Cobargo ….. I love you!

After 2 days in glorious Merimbula, exploring the coastline, the expansive views over crystal clear water, a fur seal frolicking in the sun, getting up close and personal with a giant stingray in the shallows and awaking to a serene, pastel hued sunrise, we moved on and in fact changed our route. After heading inland to visit Bega (and of course get some cheese!) our next stop was to be Canberra, or atleast somewhere on the way. After all the pot holed, bumpy roads in Eden and again leaving Merimbula, the thought of heading through the twisting, winding, narrow roads of the mountains was a little too much for us! So, we re-routed and headed back towards the coast, and thankfully so.

We arrived at a little town named Cobargo, in search of soda water! Deciding to get out and let the doggies stretch their legs, we were met with the most gorgeous town which instantly had us wanting to explore. There are some places that just feel right and this was one of them. Old timber buildings, plenty of charm, bunting and flags blowing in the wind from pretty little shops selling quirky little things. A vibe of happiness, contentment and health oozed from this town. Smiling faces, bare feet, a little hippy, a little bohemian and a lot folk. What a great mix! As we wandered the town (and found a cold drink!) we were met by the local dogs which happily sit out the front of their owners’ shops and people who are keen to share their story, and hear ours. Such genuine interest and sincerely lovely people. We were directed to behind the local pub to free camp for the night along the banks of the creek where other caravans had already set up for the night. A little mini community within the community!

We also found a great second hand book shop aptly named “Well Thumbed Books” and a vintage store with boundless treasures!

Building up for this weekend’s folk festival, the town was alive with enthusiasm and on our second day, we joined in the local festivities along the main road. Bands, local musicians, market stalls, dunk a scout and plenty of happy people! As we talk to more locals we learn that everybody here plays their role in the community and there is no supermarket as such. A naturopath, a butcher, a wholefoods store and a few other speciality shops selling local produce – real food. None of the brightly coloured, plastic packaged rubbish pretending to be food. No one here is over weight. The kids are tanned, thin, have great teeth (which we can see because they are alive, happy and smiling!) and loads of people are barefoot, feeling the earth between their toes and connecting with nature. How perfect! We are asked if we would be interested in moving here “land is cheap” they tell us. So very tempting. Energy is contagious and I really like how this place feels…

Which brings me to another topic. Lots of people have asked us if we are settled into van life and what the hardest part of transitioning has been. The simple answer (if there is one!) is that yes, we have settled in. We are comfortable and content with our space and actually really love spending time and hanging out in the van! The hardest part wasn’t giving up our possessions or seriously downsizing…the hardest part is adjusting to a completely different lifestyle. In modern society we are so used to time constraints. Squeezing the maximum amount of time out of every minute, to get as much done as possible. Rushing from one task to another – in business and life. Not having a “purpose” as such, a job or task that needs to be done and not having to be anywhere in particular place at any given time has actually been the hardest thing to adjust to. That and the decisions that need to be made on a daily basis, that affect our time in the van, our time together, our safety and ultimately our van life experience…that’s hard too, as neither of us particularly like making decisions in our personal life. We prefer to toss a coin!!

Today we made a decision to take things a bit slower, readjust our mentality and write a different story…

JT xo