After covering what feels like half the continent, Lisa and I have pulled into the Peterborough showgrounds for a proper rest. There's something deeply satisfying about finally being stationary after weeks of constant movement across the Australian interior. The wheels have stopped turning, the engine's cooled down, and we've settled into the kind of peaceful routine that only a good free camp can provide.
The showgrounds are exactly what we needed—plenty of space, level ground, and that relaxed country atmosphere that makes you remember why we're doing this Big Lap in the first place. No rushing to the next destination, no packing up at dawn. Just time to breathe, catch up on camp chores, and properly appreciate where we are.
What we weren't expecting was the wildlife show that's unfolded right outside our window. This morning, we woke to find the field absolutely carpeted with galahs—dozens of the beautiful pink and grey birds foraging across the grass. The sound of their chatter is constant, and watching them go about their business is endlessly entertaining. They're such characters, these cockatoos, squabbling over the best feeding spots and taking flight in great swirling flocks when something spooks them.
As if the galahs weren't enough, a couple of emus have been wandering through camp, completely unfazed by the caravans and curious travellers. They're magnificent birds up close—all shaggy feathers and inquisitive eyes, poking around the fenceline and investigating anything that might be food. At one point, I watched an emu approach a galah on the ground, and the size difference was comical. The galah didn't seem overly concerned, though it did waddle off eventually.
This is the Australia that doesn't make it into the glossy brochures—the quiet moments in country towns where native wildlife just carries on with life while you're camped in their backyard. We've got no set departure date, and that's perfectly fine with us. Sometimes the best part of travelling is simply being still long enough to notice what's happening right where you are.
