On Libraries and Lap Lanes

Today, I got up and my main goal for the day was a hot shower.  It’s interesting how sometimes it’s the little things that become important when you’re traveling with not many things.  I’d been taking cold showers at beaches and such for the most part when I traveled the Great Ocean Road.  I had a hot one when I paid to stay at a campsite once and it was GLORIOUS!  I decided to try for another one when I left Sydney again and I stopped at a trucker’s rest stop where you can pay 4 bucks for a hot shower.  I was very happy to do so and it was awesome.  It had been a couple weeks by then since my last one (hot shower, not any shower).  I am someone who LOVES to take scalding hot showers.  At the rest stop, I fogged up the mirrors in the whole bathroom!  I almost felt bad, but I did pay for the shower, so that thought quickly assuaged my guilt.

Anyway, even though that was only a few days ago, I’d felt so great afterwards and it’s been raining every day since (not exactly beach weather), so I decided to see about a repeat.  I asked at an information center here in Ballina and they suggested the local Swim N Gym.  A great idea.  I’d actually thought about going to a rec center and paying for the pool so I could use the locker room myself.

Jellyfish horror show near Ballina, Australia

I was using the library yesterday and stayed til it closed, which meant the Swim N Gym would be closed as well, so I got up first thing this morning and headed over to the gym to see what was up.  They only charged 5 bucks to use their pool facilities.  I’d already planned on swimming as well.  The last couple days it’s been either cold when I’ve thought about swimming at a beach, I’ve not been in the mood, or the beach has been littered with jellyfish.  And when I say “littered with jellyfish”, I mean, it looked like a jellyfish horror movie.  I’ve never seen so many.  And they were HUGE.  I’ve been driving so much lately that I haven’t been as physical as I like to be, so I thought a few laps would be great.

I was pleased to find out that they were going to be having a water fitness class within an hour of when I arrived at the pool too!  I thought about possibly joining the class because I’m a big fan of aqua aerobics.  I used to go to classes regularly shortly after college and enjoyed the way you can use the water to increase resistance and change the difficulty of the class to suit your needs.  I think it’s unfortunate that it’s gotten a rep as an old person’s activity, because it can be quite enjoyable.  And also, when you sweat, you don’t get all sweaty!

it’s really big!

Anyway, as I was swimming laps, a lady struck up a conversation with me.  She was a local (yes, a senior citizen), and we had a nice talk during which she asked if I was going to come to the class.  When the class started, a large group of special education children was just leaving the pool and I realized that I probably didn’t want to go to the locker room at that point in time anyway due to the chaos factor.  A perfect excuse to go to the class…

It was quite well attended, over 20 people, mostly geriatric.  All female but one.  I had a great time, though.  Several of the women introduced themselves to me.  They were so sweet, many of them hoping that I was a new resident in town.  It was so nice.  There was such a small-town vibe, I really enjoyed it.

Nonetheless, I’m moving on from Ballina tonight. I woke up this morning at a rest stop/reserve where I slept and was just about to get up when I realized a ranger was pulling up in front of my car.  Damn.  Most of the places I’ve been camping are borderline (or not-so-borderline) illegal.  Signs say no camping, but not no sleeping in cars.  Some signs say no car sleeping, though.  I try to avoid those places.  Some counties or “Shires” as they’re called here have signs everywhere and will fine people.  This ranger was super-nice, though.  He gave me a warning and told me I could get a fine of 110 dollars if I was caught again.  He also mentioned that apparently it’s not illegal to park your car on the roadside of a city….  Good info.  I plan on doing that tonight!  I hear they’re really strict in Byron Bay, which is the next Shire to the north…so fingers crossed!