We would stay up and play cards , talk about the fun of sport and competition but , more importantly , how special it was to disconnect from the competition , the nerves and racing . I loved relaxing and feeling the freedom of downtime , particularly after the pressure I ’ d put on myself to succeed .
I would wake up each morning to the smell of Pop ’ s bacon and eggs , and burnt toast with Vegemite , not forgetting Nan constantly reminding me to wear my thongs to the toilet block when showering so I didn ’ t get tinea .
I truly cherish those moments and often find myself reflecting on past adventures during every trip . Whether it ’ s a long weekend away , a month on the road , our annual winter surf trip or exploring new locations , I continue to look back on the lessons and traditions my grandparents taught me .
Both Brooke and her daughter , Matilda , won their age groups in the Coffs jetty swim .
You ’ ll still find me on the lookout for the best ice-cream shop for the kids , I ’ ll try some local wines or gin and lose myself in antique stores searching for Olympic memorabilia , retro clothes , sports books and trinkets .
I still remind my kids to wear their thongs to the toilet block when showering and find myself wanting the bacon and eggs each morning . I believe it ’ s the nostalgia of the smell of a camp cook-up that transports me back to 1992 . Just like Nan and Pop , the traditions that come with hooking up continue to make me so proud that we take the time out from the everyday routine to share these memories and new lessons with our kids .
The caravan and camping adventures for our family , as they did for me , have now often been taken over by our family sporting event calendar and now helps to shape the new adventures for our family .
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