Travelling Pathetically - Somewhat Overheated Edition

 Having covered myself in glory or at least sweat on my last endeavour I set out to roam somewhat further afield. This is probably the first and last time you have heard Lindfield referred to as "further afield". Nevertheless it is to that leafy bastion of moderate privilege (rich enough to evade tax but not so rich that the tax office will let you get away with it) that I repaired one sunny Saturday morning. Quite sunny actually, really very, very sunny. Despite threatened solar armageddon I hopped off at Lindfield and headed for my destination. My destination being the start of my walk which was inconveniently located about a kilometre and a half from public transport. As a suburb Lindfield is described as "family friendly" by which I think they mean that domestic violence happens indoors away from the neighbours and the parents discreetly pay their children's drug debts. It is certainly leafy. If you want a decent indicator of the socio-economic status of a suburb all you really have to do is count the number of trees that have been left standing.

I walked down a leafy street, turned into another leafy street, progressed along that street until I encountered another street which was, you guessed it, leafy. Some way along that street the trees grew a little thicker on the ground and I was looking at a park. This was my starting point, I was doing the Two Creeks Walk which started at this park and ended at another about seven kilometres away having, presumably, taken in two creeks on its journey. The actual walk is supposed to be a round trip which results in you winding up back at your starting point. People that keen on seeing Lindfield could achieve the same result by not doing the walk at all.

The start of my journey, behind me is Lindfield in all its glory

 I set forth with what would prove to be utterly misplaced enthusiasm eager to stretch my legs among such remnants of nature as housing developments had left us. Excitement peaked early when one of said remnants slithered sinuously into the bush before my eyes. A black snake, glistening in the sun, decided absence was the better part of valour at my heavy footed approach. I fumbled for my camera but it was gone before I could take a picture. Nevertheless I was delighted, I rarely see snakes and its presence literally two minutes into my walk could indicate a snake heavy journey. Actually I was wrong, I didn't see another snake the entire walk although I spent a good deal of time looking at the ground and not just for photo opportunities.

This is where the snake went. Unfortunately there must have been a rear entrance

Excited and uncharacteristically observant I headed on my way. There were no more snakes but to compensate the walk decided it had better start living up to its name and a creek obediently presented itself for my viewing pleasure. It trickled picturesquely as creeks are wont to do wending its way through and occasionally over rocks. The path followed it down giving me plenty of opportunities to take photos as though I had never seen water before.

 

 

Creek, rocks, sunlight etc etc

While following the creek down probably seemed like a sensible idea at the time the path got into a bit of difficulty when the creek disappeared into a tunnel. With little option the path went with it.

And suddenly underground

Emerging back into the sunlight the path hung around the stream for a little before climbing away. I perforce panted up the path. I was nowhere near satisfied, "two creeks" the trail finder had said. Well I was ready for number two. 

Number two would come in its own sweet time but first I was reintroduced to the sun. It was hot, very hot and rather to my surprise I found myself struggling. Thirty two degrees isn't uncomfortably hot for me or at least it isn't usually. I struggled along. I wasn't out of breath and I wasn't particularly sore or physically tired but the sun was sucking the strength out of me to a level I found genuinely concerning. I was supposed to complete the walk turn around and walk back for fourteen kilometres or so of bushwalk, something normally well within my capacity. As I plodded forward I realised I wasn't going to do it. I wasn't sure if I could do it. I would get to the end and stop. Fortunately being in the suburbs meant that no matter how thick the bush was you generally weren't too far from somewhere you could call an uber.

Less creek, more sun

With my mind obsessed with variations on the theme of "its very hot" I continued my walk. For the look of it I took the occasional photo and reminded myself I was supposed to be enjoying the wonders of nature. I did pause to photograph the Clare McIntyre Memorial Fungus which had somehow survived despite the heat but I have to admit that was largely just to give me an excuse to stop.

The Clare McIntyre Memorial Fungus. Not the most exciting example but I was desperate for a break

Just when I thought I could go on no longer Creek No. 2 appeared and it was a doozy. The Creek I had been following so far was Gordons Creek an acceptable little trickle in its way but now it collided with Middle Harbour Creek which frankly stretched the term "creek" further than the definition really intended.

That it has to be admitted is one hell of a "creek"

The sight of the creek cheered me up immensely because I knew the walk wouldn't just tease me with distant glimpses. At some point I would be down, near water, among shade. I won't say I was reinvigorated but complete physical collapse was definitely staved off.

The same creek but more of it

 With hope soaring (although that was possibly just my body temperature) I strode forth pausing only to take a photo of a bright red dragonfly. I can't explain how delighted I am to see dragonflies. They were a fixture of my childhood and then I went several decades without seeing any at all. Unfortunately they're notoriously difficult to photograph.

This is the best I could do dragonfly wise

I was on the downward slope now. Actually people have been saying that for years but they usually use the term "spiral". The water was coming closer with every eager step. And my steps were eager because as soon as I started heading towards the water I felt absolutely fine. I guess it was a little cooler as I descended but I started thinking well maybe I could do the round trip. Fortunately sanity or whatever passes for it in my mind prevailed.

Even the trees have gone for a swim

Then I was down by the banks of the creek and furthermore there was a tiny beach, a broad sheet of shallow water with little fish frolicing. I tried taking photos but they didn't turn out so well. I paused, regained my breath soaked my shirt in what turned out to be salt water (in case the name Middle Harbour Creek didn't clue you in) and generally took stock, deciding that the walk wasn't too bad after all.

Now that's worth the price of admission

Wet and moderately refreshed I continued along the path now feeling much more positive about things. The tinkling of birdsong stopped me in my tracks. For ages now I have wanted to take a photo of the flighty little finches (or whatever they are) that I frequently encounter on my walks. Unfortunately due to a combination of hamfisted incompetence on my part and the fact that the damn things never stand still for more than a second I haven't been successful. Today would prove no exception. I crept slowly forward my eye on a particular bird with a blue throat that appeared cooperative. Well, it tried. It stayed in one convenient spot for far longer than is usual unfortunately I made such a mess of getting my camera ready that it fluttered off in disgust. This was frustrating but was immediately eased when a massive lizard wandered up the tree behind the birds and was quite happy for its photo to be taken.

Who cares about little birds now

Delighted with my reptilian coup I carried on thinking that I was pretty much done. I had seen a snake, photographed a lizard and somehow survived the first few kilometres of the walk. Then I spotted another large lizard on the path in front of me. I crept forward camera at the ready and just at that moment a trio of young women turned the corner in front me chatting at the tops of their voices and the lizard hared off for a convenient tree. Fortunately it seemed to consider that three feet up a tree constituted perfect safety and I was able to get a couple of shots by carefully circling round said tree until the lizard presented itself.

 

Top half of the lizard, best I could do

I was coming to the end of the walk now. My trail map had shown that a significant road crossed the trail and that seemed like a good spot to flag down an uber. I came to the road. Please examine the photo below and see if you can see the fatal flaw in my plan.

 

A slightly inconvenient road

Fortunately the walk ended in a park with a slightly more accessible road beside it. I was somewhat annoyed and slightly ashamed that I hadn't managed to do my original plan of a round trip but obviously not so ashamed that I didn't plaster my humiliation all over the internet. After all I had lizard photos to flaunt.