My morning pre breakfast walk was around the quite substantial 16 acre property owned by the motel (we learnt the boundaries the hard way by trespassing on a neighbour’s land). I’ve found that to complete my more than 10km daily walk, having a couple of kms under my feet takes the edge off the target.
We’re following the ‘Waterfall Way’ today which will take us to the huge waterfall at Ebor. A large rainforest which we will explore on our return shrouded an array of ‘s’ bends. These twists and turns nestled into the cliff face, leaving a high cliff wall on one side and a deep cliff fall on the other. This 9km long drive is scarily called ‘a crash zone’ ( not sure whether this referred to its potential or its actuality.
Up into the pretty town of Dorrigo where many shops were closed (these days it is difficult to know the reason). As is common in country towns there are many coffee houses, and I say this because some of them look like former homes. On the weekends they look like bustling affairs but it can be deceiving.
We continued on to our huge waterfall. It was falling strongly because of large amounts of nocturnal rain. It was a stark contrast to see a waterfall surrounded by fire ravaged trees, the other contrast being the green growth on many of them. A few people today, so much greeting and therefore a larger focus on distancing.
It was soon back to Dorrigo National Park at the top of the ‘s’ bends. A beautiful 6km walk took us through tall stands of gracious gums, and spectcaular strangler figs with numerous ferns of all types. On our way to the forest falls there was more interaction on a narrow track. Corrie and I decided to stop with our heads facing outwards as we passed others. A lot of ‘hello’s’, ‘thank you’s’, and ‘how are you’s’ competed with the numerous small talk of whip birds, water fowl, butcher birds and others, often echoed by cheeky lyrebirds.
A delightful afternoon in one of nature’s special places. Back down this ‘many cornered road’ my focus was mostly on this steep downhill crash zone. The other focus was on one of those constant interchanges we have with each other and that often used phrase ‘how are you’? It’s a caring phrase but often it has little to do with the other’s health and more just a common form of politeness.
Tonight we will dine at ‘Corrie’s pub’ in the main street of Bellingen. Well, it was her dad’s but she lived there.

“Hello how are you?”, it’s a common greeting
It’s nice to know that someone cares enough,
To check your health at every single meeting
In case you’ve gone from ‘well’ to ‘very stuffed’.
The answer usually is a token gesture
Unless there was a pre-existing ill,
And you may not, just want to further venture
In case it is a mountain not a hill.
So how about – “Hello, how was your day?”
Or “what exciting things have you been up to?”
It gives them scope to vary what they say
And they can freely choose to say: “it’s blue”.
You need some time to listen and respond,
So learn what’s best, where not to go beyond.