My name is Pieter van der Kwaak, but please call me O.P. which stands for Old Pete.
I was 87 years old when I started my first blog, three years ago.
I was born in The Netherlands, but I am an Australian citizen and have lived here for more than 60 years.
I live in Sandgate, a friendly and peaceful village on beautiful Moreton Bay in South-East Queensland, sandwiched between the Gold Coast to the south, and the Sunshine Coast to the north.
Without the support of my wife, Sue, I would not have been able to take this project on. We have been happily married for over 50 years and she is my soulmate and also the editor of my various writing projects.
We have children and grandchildren in both Australia and The Netherlands, all of whom we love dearly.
The other thing to know about me is that I walk. A lot.
I always have.
Four days a week, my alarm wakes me at 5.20 am. I step out of bed, drink a glass of water, put on my hat and walking shoes and make my way down to the path skirting the shore of Moreton Bay, just as the sun rises.
With islands visible in the far distance, a good and level path, sub-tropical weather and historic architecture, I could not wish for a better place to walk.
In the process of my walks, I have met other regulars, some of whom come from far and wide to spend time on the timber boardwalk of the 350-metre-long Shorncliffe Pier.
Queenslanders, you’ll find, are very friendly people. I often stop to listen to people’s stories—tales about the pier, the weather, dogs, and sea creatures like the Crocodile Longtom, Stonefish, Sharks, Stingrays, Dolphins, and the now scarce Dugong.
This is why I call my website “walk and talk”.
The talking is just as important to me as the walking.
The characters in my blog posts are based on the real people I have befriended. I have changed their names for privacy reasons. But don’t worry, you will get to know them over time and, hopefully, you too will become as fond of them as I am.
My children tell me I’ve lived an unusual life. And I have, one with many ups and downs. I’ve lived through the Nazi occupation of Holland, sailed cargo ships around the world and worked as an accountant in the Australian steel industry. It’s hard to believe now, but, I was even trained by the Dutch army as a counter-intelligence agent in Europe.
However, of all the places I have lived, and of all the memories I hold, walking and talking along the coast of Moreton Bay at Sandgate holds a special place in my heart.
And now I want to share my stories with you.
Wherever you are, whoever you are, whether you can walk or not, come and join me on these posts as we “walk and talk” together.
So. What do you think? Will you walk and talk with me? If so, join me here. It’s free.
P.S.
My hope is also to reach out to those people in my age bracket who do not have
access to a computer or a colour printer. Many of them may be lonely.
If you like what I write and know any such people who might be interested, please
print out my stories for them to read. If you enclose the pages in sheet protectors
they can be shared among people in nursing homes and aged care facilities.