A Week Ago...

Ok well i meant to write a blog on this last week but i didn't. I just kinda forgot or when i remembered i was too busy. So i am doing it now. A week (and a little bit) later.

The long weekend was approaching. I was undecided. There was talked of sailing adventures on the high seas and weekends away at houses of holidays but these fell through. Last year i spent the weekend up at Coffs Harbour for a Jeep weekend called Camp Coffs. Upon thinking about it, it was hard to refuse another weekend up in the warmth and scenery of the north coast. So the Jeep was packed, the co driver was chosen (Sam) and we were off. The ever increasing petrol prices started to make me doubt going but Sam and I decided the weekend was going to be one of adventure and how could measly money stop us!

We arrive in Coffs Harbour 1.5 tanks of fuel later to choose a site and set up camp. For those of you unsure on what this event was etc, it is called Camp Coffs (creative). There are a bunch of Jeep owners based around Coffs who host the event and the magazine Jeep Action Australia is also based there so they put the event on. Basically think, 100 Jeeps, Mountain tracks, beautiful beaches and some good ole campin fun.

Our Camp

The Jeeps

Well our choice of tent location wasn't great with some "pirates" behind us who talked till 130am and then seemed to wake at 530am vomiting each morning. Not great for sleep.

Saturday and Sunday involved drives which started at 9am and went till shortly after lunch. Sam and I dined finely on delicacies like bread and a jar of peanut butter (thanks to our friend Shyam at Coles, Moonee Beach). The drives were quite fun with my Jeep remaining carnage free, however a few others had some issues. I seemed to lift a wheel all day and felt like i was going to roll too often. I wasn't particularly happy with how i was driving. Luckily there was one climb (i.e. bit of track) that i drove really well at the end of the day so that made me feel better. Click here if you want to watch a short video of it (right click/save as on camera thing)

Meals included some RSL fare, some BBQed burgers (really good or i was really hungry) and some quality Thai (Lots of takeaway rubbish on the drive there and back)

Sunday was Easter Sunday. And rather than spend the evening with people at the camp site we decided to hot Coffs Harbour and search for a church. We had no idea of where the churches would be or what we'd find. The hunt was on. Lots of driving. Not much finding. Then we came across the Baptist Church. We were half an hour late though. Not ideal. A bit further down the road though we stumbled on the Presbyterian Church. Coffs Presbyterian or Harbourside Evangelical Church was a great little church. We slipped in the back and joined in their service. There were probably about 70 people there. At the end Scott, the Assistant Minister came and chatted to us. He was an SMBC graduate from Sydney who moved up there with his family a few years ago. Seems like a great place to work. Was a great church and exciting to see the Gospel working in Coffs.

Monday saw us trying to drive a hill called "Impossible". No one has ever made it up (hence the name). 4 Jeeps gave it a try and i was chuffed that i got the furthest up. Only a few metres to go. Oh well. A reason to go next year.

Driving up impossible

Each morning we went down to the beach for our shower (ie swim). The water was really warm and the waves were generally good.



This is turning into an essay...so i am going to try and finish quickly.

Basically we decided to drive half way back on Monday (to avoid traffic) and go the rest of the way on Tuesday. So we stopped in Coffs Harbour. Set up our tent, got some great Fish n Chips and a Beer and then........and then......we were bored. It was 7pm and nothing to do. So we saw March of the Penguins. It was ok. Kinda. And then it was morning and we packed up and drove back to Sydney.

Good times indeed. An adventure indeed. Probably slightly different too. I know my hobby is strange. But it's what i do. Not sure what the purpose here was. Just to tell a tale.

Comment on your thoughts on my strange hobby if you want.

The Motherland

Well...Most people know my parents are South African. They still seem to have an accent after being here for about 27 years. I am an Aussie. But if my mother was born there (SA) does that mean that its my motherland? I don't think so.




Well my folks have just spent a month in SA. Was great to have a month of freedom at home (and free petrol in the Astra) but it prooved to be quite difficult as well. I felt a bit lonely, i ate ordinarily and i had some clashes with one sibling. But it appears that my folks had a great time. I would LOVE to go to SA sometime in the next year or two and meet some of my family who i either havent met or havent seen for about 15 years. I thought I'd throw up some pics of mainly Cape Town. It looks like an incredible place. Which makes it even more of a tragedy that it is such a messed up place. It should be one of the #1 tourist destinations in the world but the crime and other issues scare so many people away. The economy is a mess (but does mean you can get a fancy pants meal for equivalent of $AUD4-5) There are still many grudges held on all sides of the community. But life goes on doesn't it. My rellies are used to the inconveniences and the hassles which we see. It's just how life is. How lucky we are eh?

Joy > Tragedy

A little bit of a different post for today.

Today for uni, one of my classes went to Sydney Jewish Museum in Darlinghurst. Other classes were going to places like the Zoo and Powerhouse Museum so i felt a little bummed at first, but then thought it could actually be quite interesting.

Interesting it was.

Our tour guide for the 2 hours we spent there was a survivor from the Holocaust. A German Jew called Eddie. He was a pretty incredible guy. The stories he had were chilling and truly disturbing. He spent time in about 3 or 4 concentration camps including Aushwitz. Some of the displays in the museum really made you feel ill and many people in our group were deeply moved. It just highlighted how massively fallen our world is. Truly horrifying.

However what amazed me was our guide. He had a life that i am sure will be much harder than mine ever will be yet he was possibly one of the most joyful persons i have ever met. His love for people, and care for people was amazing considering what people had done to him. He swore to never step foot on German soil again, so he still holds deep feelings against what happened to him, but his message of love and acceptance and care was very powerful. I'm rambling a bit here but it was just incredible to see a man who went through true terror and to now be overflowing with happiness even though he relives the horrors of his past every day telling his story at the museum. What brought him happiness was his family and the love that is encapsulated in that.

Just something to ponder perhaps.

If family can give us such joy then how much joy should the fact that our heavenly father has given us life through Christ. Our hope is sure. This sure hope should bring us joy.

Say yes.

Was in EU Public Meeting last week listening to one Ian Powell speaking. One thing he said kinda struck a chord with me.

You say no to God, if you don't say yes!

Is this something just straight forward and self explanatory or is it something worth us thinking about?