A strange feeling, at home in Australia but not feeling at home. We have been so used to just walking at this time of the year and, in foreign countries. There was a sense of mystery, learning about other cultures, and meeting some of their people. Now we are driving mostly, stopping at chosen places, walking some kilometres ensuring that we meet a kilometre target each day.
However, we now have a chance to get to know our own country a little more, and the walks along two rivers today allowed us to breathe in a bit of Australia and get to understand it a little more. For me, a personal outcome of the virus, has been to force me to explore more of my own country.
Our first river was the only sign of life in this seemingly deserted tiny village with the apt name of Little Hartley sitting on the sunset side of the Blue Mountains, apparently content with its quiet anonymity. Another partly disused town called Capertee spoke of park walks but did not deliver, so we motored on.
Then it was the much alive, well kept town of Mudgee, that invited us on another river walk, our liquid dessert after a tasty, cultural aussie pie.
On the way now to Dubbo we became more enlightened re the Murray Darling water situation via the local radio station. We now realise it is extremely complex and informed us of cultures of a different sort.

Our land cries out for lost, forgotten water
It’s centuries old this torrid unquenched thirst
And as supplies continue getting shorter
A ‘question revolution’ must come first.
We argue strong on water allocation
We try to get agreements from the States,
We think about a future damming nation
We talk a lot of deals with crooked mates.
But what about the wet evaporation
And cash that also goes into thin air,
Then minimise our thirst for irrigation
And water saving – careful how we share
And do it now while we have lots of rain
And save it all, from going down the drain.