Travel Stories – A Well Dunn Life

Southern bound and driving down the coast from Sydney, I was soon to discover a not so talked about gem in Australia, Callala Bay. Nestled slightly north of the larger Jervis Bay, lies near white sand beaches with many times, no one else in sight on these large stretches of fine sand. It seems only the residents here enjoy their beaches and so of course, I was in heaven.

The scenic drive to this part of New South Wales is half the fun and stopping to explore along the way is, without a doubt, a must. The small shops speckled about in towns like Thirroul and Gerrigong are worth the stop, especially if you’re wanting to lunch at a local café. Enjoying the beaches, even for a fifteen-minute break, in Kiama and Wollongong was un-regrettable.

There are so many smaller towns along this coastal stretch of Australia that it makes day-tripping endless. I spent many days starting off with a morning jog and the rest of the day basking in the sun on a local beach or adventuring out a bit to discover a new treasured beach. The options for beaches here never cease. From Honeymoon Bay and Long Beach, on the Beecroft Peninsula, to Hyams, Chinaman’s, Blenheim beaches in the greater Jervis Bay area, you just cannot go wrong while exploring Currarong, Huskisson, Vincentia, and Hyams Beach. Huskisson also has some fun eateries and small coastal shopping.

Taking a break from the beach, a historic village that should not be missed in this area is Berry. With award-winning restaurants, and the best deli, with amazing sandwiches, I’ve been to to-date, this small country town is so cute and quaint but jam-packed with boutiques, eateries, and even a free museum to showcase the villages history. I had to visit this town more than once to take it all in, and of course delight in more than one sandwich.

During my time in this area, I was feeling the heaviness of being alone and my thoughts of almost turning 36 and still being single weighed. It’s interesting how that is, isn’t it? You could be in a place with flourishing boundless beauty, feel grateful for the blessings of travel that some only dream of, and at the end of the day, if there is an empty space next to you, the loneliness is amplified by the void of experiencing all of this alone. Not to mention, once again, I was in a part of the world where internet was limited and I financially needed to look for work, but, oh darn, it would have to be put on hold just a bit longer while I explored. As the sun set on my time here, I knew I would think of my time spent in this part of the world and how truly peaceful it was.

My next stop had me entering the hustle and bustle of city life. I entered Sydney not knowing what to expect but only knowing that God opened the door for me to travel through Australia and so here I was, a country girl at heart, beginning this leg of my journey smack-dab in one of the world’s largest cities. I didn’t have much time to ponder this due to the mass amount of people in suits hurriedly power walking past me to get to their assumed appointments. The streets were filled with taxis and just a few blocks away ferries were continuously going from one Sydney harbor to the next. The Central Business District (CBD) is filled with food options from small sidewalk carts for those on the go, to fancy fine dining restaurants with world renowned chefs, and the shopping… oh I wish I could really let loose and go on a shopping spree. However, due to a travel budget I reminded myself the pretty dresses aren’t worth the sacrifice of travel experiences to come.

This was also the first time in my travels I chose an Airbnb that was a room with a shared bathroom in someone’s home. I would be sharing a living space with a complete stranger and not just a living space but HER living space. I was hoping and praying that this would forge a friendship and not be too awkward.

As fate would have it I roomed with a soon to be friend named Claire. She too was single and slightly older than I. We stayed up talking about our lives and how we found them so different than we ever thought they would be. I shared my faith and my belief that though very different than most women’s lives my age, there must be purpose in the difference. She too had traveled around the world quite a bit. These talks and the company was the much-needed girl time that I had been craving.

The weather was warmer than I had just come from in New Zealand and I welcomed it. Sydney has many beaches and I went to several. I was also quite impressed with The Royal Botanical Gardens with its views of the harbor and the art museum that is right next to it. It is a perfect spot to go for a long walk and have lunch, as the walk is right along the harbor which is lined with restaurants next to the Sydney Opera House.