We took a drive up to Kiama, a lovely coastal town on the NSW coast that we really love and so we often pop up for a few days rest and recreation We have been here for a couple of days and although the temperature has been pleasant, it has been raining. This morning was sunny, so at breakfast we decided to stay on for another day hoping to catch a glimpse of those elusive whales who are on their way back down the NSW coast to the Antarctic. But to no avail, we didn’t see any so we decided to take a walk to the town centre and then return back to the Sebel Hotel via the rocky foreshore of the Kiama inlet.
It’s a beautiful day so we decide to sit for a while and just soak in the sights and sounds around us.
I close my eyes and feel the cool breeze waft against my face; it lifts strands of my hair and blows them gently across my face. I can smell the clean, salty air of the ocean. Even the seagulls are oddly quiet, unlike their usual noisy, squawking carry on, giving the whole atmosphere a peaceful, meditative feel.
This experience takes me back to my childhood when I would go to the rocky outcrops in Surfdale, Waiheke Island, with my mother. She would smile on indulgently while I fossicked in the rock pools looking for crabs, shrimps and other tiny sea creatures. I was raised to be mindful of replacing any rocks that I overturned in my search for these little beings. I remember squealing with delight as an anenome would suck at my finger when I placed it into its centre. My mother and I would laugh as we squirted each other with ‘Neptunes Necklace’ strands.
All these childhood memories came tumbling back as I sat taking in the atmosphere and the sights around me here in Kiama. A truly magical experience away from the hustle and the bustle of the shopping area not far behind us.
I have fallen in love with Kiama, I guess part of the reason is that it reminds me so much of the life I spent in a similar place so many years ago. I find that everyone is friendly, and there is almost everything you could want at the shops. Plus its not far from ShellHarbour which is a much larger town with even more shops if there is something you need thats not readily available or you want to go to the movies.
There are plenty of great eating places such as the Ritzy Gritz, 55 on Collins, the Seabreeze and for a lunchtime feed of fish and chips you can’t go past Barnacles on the waterfront.
There are more beautiful towns up and down the coast but for me, Kiama has touched my soul and this is where I want to live.
It’s beautiful even on a cloudy, overcast day, with the waves beating harshly upon the foreshore.
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