Blown in the Romp – An Anticlimactic Experience

A1 Highway September 2018

Part of travel is to do and see things you simply cannot back home.  It means no fear but probably heaps (Aussie for a lot) of anxiety.  It means saying yes even when your first response is no.  Jet lagged (14 hour time change), mobile phone up and running (Telestra sucks), seated in a hooptie (American for beater vehicle) of a car, and traveling south from Sydney on a lovelocks Aussie Spring day. Cool crisp air of spring filling the atmosphere of the vehicle taking us from A to B to seeing something new.  A, what appears on pictures, to be a saucy little fit minx named Kiama.  She (or he… what ever it identifies itself to be) is one of the largest blowholes in the world. Time to pack the Romper and make a day trip. A day trip to get Blown in the Romp…  

Yes, my momma tried…  She tried very hard to raise me right folks.

Kiama is the shortened Aboriginal word of Kiarama.  Side note, Aussies love to shorten many words and add the letter “O” at the end. But, never say Abo… It is equal to calling a Black American a Nigger.  In my own opinion, slang you should know and probably never say in civilized company during polite conversation.  According to a quick Google search Kiarama means, “places where the sea makes noise” or also know as “the place where the mountains touch the sea”. Many of the suburbs and places in Australia are named from Aboriginal words/names of places.  Incredibly ironic in labeling places here from Indigenous words considering the “short hand” Aussie colloquialisms. 

My bloody finger blocking most of Kiama September 2018

For whatever reason I decided to pack the romper instead of just wearing it.  Really it was a little cold that day (~15-20°).  I am glad I did.  I reckon (think), the drive was around an hour or so from the 3^rdfloor flat with the perfect sunset view.  Whilst deep in conversation my mind was thinking how funny it would be to pose in the romper while the water from the Kiama hoses me down.   Life Mitch from Baywatch… I imagined my hair blowing in the wind and water rising behind me turning me into an Instamodel and my blog ending up on Ellen!  

Spoiler alert! Life rarely is as good as our imagination or expectations.  Living in a landlocked State for too long I was not familiar with high tide or low tide.  Also, pictures can be so deceiving when it comes to attracting tourist.

Right side leading to Kiama

While worth going to Kiama understand you will (for obvious safety reasons) stand at least 15-20 meters away with rail barriers separating you from the blowhole.  You will stand camera at the ready with 100+ other travelers and wait for that one moment where you can see a meter of water splash instead of just the noise of Kiama.  She (or her) is a loud one.   Clearly my Kodak moment did not turn out as grand as my imagination.

Right side leading to Kiama

Path used by fishermen to get to Coast

Off to the left side is a trail that leads you to the rocky cliff shore.  Yes, you can venture and climb the awkward natural steps these boulders and cliffs of old eroded rock give quite the view.  My partner in crime ventured to the very edge that the right side gave way to.  Some risky fishermen stood braving the splashing waves, within 5 meters of the edges, and casting long lines into the watery depths in hopes of getting some fresh catch.  Whilst watching I finally realized the risk those fishermen were taking being so close.  For me, I was close enough to the waves.  I was roughly 10 meters from the edge and 20 meters above looking down on the actual coastline.  In the distance, I could still hear the thunderous echo of Kiama.

Overlooking the cliff coastline

The Bloke who let his finger get in the way of getting blown by Kiama 2018

A bit underwhelmed by the whole experience.  Some places you go will not meet your unnecessary high expectations.  Was this day trip full of disappointment or did it give way to something unexpected?  For me, the answer is yes.  Maybe I will find another place to get blown in the romp.  Here’s a glass of red raised in modest male hopes.  For now, I will relish in the mini hike and pictures that were taken in casual Americana attire.

~~~©Dustin J. Casey 2021~~~