South Coast

Third week here already, moving to Paradise on the 4th which doesn't mean I'm about to become a suicide bomber.  Spent a couple of nights in a little chalet just outside Shelley Beach checking out spots and decided on Paradise Caravan Park about 20 k's this side of Port Edward.  Have already selected a site which is up on a hill with sea views but some distance away from the shoreline so won't be able to hear the surf.  Could not believe how Shelly Beach has changed, massive shopping centres and wall to wall traffic.  Found a small craft harbour and watched a couple of fishermen landing and loading their boats, quite a process.  They zoom in onto the beach then use a snatch block to tow the boat up onto a scissor trailer with a 4x4 bakkie, then hitch up and pull the thing up a very steep concrete slip-way.  First time I've seen all four wheels spinning!

Decided to go walkies along the beach the other morning and noticed someone with two dogs coming the other way.  When she got closer I saw she was wearing an apron - the maid, the height of laziness I'd say.  Then the following day I was walking back from the shop and he comes a guy with no legs on his motorised wheel-chair also walking two dogs, wonder if he's ever run out of battery.

Was outside on the "veranda" the other day and noticed a trail of ants moving along the lower edge under the door and disappearing underneath by the wheel arch.  Decided to try and find out what they were up to but could see so backtracked to see where the were coming from.  This led up the rear, then under the awning all the way to the front across the horizontal pole to the vertical one down onto the ground and under the ground sheet! Whoever figured out that route was really in it for the long haul. And next day they were gone.

Had a visit from Richard Boon and Wendy van Elden on Saturday and took them to Umdoni forest.  Seems the Australian authorities have been asking questions about why he has not yet taken up residence, so now he is moving to Melbourne - again.  No more farewell parties though as we've already had two.  He has a contract position there for a year so I expect he'll be back fairly soon.  Took them up to what must be one of the most spectacular 18th hole tee boxes in the world.