I went away. I saw things, beautiful things.
I came back.

Being away was good. But, being back is better.

A walk around Katoomba brings back memories of another life, of primary-school friends, and sweaty hands and bus-sickness during a school excursion. Of rest-stops and an angry father, resentful of his progeny and their need to pee. Of turn-of-the-century style, federation charm and art deco glamour…The Savoy Cafe, The Paragon Cafe and Cafe Niagara.

And the [...]

I wish you could walk with me past the gardens of Frangipani and Callistemon to the beach. I wish you could breathe in with me the salt-laden, sea-fresh air. I wish you could run with me along the beach, so your heart beats fast, and your sleep-slug blood turns ruby-red. I wish you could sit-wait [...]

The bottlebrush, so tempting in the afternoon sun-glow. Lean out, just a little, over rail, on tiptoe, don’t look down, cold hand into sun, warm tingle; this is feeling.
Fingers, arm, toes, calves, back, reach-stretch. Eyes drop, momentarily, instant vertigo rush; this is feeling.
Palm touches sun-kissed leaves, they are soft-spiky and warm. Sun reddened stamens elude [...]

New camera…is good.

I mouthed, “May I?”
At which, he simply adopted this pose and that, even shuffling his friends out of the way of the shot.
NB: resemblance in any way, shape, or form, to previous image is mere co-inky-dinks.