Today I took Alice’s car for a drive to Ballina which is about 30 minutes away.  The route is quite easy and I got there no problem.  Then I had to find the Medicare building.  Now most of the buildings here are single storey and look like bungalows.  Also parking is mostly done at an angle sticking out into the road.  Mobile phone maps are a wonderful thing and once I had found the building I had to park.  There was a lovely lady in the Medicare building who explained to me that I needed a printed copy of my visa, my passport and some other form of id from the UK.  I thought I had thought of everything but no I didn’t take my visa!   Not to be put off I asked if I could print one off, unfortunately “No” was the answer but I would be able to at the library.  The lovely lady gave me directions to the library and the post office.  So I got back in the car drove down the road to the library, went too far, turned round and parked again.  Another lovely lady in the library said I could use the express computer as I wasn’t a member but I would need to wait a bit.  No problem waiting – I took the opportunity to use the extremely lovely toilets at the library!  More waiting.  Then I got to use the express computer – can’t say it was any faster than a normal computer!  Within the allotted 15 minute time slot I managed to login to my email and find my visa.  I also managed to send an email too – I didn’t want to waste my time!  The printing was released and I paid my bill – all of $2.10!  Off I went in the car again and on the was back to the Medicare building I saw the post office so parked again popped into the post office, sent a card (probably too late!) and brought some stamps.  By this point I was a little hungry so I went to a bakery for an egg and salad roll and a juice.  Well, salad included lettuce, cucumber, cheese, beetroot, carrot and she would have put tomatoe on it too  – it took me a while to munch through that lot!  I then spotted a craft shop but being sensible I thought I had better sort the Medicare out first! So back to the car again and a short drive and another car parking event.  The Medicare ladies were both very efficient, pleasant and helpful – I was impressed and appreciative.  When I came out it took me awhile to remember where I had parked the car….. I found it and drove off again back to the craft shop and parked this time in a car park.  The craft shop had yarn/wool in it along with a plethora of crafting stuff – reminded me of a cross between Hobbycraft and Abakhan.

  
I bought some things….. some yarn, a crochet hook, a tape measure and a knitting book (which I will send back with Castell!)  

And yes I probably do have most of these at home!  I just didn’t pack them!

Now all that was left to do was to pick up more groceries – milk and bread this time, so back in the car and another short drive to Big W and a supermarket, more parking!  After all that I was done in and rested for a while in the car drinking a bottle of water and eating an iced finger – yum. I realised it was 5 pm and I should be making my way back to Byron.  I decided to take the more scenic route so back through town passed the library and over the river.  The sea looked beautiful and I wondered if I could stop for a bit just to sit on the beach.  Fortunately, there was an entrance at the bottom of a hill which gave me enough time to decide, indicate and slow down to turn right.  More parking but this is what I saw…..

I sat on that piece of drift wood soaking up the sound of the waves, the feel of the wind on my skin and the sun on my back. Bliss.

Quote for today: “The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination and brings eternal joy to the soul.” Wyland