestic high green peaks, the tranquillity of the full moon night, calm creeks and soothing beaches.
The landscape changed from the rich fertile soil of the food bowls to cotton fields to sugarcane fields then to pineapple fields and mango orchards as we continued our travel north. We finally felt the warmth we had been looking for when we crossed the Tropic of Capricorn near Rockhampton. We put our winter clothes away and swapped to t-shirts, shorts and sandals. The winter doona was replaced by a summer lightweight blanket. I started to understand the limitations that come with travelling in a caravan and made peace with them. Caravan life helped me realise that I don’t actually need that much stuff to live a comfortable life. We travelled as far north as a place called Ellerbeck near Cardwell in tropical North Queensland, just south of banana fields. The heat had certainly intensified by then so we enjoyed cooling off in several swimming holes at naturally fed creeks. The cool, striking blue coloured water of Cardwell Spa pool was especially delightful.
I encountered countless beauties on our travels – the expansive sky that stretched above me and made me feel so small, astonishing sunrises and burning sunsets, silence with the periodical rustle of the wind in the trees, majestic high green peaks, the tranquillity of the full moon night, calm creeks and soothing beaches.
The one striking image I hold preciously in my heart is an exquisite beauty of a dying butterfly. We were packing up at a place called Forrest Beach. I was bringing dry washing in when I noticed something incredibly blue on the ground. It was almost out-of-worldly intense fluorescent blue, and I thought I was picking up yet another piece of plastic. When I examined it closely I was astonished to find it was a delicate butterfly lying on the ground motionless. I realised there was still a sign of life but unfortunately it was on its way out. The fragile wings flapped weakly every once in a while. It was so sad to see this beautiful creature’s life was about to end. The wind was strong and it could be blown away in any minute. All I could do was to gently place it on a leaf nearby. I transported this fragile thing to a sheltered area away from the wind near the roots of the tree where I had buried my organic waste. I gently laid this fragile beauty and put palms together in front of my heart, bowed my head to pray for a peaceful passing of its life. Life is so fragile and so fleeting, but the significance of this knowing is sanguine and lasting.