The Island is the one place that I go to that I'm instantly relaxed. Because it's not a postcard perfect bit of coast, it's not that crowded. It's a holiday village of about 150 houses, with about 10 permanant residences. But I know how to read the tides and where to get bait and catch fish. There is nothing better than fresh whiting for breakfast. I love the fact that I can be on 5km on a beach and feel crowded by someone at the other end walking their dog ( The first time I went to Byron bay the beach really freaked me out - so many people! ).
The funny thing was as a kid I hated it, there was no real mates my age and I didn't really like fishing. As I got into my teenage years I liked it more and once I moved to Brisbane I developed a real soul longing for it, especially the little things like the empty beach and the deep black and silence when the neighbours generator went off at 10 pm. So every year I treked back to Gladstone for a recentering, if you like, a karmic enema. Except last year. Last year I spent the week on lantanaland, doing a bit of work, but mainly doing that bit of recentering. Lantanaland is not yet The Island, but I feel it will be one day, it has that same sense of peace, of an island in a storm. My guests know it, two of my great friends spend half their time here napping in various bits of lantanaland.
Despite having my own bit of that peace, I'm still excited that this weekend i'm getting two unexpected days on The Island, expect a very chilled out beeso come Monday.
Lantanaland from the iPhone
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