Norfolk Island is so dry at the moment I can hardly recognize it. The grass is brown practically everywhere and I get painful thorns in my feet when I walk barefoot. This morning would bring some cooler temperatures and grey skies. As I called into the radio station as my first port of call for the day I said to “Darls” that I’m screaming to the rain gods to “bring it on like a boxing match” and when it does I’m pulling a Gene Kelly. It feels like Norfolk is without its soul at the moment. Only a very light sprinkle this morning is all the rain gods would bring. What’s my favourite thing to do on Norfolk? Talk to people, catch up, give hugs, and the whole lot. Those who really love hugs get my special “spinny-spin” hug whilst those who don’t likes hugs get a virtual hug. First this morning I’d have breakfast with Winton and Shane-O. It’s extremely rare that I go out to eat on Norfolk so I must make the most of it when I do. A brekkie wrap with bacon, fried onion, and BBQ sauce looks brilliant!
For such a small locale with limited resources, Norfolk and its people work out some brilliant meals both at home and at restaurants. It only took a couple of days but I finally caught up with Trent Christian this morning so I can tell him about Pitcairn. The home of the Bounty mutineers is not just a journey, it’s an odyssey.
This morning I went for a walk in the national park. I’m so used to the trails being muddy enough that I have to watch my footing in places but they’re very dry at the moment. A search for a geocache proved fruitless so I enjoyed the view from Mt. Pitt and then walked the Bridle Track to Captain Cook’s Lookout.
A bit worn out from my walk I called into the Local and had a crisp glass of “sav” whilst I prepped myself for what I was planning next. For two days now I’ve intended to fly Juliett but haven’t made it out to Simon’s Water to do so. I have to go through the same complicated rigmarole as last time to fly on most of Norfolk and I couldn’t be bothered today. I jumped on my pushbike and cycled down to Emily Bay. Today I went via Driver Christian Rd. for a gorgeous view at Cemetery Bay.
The skies remained grey but there was no rain.
I was buggered by then; so tired I couldn’t even move. It was there I bumped into a face I didn’t want to see, but I was in such a daze I didn’t even know how to react. Minutes later I bumped into a face I did want to see. Mike lives on Norfolk but is originally from Ventura, CA. He has lived on Norfolk for more than 10 years; I’ve always found it interesting how he lives here and I visit frequently yet we were brought up only about 50 kilometres away from each other. On my third visit I told a local that I was brought up in Van Nuys, CA and they said “I think Mike the painter is from there.” I wasn’t sure if they meant a painter as in an artist or a house painter. I’d seen him floating around in his van but never really had a chance to catch him and have a chat, so we did today after his paddle practice. I left my bike at Emily Bay and caught a lift home with Mike.
Norfolk has always been interesting, both before and after the Australian takeover, as far as immigration, logistics, money, communication, etc. My first trip to Norfolk, in 2014, I flew from New Zealand but I still had to get an Australian ETA even though I wasn’t continuing on to the mainland. I should point out that some locals will get offended if you say “mainland” because they’re not part of Australia. Before the takeover everyone, including Australians, needed a passport to travel to Norfolk from Australia and you couldn’t fly to Norfolk on a one-way ticket. After the takeover, you don’t need a passport to fly from Australia (helpful for me at the moment since mine as at the Russian embassy) but the flight is still considered an international flight as you leave from the international terminal. As you exit the plane you’re greeted by the Australian Border Force. Despite being part of Australia they still have their own phone system, making it extremely expensive to call the island. There's no mobile data, though many locals don't care for it to ensure people actually talk to each other. The pier has yet to be upgraded, meaning shipping containers can't be brought to the island. Is Norfolk part of Australia or not? It's a nagging question.
Tonight I mostly took it easy, cooking up a light tea of pasta and kangaroo meatballs and then pears with chocolate pudding for dessert. I screamed for rain all day and all I got was a tiny sprinkle, but tonight I screamed for a bit of wine. A few glasses of wine on my favourite locale are always nice, either alone or with a friend...
