One Hump or Two?

May 4, 2015May 5, 2016 ~ margaretsealey ~ 4 Comments

Camels are big! Really big! I didn’t appreciate their size until we signed up for a morning camel ride in the shadow of the Rock. Upon arrival at the camel farm, I spied our beasts, sitting in a row, elegantly attired in colorful Afghan saddles.

Even sitting on the ground, they came up to my waist. Mounting the camel was to prove a challenge. I had to sit on the front side of the hump as Kenn, being heavier, had to take the rear seat. But how to get into the saddle? My leg just didn’t want to go up and over. I’ve never been very good at Can Can high kicks. I can’t do the splits either. I was also worried that my leg could connect the head of the beast in the attempt. As if it could read my thoughts, my camel turned its massive head and gave me a penetrating stare and a warning snort: I froze. Everyone waited. Eventually, the cameleer came to my rescue and gave me a hoist up. But worse was to come. Camels don’t get up evenly on all four legs. They straighten their rear legs first, then unfurl their front legs. At one point, you are perched in the saddle almost perpendicular to the ground. “You have to lean back and hang on as your camel gets up,” we were told. And lean I did. My lean would have made a bare back rodeo rider proud!

Soon, we were off on our ride through the red dirt. We kept up a sedate pace and all adjusted easily to the swaying gait of our ‘ships of the desert’. There were no dashes across the sand hills reminiscent of Lawrence of Arabia but lots of interesting information about camels and our surroundings was imparted by our charming guides. For example, did you know that all camels think about, is food: finding food, eating food and bringing up food from one stomach to another. A highlight of the ride was the view from the sand hill. We could see both Uluru and Kata Tjuta!

Back at the farm, we explored an interesting collection of pioneer coaches and paraphernalia. There was an especially cute baby camel that had been abandoned in the desert and hand raised on the farm. Just had to say hello.

It was a great way to spend a morning. That afternoon, a close encounter with Uluru awaited. Will share it with you next time. Rock on!

Starry, Starry Night

May 2, 2015May 5, 2016 ~ margaretsealey ~ 1 Comment

They say that in the desert, the stars are so big and so bright in the velvety, dark sky that you feel that you could almost reach out and touch them.

This is certainly true of the night skies that surround Uluru, (Ayers Rock), which is located in the centre of Australia. I travelled to Uluru last week with my husband Kenn and friends, Helen and Phil. Luckily for me, I had a window seat for as we approached Uluru, the pilot banked the plane on his approach and I had my first view of the rock. Even from the air, it’s huge: it dominated the landscape.

Settling into our rooms at the very comfortable Desert Gardens Hotel, we spent a couple of hours exploring the resort township of Yulara,

which is just 20 kilometers from the Rock before readying ourselves for our first encounter with the desert, ‘The Sounds of Silence” dinner. This was truly unforgettable. We were picked up by our coach as dusk was approaching and driven out into the desert, There we walked up a sand hill where we were greeted with champagne, a view of the rock and the haunting sounds of the didgeridoo.

greeting at dinner — Champagne and canapes on the sand hill

Dideridoo — Didgeridoo echoes in the silence of the desert

A couple of champagnes later and the sun had dipped below the horizon. We were ushered to our dining table under the stars where a wonderful Australian themed dinner awaited us. What’s not to like about wonderful food and wine in an unforgettable setting?

sounds of silence 3 — Fellow diners from Canada

While we dined, we were entertained by a group of young Aboriginal dancers. I really liked their youthful enthusiasm and the way the boys acknowledged their uncles and elders who had shared their dances with them. Then there were the stars: millions of them. We listened as a young astronomer pointed out some of the constellations and planets we could see and invited us to look more closely at them through a telescope. I have waited a long time to see the moons of Jupiter and Saturn’s rings with my own eyes!

When at last the final port had been drunk, the last chocolate consumed and the torches had burned low, we found ourselves walking back through the dark, in the silence, sheltered by the stars, touched by the magic of the desert.

Sandbar Shenanigans

April 17, 2015May 5, 2016 ~ margaretsealey ~ 2 Comments

What’s not to love about a visit to the beach?

PicMonkey Collage — **Rock pools and sandbars at Byron Bay**

While, relaxation has been my priority at the beach, some of my children, while on holiday, have viewed a visit to the beach as an opportunity to put their personal training ambitions to the test, with me as their subject. Not wanting to disappoint them, I found myself wading through waist deep water against the current. Encouraging words reached my ears. “This will be a great workout for your thighs, Mum. It’s not hard, they train horses like this all the time!” .Gritting my teeth, channeling my inner Phar Lap, thighs burning, I pushed, slipped and gurgled my way across the bay to the Pass. (The surf gutters were quite deep at the time.) Not content with trying to trim my pear shaped bits, my personal trainers also had a thing about cardio! Soon I found myself power-walking along the beach. Now this was not a good look. I found myself breathless and unable to talk, ( a serious impediment if you ask me.) I couldn’t stop to greet friends who were leisurely taking in the sights as my personal trainer would proclaim, “Come on Mum … you can talk later … come on … catch up … you can do it …”

