Day 251: Tuesday 5 January

Finally I have made it home. Home sweet home. Home, untidy, messy and a bit dirty, home.

But let me recount my epic journey home. Get a beer, it’s a long blog.

My lunch date in Lennox went very nicely thank you very much, but of course I was running about 2 hours later than I wanted to be. Not to worry, Ugh the Camry can sure fire up when you put the pedal to the metal! Not.

After a couple of pee stops for me and the dog we cruised into Crescent Head on the mid-north NSW coast around 7pm. I did a quick surf check. None. Very disappointing.

Back in the car and we (Taxi and I)  zoomed off at a moderate Camry friendly pace down the Point Plomer Road to find a place to camp. All the dog friendly camping spots were full or so full I would be sleeping with the red necks. So I opted to park Ugh above Goollowah camp ground over looking the beach.

Taxi ate her dinner and promptly went to bed. I fussed around setting up ‘camp’, ate my chicken roll and climbed into Ugh (the Camry)…

Gourmet chicken roll eaten at a dining table over looking the beach

So there I was lying back, reading by my portable (battery dying) light, when a car pulls up. A couple of guys get out and their ute and start fussing around the back of their car. I get nervous. Phew. They are fisherman.

I lie back down and try to read. My light dies. It’s 9.15pm. I try to sleep, but I’ve parked possibly a little too close to the road. Headlights shine straight in my eyes every time (every 5 minutes) a car goes by.

Why did I camp here? I could have camped a little further around about 50 metres off the road instead of 3 metres. I am a drongo.

After a terrible night’s sleep I wake up early, before 6 am because Taxi needs her morning constitutional…

Taxi's poo with a view

So I figure I might as well get up too, get on the road early, maybe even have a surf…

Cosy sleeping nook inside the belly of the Camry

Of course I need to take my daily denim photo first…

Denim with misty beach back drop

Top: Bought on my way up north at Raymond Terrace, first time it’s been cool enough to wear, vintage ‘Leisurewear’ pale denim shirt/jacket

Bottom: Worn for the second time, photographed for the first time, on the epic journey, Industrie jeans

Accessory: Denim cap, freshly laundered after a heavy soiling on New Year’s Eve

I have no idea about my bent kneed stance in the picture, so on with my travelogue…

So I packed up, piled Taxi into the car and went back to Crescent Head. Tiniest surf ever that can still be called surf.

Fuck it, I thought. I’m here, so’s my surfboard, I’m getting wet.

In I go. Not only is it the tiniest surf ever it’s also the lowest tide ever. At Crescent Head that means rocks everywhere. I clamber in slipping, sliding trying not to smash my board. I catch a wave. I fall off arms forward so I don’t crack my head. I grate my forearms across several barnacled rocks. Now I have stigmata.

Time to hit the road. Sort of. I pop into Port Macquarie to visit 1 of my fav’ op shops in the world. And to snap up a few bargains. But of course I can’t leave it at just 1 op shop. I decide I have to do them all.

Hours later, with not too much stuff ( another pair of jeans, a denim cap, approx 10 handi-crafted coat hangers, wine glasses and a blanket) I finally really get back into Ugh and on the road after first making a lunch enagement for Newcastle.

And now I have a confession to make…

People who know me away from the blog may recall an anti-ham rant or 2 before Christmas. The truth is I have eaten ham nearly every day since Christmas. Sometimes I have even enjoyed it. Like today’s superior toasted ham wrap created by Mr M. Tome of Mayfield. How delicious was it? See for yourselves…

Ham, cheese, tomato, pickled onion, green stuff = tasty plus!

But that’s it for the year! I am not eating any more ham (until Christmas) or bacon. No more salty porky meat!

The drive home from Newcastle was uneventful apart from interesting clouds gathering over the freeway and me trying to beat Taxi with Ugh’s sun shade in an effort to stop her chewing her box off. I have a picture of the cloud but not of me beating Taxi while she munches her vagina.