An associate reminisced to Rotto Bloggo today about his happy days on the island.
"I long to soak in Little Parakeet Bay, nibble a cream bun and doze on my stretcher bed reading books and listening to the wind in the pine trees," he said, after we told him we were angling to book for seven days anytime during the next few weeks.
"I used to sleep on the verandah of bungalow 5, which we rented for two weeks every year for the first 14 years of my life, and could look through the open slats and hear the hiss of bike tyres long into the night.
"A few memories that I'm sure you'll share - grey RIB* supplied blankets, wire fronted bread safes in the kitchen, rigging up illegal showers in the back courtyard, getting caught in the pay showers mid-lather, constantly stubbed toes, endless card games at night, House of the Rising Sun and Rock 'n' Roll all Nite on the Milk Bar juke box, pub pong at the Quokka Arms, foam blowing across the road from the salt baths and the wind in the powerlines... ahhhh, what a place.
"As far as Maccas** goes, I'd hate to think it would ever happen - the RR*** outlet has changed the face of retail in the main square - I used to think the general store was a magical place.
"I'm so anti-change I'd be mortified even if they fixed up the lumpy road that runs along Thomson Bay!"
* Rottnest Island Board
** MacDonalds
*** Red Rooster
"I long to soak in Little Parakeet Bay, nibble a cream bun and doze on my stretcher bed reading books and listening to the wind in the pine trees," he said, after we told him we were angling to book for seven days anytime during the next few weeks.
"I used to sleep on the verandah of bungalow 5, which we rented for two weeks every year for the first 14 years of my life, and could look through the open slats and hear the hiss of bike tyres long into the night.
"A few memories that I'm sure you'll share - grey RIB* supplied blankets, wire fronted bread safes in the kitchen, rigging up illegal showers in the back courtyard, getting caught in the pay showers mid-lather, constantly stubbed toes, endless card games at night, House of the Rising Sun and Rock 'n' Roll all Nite on the Milk Bar juke box, pub pong at the Quokka Arms, foam blowing across the road from the salt baths and the wind in the powerlines... ahhhh, what a place.
"As far as Maccas** goes, I'd hate to think it would ever happen - the RR*** outlet has changed the face of retail in the main square - I used to think the general store was a magical place.
"I'm so anti-change I'd be mortified even if they fixed up the lumpy road that runs along Thomson Bay!"
* Rottnest Island Board
** MacDonalds
*** Red Rooster
Although David I'd happily swap the R&R outlet for a McDonald's!
ReplyDeleteAny of those memories strike a chord with yourself?
One I didn't add was that last steep hill that you crest before looking out across the Basin - how many times have you made that journey?