sandbar at clarks — ***Rockpools and yet more rockpools***

But holidays pass and fitness trainers return to work. The beach has once again become a place where I can immerse myself in a natural mineral spa as I swim, surf or just float about in warm ocean currents. It’s a place where I can dabble my feet in the shallows, sink my toes into soft white sand and laze away an afternoon under the beach umbrella accompanied by a good book. This was especially true this week. Long sandbars appeared almost overnight in the bay. Wonderful rock pools were revealed, perfect for floating or snorkeling in. Thigh sculpting was impossible as the water was too shallow. I walked from the Pass almost to Main Beach, moving from sandbar to sandbar. I had to dawdle. Power-walking was impossible. After all, I had to watch where I was putting my feet. I didn’t want to find a hidden rock! . The view from the sandbar to the beach was so lovely! There were lots of five and six year old having their first snorkeling lesson. The excitement when they spotted their first fish hiding under the rocks was infectious. Maybe tomorrow I will put on my goggles and join them.

IMG_20150416_112601 — **View of the beach from the walkway at the Pass**

‘Glamping’ in Evans Head

April 11, 2015March 27, 2018 ~ margaretsealey ~ 3 Comments

I am a relative newcomer to ‘Glamping’. Until recently, my camping experiences involved a tent, an airbed that hopefully would stay inflated and a sleeping bag. There were minimal extras: a little two burner stove, a gas lantern and a camping table. A lot of baked beans and tinned spaghetti was consumed. I have no champagne memories! But on a recent camping trip to Evans Head, my eyes were opened to a whole new world of camping realities, the world of ‘glamping’

Evans Head is only about 45 mins away from Byron Bay. The group we joined for a long weekend were seasoned glampers. We had waterfront sites at the Silver Sands Caravan Park and soon, remarkable hand crafted camper trailers were being unloaded, tents and tarps erected and kayaks and professional looking fishing gear stowed away.

campground by the river — Waterfront sites on the river at Evans

There was so much to explore and experience. First of all, we had to explore the track along the river, to the breakwater and the beach and test out the surf. The water was clear and very warm for this time of year.

Soon, it was time for Happy Hour and a gourmet barbecue as we watched the tide run out on the river and the pelicans playing. Next morning, I was up early enough to catch the sunrise. I didn’t have to forego my beauty sleep as daylight saving hadn’t ended and the sun was kindly rising at 7 am. The sun peeked through the clouds and then burst over the ocean in amazing colours!

Walking back to camp, I noticed that the riverside cafe was open. No need to forego creature comforts while glamping. I thought, as I appreciatively sipped a large takeaway cappuccino.

Later that day we tested out the 4WD on the sand. You can drive north along the beach for quite a few kms and you don’t need a permit to do so. It’s just you, the sea, the sand and the seagulls and pelicans. Oh and the occasional horse and rider.

We also explored the beautiful Chinaman’s Beach which is a little to the south of our campsite on the other side of the river. The beach is perfectly unspoiled and is fringed with amazing aubergine coloured rocks, tangerine, brown and cream striped cliffs and amazing rock pools. I love climbing over and through rock pools. It’s like there a new world just waiting to be discovered by you. What a wonderful way to spend a couple of hours!

Back at camp, the troops had been busy. A visit to the fishing co-op and Tiger Prawns were on the menu. My baked bean days were over!.

And so the weekend continued. The Kayakers ventured upstream, circumnavigated a small island and let the current bring them back to camp. The fishermen had some success in the surf gutters. Blessed with perfect sunny weather and balmy nights, we swam, ate, walked, ate, fished, ate and drank a …a little. What’s a bottle or two of Pinot Grigio between friends? And I took the time to catch up on some reading and day dream about the next glamping adventure.

Coffee Golf

April 7, 2015May 5, 2016 ~ margaretsealey ~ 1 Comment

Secretly, for years, I have had a vision of myself as a lady golfer. Not the Kari Webb sort of golfer but the casual, carefree sort of golfer who happily swings away down a tree lined fairway, greets the local wildlife as they leisurely stroll by and tests their putt putt skills in the real world. A golfer who plays consistently enough not to feel intimidated in the presence of those who can really whack the ball and speak knowingly of hazards and back swings. But alas, while I was working, the vision never materialised, indeed at times it vaporised! While time always posed a problem: there was never a spare weekday morning where I could attempt to make my vision a reality, there was also my inner acknowledgement of my limited athletic ability. Although my legs and arms do work, my early experiences on the hockey field had left a dent in my self confidence – I vividly remember running for my life, as a mad teammate, hockey stick raised above her head, chased after me just because I had messed up her goal. Abandoning sport, I turned to the arts. However, even here my coordination was suss. My attempts at ballet resulted in a rendition of the Dance of the Dying Duck not Swan Lake

So, as you can imagine, it was with some trepidation that I agreed to join my friend Annie and participate in a beginners’ golf course. There we met our instructor, Nicole Dicken or Nicky to her friends. Nicky is a AAA rated coach but more importantly, she has the ability to see and appreciate the sometimes small improvements you are making and instill belief. Belief that you will improve, that you are a valuable member of the group and that Golf is a game that should be fun. Annie and I were hooked and we graduated to ‘Coffee Golf’.

