Day 83 - Curveball

Jandowae 0.8km

In some ways we are lucky. But of course, it is a matter of perspective. Louise certainly isn't feeling that way, especially not after seeing this:

COVID curveball has hit

It confirmed what was almost inevitable after a few mornings of waking up to a sore throat and depleted energy levels. I don't feel particularly lucky in this moment either, knowing that when Louise says she feels miserable, it's not good. We think through our options and familiarise ourselves with QLD's regulations, while still curled up in our tiny tent. 

Our friendly neighbour in cabin 16 greets us with a Sunday smile and enquiries whether we slept well. As if he knows. Louise takes the 'door opener' and shares our interest to extend our stay for a few more days and maybe move into a cabin? He gets it and immediately texts the absent owner Julie to see how this can be done. Two hours later we move into cabin 6. 

Unexpected comfort

While Louise retreats into horizontal position and endures every level of temperature variation a body can handle, plus a pounding headache, I take inventory of the luxuries in the cabin to establish an adequate shopping list. A kettle, a toaster, a fridge and a microwave (!) - these are all appliances that you don't necessarily carry with you when travelling by bicycle. And they deliver rare culinary delights such as toast with real butter, coffee and tea with real milk and as for the microwave... I am not sure. I have never had a microwave and remember that I almost blew up the lunch room at Taylor's Wines one day because I didn't know that you can't put anything metal in it. So I later make a hell of a mess when reheating the previous night's campstove cooked pasta sauce. There are clearly things to learn.

I pedal the 400m to the SPAR supermarket and slowly feel the luck returning. And I even see some people in this town! I take a quick glance at the dingo statue - as tribute to the nearby dog fence - but save it for another day for closer inspection, since we are going to be here for a while. The young lad at the cash register is mildly confused about the eclectic contents in my shopping basket: peppermint teabags, breakfast juice, cleaning sponges (bikes), men's shaving cream (legs), Panadol Optizorb (Louise), a vast collection of dairy products and a handful of fresh veggies and fruit (at astronomical prices). 

Another luxury appliance available to us is a small TV. I return from my shopping mission just in time for ABC'S Landline (ABC Landline 01/05/22) program to start, a show we have watched regularly when planning for this trip, for destination ideas and inspiration. And it happens to be a very inspiring episode, with a report about the tiny town of Bell, only a mere 50km east from here and another story that hits a 'homesick' nerve. 

I call a dear friend back home. She is so generous in sharing her time, reminding me that this is what it is all about: the connections we share. We take them everywhere we go, whether it is freewheeling around the country or being absorbed into our day-to-day lives. Looking at Louise, feverish and shivering under every blanket we could find, I feel lucky to be here, in the warm and dry safety of cabin 6. Of course, it might be only a matter of time until the virus shoe is on the other foot or when the next curveball comes our way, but we worry about that when we get there and in the meantime I give this microwave another go.

Room with a view