Patience rewarded

Our venture into the world of the grey nomads following Nigel's retirement on 16 January 2009 came to a shuddering halt when he developed bilateral inguinal hernias requiring surgery.

Despite the frustration, we did manage to make it as far as the Bays Holiday Park in Anna Bay, Port Stephens before the operation, which turned out to be a simple keyhole job. But Nigel's not supposed to lift anything over 5kg for a month and for weeks after that has to take it easy, so Carol has been amassing merit points waiting on him hand and foot…well sort of.

Anna Bay has proved to be a great place to recuperate at (close to beach, shopping and pub) and close enough to Sydney for us to attend follow-up medicals and for family to call in.

So far Steve, Louise and family, and Jeremy, Angela and baby Lily have checked out how tough life can be. We’ve also had visits by a koala and joey, and a large, muscular goanna that has at least once wandered into the ladies’ amenity block (mercifully unoccupied at the time).

Most unwelcome have been the sandflies and mosquitoes, and (scratch, scratch!) we’re suffering for our unpreparedness.

The only event to interrupt the park torpor was an invasion by large and rowdy group of footballers up to play a local side. After the match they partied unapologetically through the evening and into the wee hours (as you do). Not one vannie complained, but an irritated cabin occupant did, forcing the manager to emerge at 3.30am with a ‘keep the noise down’ admonishment that predictably had no effect. Our visitors eventually surrendered to fatigue and the effects of alcohol by around 4am. We grey nomads, with memories of our own miss-spent youth, and for whom every new day is a bonus, were of course unperturbed.

Nigel has missed work and workmates, but is starting to settle into this new environment. Carol settled in from day one, and has become a regular at Birubi Point beach armed with boogie board and sun cream. It should not be left unsaid that she's doing the intellectual thing studying archeology at UNE by distance education, communicating with laptop and wireless modem.

We’ve begun to make a lot of interesting new acquaintances and reconnected with old friends who have moved to the region. One English couple we met travelling the world (he's a mathematician) say they are working on reducing their carbon footprint to a figure approaching zero. Good luck!

Now we’re into autumn and impatient to depart Anna Bay for points north. More news and pictures in a month or so.