Beautiful People

Having travelled for over a month, it was time to put our feet up and stop for a while.   We looked up the camp book and chose a spot called ‘Palm Cove’ just north of Cairns – which turned out to be the most beautiful place on the Cairns coast.   It was a small resort village with a promenade of boutique stores, cafes, and exclusive restaurants.  Nestled in right beside all the big name resorts is a little council run caravan park on the beach.  It was a gift to the council from a deceased estate, bequeathed under the condition that it is kept as a camp ground.  Since that time Palm Cove has grown into an exclusive sanctuary.  The caravan park, basic and in need of maintenance, is no longer in keeping with the surrounds, and the council is arguing over its future.  In the mean time for just $18.50 a night we enjoyed pretending to be like the rich and famous in the most idyllic location on the coast.

 

Staying put for an extended period gave us a wonderful chance to get to know the culture and people that had set up Palm Cove Caravan Park.  Happy hour was at beer o'clock and the atmosphere was relaxed and friendly.  The caretaker calls you by name and waves out as he empties the bins and potters around.   We met so many lovely folks.

Roslyn from Newcastle is travelling Australia with her four year old boy as a single mum.  She has packed a bundle of toys and my boys enjoyed playing around her caravan.  I am just amazed at her courage, and I know there is a big story in her.  She plans to travel for the next three years and then return home to family and friends, if that’s where the journey takes her.

Bill and Viv are from Alstonville, retired and travel eight months of the year.  Bill is large and sports a blue tank shirt the entire time we are there and has a big head of wild grey curls – he helps John change the tyre on our caravan.  Viv is short, full figured, and always smiling.  She has a bird ‘lou lou’ that spends the day on her shoulder and sleeps in her hat at night.  The kids love to go up to visit and have a turn with the bird sitting on their shoulder.

Jane was a gift from God.  My hair had become quite long and not having packed conditioner due to short showers, I couldn’t comb the knots out.  I was either going to go down the dreadlocks route, or I needed it lopped off.  The boys hair was getting wild and long too.  I started to get anxious about where I’d get the chance and the money for a hair cut.  Then a picture popped into my head that at the next camp spot there would be a tent with the sign out the front saying ‘hair cuts’ - and that is exactly what I found outside Jane’s tent.   She is young and travelling OZ with her partner.  They have no long term plans and have no idea where they will end up - picking up work and waitressing along the way.    She gave me a great cut.  Josh looked so tiny in her chair with the black cloke around his neck, it’s the first time he has had his hair cut by anyone but his mummy.  After seeing her brothers do it, Amy wanted to have a hair cut too – so she sat up in the chair while Jane ran her fingers of her head.   Amy proudly hoped down, and received her lolly pop reward.

Rebecca is living her second life now that her children are older teenagers and doing their own thing.  She has sold her home and chosen a nomadic life, met a lovely islander who plays guitar.  They have a 7 month old baby and another on the way.  With no long term plans they are enjoying the simple life.   Having recovered from a serious car accident a few years ago, today Rebecca seems very happy and content.   Colourful flags of peace hang from her caravan awning.

Marlene is from Adelaide.  She lost her mother last year, which has reunited her with her sister who now lives in Sydney.  They have chosen Palm Cove to meet together and catch up on lost years. 

Camped beside us were a couple of surrogate grand parents for our kids.  They are from Gympie and had a glorious van with all the gadgets you could imagine.  It is a tribute to years of hard work they have spent in their nursery business.   Now they travel often through the year with their son looking after the business.   They watched our children for us one evening while John and I enjoyed wine and cheese at one of the resorts on the promenade.  They encouraged us for a few days, and then went on their way. 

Jack walked up to our Caravan to pick up his son, who has found his way over to us to play with the boys.  At first we think he must be the lad’s grandfather, but judged too soon.  He warms to John quickly and shares the sorrow of his recent separation which left him to care for their 2 year old son.  He leaves work under the personal stress and is unable to return.  They have no permanent address, but he has his freedom and is devoted to raising his son.  Soon they start talking about music and it turns out Jack is a songwriter with a few small demo’s which he plays to John.    John is able to share his knowledge and encourages him with his writing.  Jack leaves inspired – the next day was his 50^th birthday.

Meeting all these beautiful people makes for a very rich journey – and these are all from one week, in one camp ground.  We stopped again at Palm Cove Caravan Park on the way back from Cape Trib.  It was lovely to see familiar faces, waving and welcoming us.  We felt a sense of coming home, a feeling we haven’t experienced in a while.