18. Exploring Eastbourne by James Curtis

Dave and I were great companions. We would do so much together. Nana often said we were more like twins than brothers of different ages. Exploring Eastbourne, the beach, the bush and the hills, was a really lovely aspect of our childhood. I have so many little memories of the things I did with Dave. One time we visited a goat which was kept behind a fence on a property in the Eastbourne hills. We spent a lot of time on our bikes. Once we found a waterfall spring in the bush near Burden’s Gate, which we drank from on more than one occasion.
 
Dave and I, along with the Galbreath brothers, would build dams at the mouth of the storm water pipe at the beach near us. We would spend hours doing this, particularly in the summer. And we played cricket with the Galbreaths and Partick Rountree at Greenwood Park. We would play cricket at home too, but Mum was not too keen on that, as there was always a chance a ball would fly through a window. I often think how different our childhood would have been if we had not had the Galbreaths living next door.

I also remember taking long walks with Dad and Dave along the Hutt River, when we were staying with him in Moera at weekends. Also, sneaking off for smokes with Dave down at the Eastbourne beach or down at the park.