April 15, 2014 3:00pm

I biked the 17k to Crowdy Bay this morning mostly on gravel roads so I didn’t make very good time. I stopped in Laurieton at a Coles market and picked up a few items of groceries and some matches. My lighter had finally given up last night so I ate a cold breakfast. I was up before anyone else at the caravan park and didn’t want to disturb the management by borrowing a match. The Crowdy Bay park is really nice and it is a sanctuary for Koala bears. The beach is beautiful and the woods is a tropical rain forest. It is school holiday so the campsites are pretty cramped. There are no designated camping spots so people just put their tents in where they can find room. At first I put up the small hammock and was getting some rest until I read the rules about nothing being attached to the trees so I quickly took it down.
Because of the frequent and sudden rain showers, I have taken to cooking inside the vestibule area of my tent. This works quite well if I leave the outer door unzipped. Here is a photo showing my typical kitchen setup including whistling tea pot and stainless billy. I may hole up at this campsite for a few days to get back on budget. Australia is very expensive if you are shopping at petrol stations and camping at caravan parks. In the state and national parks it is possible to stay under a $20 per day budget including food and camping fees.
It is now 3:47pm and the rain has begun again. Most of today was clear blue skies. The weather is unpredictable this time of year. It reminds me of Hawaiian weather.