Nicky runs a clinic most Tuesday mornings at Mullumbimby Golf Course and all are welcome. Just contact the Golf Club on 0266842273 for further details.

There, in a group setting, under her watchful eye, we practice hitting targets using different clubs, chipping and putting.

After slogging for an hour, we return to the club house for coffee. There, overlooking the garden, we relax and regroup.

Cannas in the garden leading to the 10th hole. — Canna lillies in the garden leading to the 10th hole.

Refreshed, it’s time for our game. We could play up to nine but usually call it a day after about five. There are many laughs, groans and mini triumphs as we make our way around the course. I take pleasure in little things – a drive off the tee that doesn’t hit the hazard or the trees, landing on the edge of the bunker and not in it, being able to spot my ball in the murky waters of the ponds and making a putt from the edge of the green. I tell myself., like Toad in Wind in the Willows, that,’ it’s all fun and excitement.’

A wonderful morning spent, Annie and I make our way home to Byron and dream of golfing adventures to come. Playing Teven, Byron, Ballina …. Augusta?

Souvlaki and chai energy muffins

March 22, 2015May 5, 2016 ~ margaretsealey ~ 5 Comments

Until relatively recently, my culinary skills could, at best be described as rudimentary. This I attribute to my childhood. The kitchen was a place where I had to mop the floor and peel potatoes. It was the place where my sister Jenny always got to wash up, while I had to wipe up and put away the dishes, a much more time consuming task. To this day, I don’t know how she managed to convince our mother that she was the superior washer upper when she completed the task in a time worthy of an Olympic 100 m champion. So, in protest at my unfair treatment (and a desire to finish my current book), I avoided the kitchen as much as possible. As a result, I left home knowing how to pour milk on cereal, boil an egg, cook toast and open a can of baked beans – real survival stuff!

But one of the joys of living in Byron Bay and the Northern Rivers is the foodie culture.. There are an amazing variety of restaurants and cafes to sample. This week, I revisited The Cyprus Tree, our local Greek restaurant. This restaurant never fails to deliver memorable and delicious food,from souvlaki to scrumptious seafood, perfect for a birthday dinner for my friend Annie.

As well, the area is full of really knowledgeable, capable people willing to share their skills and help you develop yours. This week saw the inaugural meeting of Byron Library’s Recipe Club. The club will meet on the third Tuesday of the month at 2pm, at the Library. There was a very promising roll up of interested parties. The guest speaker was the bubbly, Julie Ray.
I had met Julie before when I had attended her seafood paella class in Lismore at The Pepper tree Kitchen. I shared the photo of my success on that occasion with as many friends as possible. My culinary efforts had never looked or indeed tasted so impressive! So I was looking forward to listening to what she had to say. I was not disappointed. She came laden with ideas about interesting ways to use macadamias, a totally decadent recipe for a passionfruit cream curd cake and her chai energy muffins which we shared for afternoon tea. The muffins were delicious and you can find the recipe at Julie’s website, julieray.com. I noticed that she also had a great recipe for Gramma Pie on her website, that she had sourced from Bangalow grandmother, Mrs Jarratt. I love trying heritage country recipes. Maybe it’s because I love to daydream about all things historical.

chai-muffins-300x127 — Super healthy Chai energy muffins

Classic Byron Beach Walk

March 15, 2015May 5, 2016 ~ margaretsealey ~ 2 Comments

Have you noticed how a change in the weather makes the familiar, unfamiliar? And waiting to be explored anew! It’s misty and a little drizzly as I stroll out on my version of Byron’s Lighthouse walk; a walk which maximizes photo, conversational and coffee stop opportunities without leaving one dripping with sweat and gasping for breath, in dire need of resuscitation and a cold shower.

Leaving the car resting in the Clark’s Beach car park ( it’s always easier to park here and I’m one for a stress free life), I make my way up Lighthouse Road to the boardwalk and gaze at the bay and check out what’s happening on the beach.Yep, definitely worth a paddle later.

Shades of grey ... looking good. — Shades of grey … looking good.

I cross the road leading to the Pass and continue along Lighthouse Road a bit further. Palm Valley to my left, is drippy with tree ferns and palms.

palm valley greeness — palm valley greenness

I walk until I see the crossing sign and head up the road to the lighthouse. It is always cool and shady here. I could be trekking through Middle Earth! Often I spot hang gliders here, but not today.

At last, the Lighthouse beckons. Pit stop. Today it is just water but tomorrow it might be coffee and cake from the cafe … or an ice cream … or ….

Down the steps to Wategoes Beach and up and over the hill to the Pass. There are exactly 46 steps to climb. (I have been reliably informed by my personal font of all knowledge, my husband, Kenn.) I trudge, I count, I lose count and I trudge slowly, very slowly over the hill. Are there only 46? Surely it’s more! It feels like a lot more. I notice that the sky is clearing and the sun is coming out. Below the beach beckons.

Shoes off and a short splash back to Clark’s. I do not give into temptation and stop at the Pass Cafe or the Beach Cafe. Rather, I dig my toes into the sand and the sea and dream.