Travelling to Cape Naturaliste, South Western Australia

I decided to take a trip to Albany in between housesits.  The weather has been quite extreme this week with winds almost horizontal and very heavy rain.  Obviously not the best for camping.  I stayed with a new friend for a couple of days and she encouraged me to wait back one more day given the weather.

I have travelled from Perth through Bunbury and onto Busselton.  I took a back road to Busselton and enjoyed the countryside.  This is vineyard country, so anyone who wants to do sampling, this is the place to come. 

I wasn’t sure exactly where I was going to stay as most of the accommodation is $100 plus per night.    I think of the mining industry and how inflated prices have become.

I met with one of my Rotary colleagues, Ian and his wife Jan.  I met their daughter and son in law and grandchild.  They have a full house and have had a full life.  We talked briefly about them living in Africa, Arnhem Land and other places, they are well travelled.  Ian is the President of Bussellton Rotary Club.  I heard about their District Conference and apparently they invited a Fijian politician who was Caucasian but had an interesting life there.  Apparently   300 people came and they felt it was a success.  I shared about my work and will keep on keeping on.  Peace is the theme this year for Rotary but until it becomes our first thought, the world will continue on as it does.    I do smile at how few truly understand it is our true nature and until we embrace it we struggle on.  At the same time I am patient and can wait as the right time will emerge naturally.

It was beautiful to see love between family members and the mother and daughter both share a talent for creativity, they are able to make things.  It was nice to see relatedness between them.  Family is so important. 

I did check out a backpackers and did feel warning signs as a party was going on there.  I was told by the supervisor there that it is not a party backpackers.  I told him I’d come back later.  There was no other option but to return, they only charged $30 for the night.  I took a sleeping tablet and put in ear plugs but the laughing went on and on.  I was actually pretty exhausted.  I was sharing a room with two other german girls but they didn’t take any action.  The noise was coming from a german party but I observed as people say nothing.  I eventually chose to get up and politely asked them to keep the noise down as it is keeping me awake.  They seemed accommodating and then I returned to my room.  There was absolutely no change in sound.  I marvelled at the selfishness.  I did have room for understanding as I have been a noisy young person and drinking until late.  But I do believe I have always been kind if people are sleeping.  That was the one thing I loved about my mother was her consideration when people were sleeping.  Sleep is so important.    I tried to nod off and just accept what is, however in the end the noise was like shouting and voices normal, no attempt to think of others.  So I asked a group again and said ‘I am not able to sleep and you are not alone here’.  The young woman did turn the music down and I told her ‘I appreciate that’.  Then I went back to the room and they are still talking.  My immediate feeling is it is not going to change, just leave.  So I packed up my sleeping bag and backpack and silently walked passed them.  They got  the message loud and clear.  I felt no anger and banged on the supervisors room.  I had to smile he said he wouldn’t put up with party people but he certainly did.  His first response to my knocking was very gruff when he heard my voice his whole voice changed and softened.  I think it is because I am older and we had spoken earlier.  I asked for my money back and explained I had asked them twice and they couldn’t hear me.  I walked away at 1am and wondered where I was going to sleep.  It was a cold night.

I pulled out my blow up bed and started pumping.  I rearranged my car and thought ‘time to see if I can sleep in my car’.  So I had to do some reshuffling with this big bed blown up.  I ended up driving to Cape Naturaliste which is where the lighthouse is.  It is one of the places I wanted to see.  So I drove around trying to find the right place to pull off the road.  I ended up in a carpark.  There were lights but my feeling was to go with it.  I did manage to squeeze the bed in and tried a few positions.  It was tight and I usually sleep in my stomach.  However, it fits and I can at least lie flat.  My little car is small so thankfully I am not that big and pretty versatile.  I had to curl up to close the door and then spin around to position myself to sleep.  What I liked at first was to be able to see the stars.  I wondered at the twist of this night.  I reflected on how non-violently I handled the conflict.  I didn’t feel anger I just expressed myself and took action.  It was a clear example of what you can do.  You have to let others decide what to do.  I am not here to dictate but participate and be true to myself.  So I was happy with that and the car will have to do.

It took me ages to sleep, 3 nights in a row now.  However, I did get pockets of sleep and was woken by some young guys doing screeches (donuts) near my car.  I took that as a sign to get up.  So I did and rearranged my car again, bit of work involved.  Just as I finished the rain came and these guys turned up with their surf boards.  I assume they use parachutes with the boards.  Nearly left my table behind (it was under my car).  So bloody lucky I saw it and put it back in, the guys shot me a curious look, not many women sleep in their cars, particularly at my age.  I did think about homeless people, which I am too but never feel I am as I house sit and always have a place.  Yet I thought of guys who go from place to place trying to survive.  I’ve met a few on route when travelling Australia.  You could see they were living in their car.  It can be quite lonely and rangers can get you to move on, if people think you are a vagrant then they move away as they become scared.  I think of those on drugs or with mental issues, you can imagine their vulnerability.

So I got organised and drove to the lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste.  I saw the lighthouse going at night and it was an intense sweeping light warning vessels of the rocks.  It really was spectacular to see the light on and spinning. In the daytime it was still on I noticed.  I went for a walk in the nature to reach what is called the Windmill.  Some rocky outcrops off shore.  I saw many rainbows and some double rainbows, it was very exciting.  The rain was coming down and it was chilly, I have my thick parker on and my red scarf and hat, yet I felt it as exhilarating.  I walked through the bush and occasionally heard the chirps of little birds.   I marvelled at the power of the wind and the erratic weather which I loved.   I thought of people at work missing out on this beauty.   I walked on boardwalks over the fragile ecosystem.  South Western Australia is a biological hotspot and I reflected on what created the diversity, it seems that great climatic changes/tectonic events is what created the diversity in plant life.  I suspected this has been a very tumultuous region.  You can feel the energy here.

I walked towards the ocean and looked at the waves crashing around the rocks.  There was a sea stack or large rock that stood majestically there as the waves crashed transferring their energy.  I saw an eagle flying over and marvelled at how it didn’t flap its wings but was carried by the high winds, it just went with winds and was travelling very fast, say 80km per hour.  Nature doesn’t try and fight against the wind it just uses it to find what it needs to find. 

I walked back to the car and loved my early morning walk, this wouldn’t have happened had I just put up with the noisy backpackers.  So I am learning everything is perfect and to just be self determining in life.  Go with the flow but curse it not.  I felt a peacefulness in myself.

So today I am heading further south aiming for Pemberton.  I wish to see the coast and connect with the natural system.

I will have breakfast after my coffee in dome and explore life one moment at a time.  I am learning there is no past there is no future, there is only now.  People come people go and to be equanimous  (balanced) at the comings and goings.  To allow each their path is the key.  I am slowly coming to that. 

 
Mohandas Gandhi

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”

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