For Mothers Day 2013 I suggested to hubby that perhaps he could select a random class for me as a present... He accepted the mission quite happily, but then the questions started and I began to wonder whether his picking it was such a good idea... It seemed to stress him to the point that I began to think I needed to book him in to a random meditation class and i'd just tag along to that...
"What sort of class are you thinking"? he asks
"I don't know - something I wouldn't normally do, something out of the ordinary" I reply.
"But what like"?
The conversation then turns to careers and courses and all matter of things, so I try to explain it a different way.
"Well, you know how I have doing a cheese making class on my list - I don't want to become a cheesemaker, its just for FUN. I think it would be interesting but I ain't making cheese for a living".
Then he starts to browse the WEA Adult Education course brochure and giggles... Suddenly I have visions that i'm going to be doing a veterinary assistant course and have my hands up a sheeps butt. Ohhhhhhh... now that i'm saying this out loud it sounds kinda kinky that I was even thinking that... and wrong... I know I said random but I draw the line at animals butts... Unless I am on Farmers Wants a Wife, then it would be acceptable to do such a thing on TV for thousands to watch... But i'm not so I'm not touching a butt - any butt!
Fast forward to Mothers Day and it's announced I am doing a course... but its a surprise until the confirmation letter comes... Seriously? Just hurry up and put me out of my misery already...
The letter arrives and I am off to "Travel Writing"... A far cry from animal butts and lawn mowers and tarot card reading and mosaic, but an interesting course nonetheless. (I also think hubby decided to play it safe).
With 2 huge international holidays coming up and me being the sentimental little being who likes to capture the moments I was really looking forward to the course and hopefully picking up a few skills to help me keep a travel journal and a blog for these trips.
So on Thursday 27th June 2013 from 6pm-9pm I attended my travel writing course, which did turn out to be interesting and by the end of the night we had written a 'travel article'.
So without further ado, my article... (which I have just realised doesn't have a title)...
The road into Gulgong, in the Central west of NSW, is one
that leads you into this sleepy little town perfectly. The sheep graze the
paddocks, the weeds grow wild and you only pass a car every 10 minutes. We
often find ourselves here for a family weekend, stepping back in time for a
taste of the small town life.
With a husband and three young boys in tow we check into
"the $10 dollar" motel - not named for its tariffs, but instead as a
reminder that this quaint town was once featured on the $10 note. The rooms are
basic but the small door where breakfast is served through, straight into our
room, takes us grown ups back to our childhoods as soon as we enter.
It's 6am on an autumn morning and while 4 males softly
snore I sneak myself out to soak in the towns aura. There's a light fog and its
quiet. The streets are cobblestoned with high gutters and tell me stories of a
town that many generations have called home. I pass by the delightful antique
shops housed in stores that match the wares, and there's only a few locals
about. The newsagent waves and there's a "good morning love" in
greeting.
Later in the day its milk shakes and a drive up to the
lookout, where we can breathe in the fresh air, let the kids run wild and stare
out at the beauty of the world. This place is good for the soul. Good for my
family's souls. Good for my soul. All too soon the weekend is over, but its not
goodbye to Gulgong. It will never be goodbye. It's until next time.
