River R & R - Yanga National Park, NSW

Day 4

Being good educators, we have discussed and negotiated guidelines for our gap‑year journey. They started out as rules, but we quickly decided 'guidelines' felt more appropriate. This list is still a work in progress, but so far we have:

1. We are not in a hurry.
2. No more than three driving days before a lay day (weather dependent).
3. Four o’clock is stop‑driving time (beer/wine o’clock).
4. Just do it! (Yes, we know this one is already taken, but we’re appropriating it anyway).
5. As far as possible, always choose the road less travelled.

Today we are proudly adhering to Guideline #2 with a lay day by the river — perfect. I started with a run under the curious gaze of kangaroos, and the cooler temperatures were a blessing. 

Then we decided to christen the kayak with a paddle on Yanga Lake, setting in at Regatta Beach. We’d seen all the pictures of happy, splashy, smiling people enjoying aquatic fun and thought, that could be us too.

It could not.

When we arrived, the lake was deserted except for a very large warning sign announcing a red alert for toxic blue‑green algae. Contact with the water should be avoided. Sad faces all round 😞

We took a walk along the banks instead — still some wonderful birdlife despite the algae — and then headed back to camp (avoiding a not entirely friendly shingleback lizard out for a stroll). From there we heroically resigned ourselves to reading, napping, chatting and eating.

A big, comfortable tick for Guideline #2.