Serendipity!

We spent the last two days making ground closer to home. Stopping at two completely contrasting places only hours apart.

First stop, Poona. A sleepy little town... not much happening, with “absolute waterfront” properties overlooking the beautiful Fraser Island. The houses are a mismatch of run-down, boarded-up shacks and immaculate abodes of house-proud retirees. The “council-maintained” boardwalk consisted of a crumbling pathway dotted with sun-damaged information boards that you can’t read due to the flaking paint. The path is diverted most of the way by white posts directing you off the crumbling path and through the backyards of the waterfront properties. It felt weird to be trespassing, so we only went halfway and turned back.

It rained all night, and we were serenaded to sleep by the most awesome thunderstorm. Daph surprisingly loves snuggling to the sound of rain on the Kombi roof. But Ern is somewhat distracted by the need to keep popping outside for leak management duties.

Then on to Noosa. A highly commercialised area that is also “absolute waterfront” but commanding five times the price for your piece of paradise. Both places have million-dollar views, but Poona doesn’t carry the same status as a Noosa postcode. Humans are funny.

We arrived slightly earlier than the 1.00 p.m. check-in and weren’t allowed to set up because the site wasn’t ready. What needs to be ready on a campsite? The chambermaid obviously needed to restock the mini bar and change the towels! We were instructed to go and get lunch and they would give us a call when we could check-in.

So, we drove through the town looking for a café to stop at, which was more difficult than it sounds. The place was overdeveloped with row after row of designer clothes shops and antique jewellers. There was an abundance of establishments catering to the higher socio-economic status of those who could afford to stay in the million-dollar properties. But there was nowhere to park.

Then the heavens opened again, and the temperature dropped to Antarctic conditions. Cold and frustrated, Daph wasn’t the best company. Ern patiently drove around looking for somewhere to stop...

Daph: “Right at the roundabout.”

Ern turns right at the roundabout.

Daph: “Where are you going?”

Ern: “You said right?”

Daph: “Not this right, the other right!”

Daph’s navigation skills aren’t the best when she’s cold, wet and hangry[1].

Ern pulled into a backstreet for a breather, which just happened to be right in front of an organic café! We topped up on nutritious fuel, and Daph tamed her frustration into gratitude. Serendipity! Freezing our cockles off in the Kombi, munching on açai bowls, we finally got the phone call that our site was ready. Those towels better be fresh!

We arrived at the caravan park and sat shivering in the Kombi, waiting for a break in the weather to set up. And when the sun eventually came out, we could see that the thirty-eight dollars we’d paid for the night had actually paid for the best million-dollar view of all. Who’s rich now?!

[1] Angry because you’re hungry