Perched on the edge of Hummock Hill overlooking the beach and it’s activities, I start writing, shooing the flies, time to time. I look at the terrain right below me, it’s rugged and unattended. The steel dusts has it’s imprint in the making of the terrain too. Fortunately, your eye refuses to stay there, it wonders yonder to the water. It’s not Hawai or Bali, but this hidden gem is just spectacular. The flies are a tad bit annoying, but I am willing to ignore and continue on with the writing and occasionally glancing back at the water. It’s still there looking so perfect. The weather is perfect too. If I could ignore the flies, everything would be just perfect. But that’s just ain’t life is it?
I have been pining for a holiday, some time together with hubby. It’s been a challenge to get any time off with him lately, as the man has been working too hard. He travels a fair bit for work as well. Suddenly on Thursday, I started my journey on google to look for a weekend getaway. Just hoping that Hubby wasn’t working this long weekend. I was thinking going South, Aldinga, Mclaren vale or Goolwa were some places I was looking at. But, he comes home late around 9.00pm with a long face and utters, “I have to go to Whyalla tomorrow”. With disappointment I asked, when he was back. And I explained that I was hoping to go to Mclarenvale, Aldinga or Golwa for the long weekend. He jokingly said, “well you can come to Whyalla”.
To his surprise and mine I quipped, “ yes, ok, I will come, I will come anywhere”. With that planning started for the next days trip. With the aid of Google and trip advisor, we managed to book an apartment near the beach. Hubby was still worried wondering what and how I would entertain myself during the day, when he was working. I assured him that if everything fails I would find great spots to do some writing. I was hell bent on not staying home for the long weekend.
Whyalla is not renowned for it’s tourism. It’s no Bali or Hawai boasting surfing, hang gliding and the night life the other tourist destinations include. It’s just a quiet country town, held together by a steel industry. For the rest of Australia it is just a hick town. Not sure if anyone outside of Australia has even heard about this town. Well those were my preconceived notion as well. However, I still wanted to accompany my husband as I missed him too much. I was the cause of ridicule next day among friends. I joined in making fun of myself.
We were meant to leave at 2.00pm but as per the Ganesan family tradition we finally started the drive at 6.00pm with a 10.45pm ETA. Hubby doesn’t usually like driving at night as he knows too well the dangers of meeting a Kangaroo on these roads at dusk. However, having to start work early the next day he had no choice but to start the drive. There was no convincing him to take the Jeep wrangler for the journey. So the privileged queen boarded the Ute in high fashion. It doesn’t matter the destination there is always a reason to wear high heals and Chanel no 5.
First song for the drive blares through the radio sounded so apt.
‘We were meant to be together’ by Laura Franke.
I don’t remember the entire lyrics but it says something along the lines, how one’s a night owl and the other an early riser and how each other is opposite. But my favourite lines are
“ no doubt each making up for what other lacks, somehow we don’t see eye to eye, if opposites attract I guess that’s why… and the chorus
“we were meant to be together, No doubt about it”.
Yes, I think so too. We argue, we squabble, but we know that we complete each other. So with that song as the great omen we start the holiday – well at least for me it was holiday.
It was around 9.00 pm, I wanted him to take a break. Unless, I said I needed to use the toilet he wouldn’t pull over. So I said, what I needed to say. He agrees and we pull into a pub for a toilet break and a coffee. I think the town was Port Pirie. We met some interesting characters and had a laugh. Again I was the target for the jokes as they found it funny that I was going to Whyalla for a holiday.
Until now each time I had asked someone what I could do in Whyalla from the locals as well these jokers from Port Pirie, they suggested the shopping center and mentioned Woolworths. I didn’t have the heart to tell them that, I wasn’t exactly thinking of Whyalla as my next shopping destination. So doubt was creeping in regarding my destination. I still joked with them and said that Whyalla was supposed to be the next Paris. And with that we left to continue our journey.
They did give us a safety warning regarding the Kangaroos and told us to watch out between Port Augusta and Whyalla. Hubby had the beam lights on and drove slower than the speed limit. We just had another hour to go and we thought we should be safe from Roos by now. Well we thought wrong.
Continued on the next episode…
But a little taste to come
Uma's life and thoughts 