constanttrek

Australia

July 5th, 2007

This has taken me a while to get to – sorry.  I guess that when I am not walking it feels as though I have nothing important to say; but then the walk keeps going, just from a distance!

It has been wonderful to be back in Australia.  Birkenstock began a publicity campaign before I returned, which has led to doing various media interviews (nothing mindblasting, never fear, just the local stuff) which has been a fun experience.  After years of attempting to plug my walk it has almost been a shock to find people actually interested in it!  Obviously from my perspective, anything that works for Birkenstock, Dove and Utopia works for me, since without these guys I would have neither a walk nor happy feet; and besides, I have had a load of fun.  Yesterday I was on TV for the first time – a whole earth shattering 10 minutes on the Channel Ten David and Kim breakfast program in Melbourne, but it was a great experience and, once I got over a crippling case of nerves, a good time.  Don't know that I am cut out for media stardom (imagine having to watch one's dietary intake – NEVER)  but I can sure enjoy the ride whilst it is there.

News from Niger is not looking overly great; the rebellion has morphed into out and out violence between the "rebels" and military.  But I am taking the view that for the time being, it is the summer, during which time the trade routes north are not used and nor is tourism at its peak.  It will be interesting to see how much pressure is applied to alter the situation once the season commences and locals wish to get on with their usual trade and tourist businesses – rebellion has its place but not, I rather think, when it interferes with the economy.  So we shall see.  In the meantime I am staying in close contact and coming up with plan "B"s.  Most of all I am glad of the rest, and still looking forward to returning to walk the Agadez – Bilma stretch – the part I have always looked forward to.  Let's just hope that bombs have stopped going off by the time I want to return.

In the meantime I am absolutely loving being home.  It is diabolically cold, yes – a shock after the heat – but that is more than compensated for by the awesome food, wine, and mates.  On top of everything else the snow is falling in droves, so I am hoping to put skis on before I head back to the desert.  My Mum is doing well, and I think is all the better for not receiving frantic sat phone calls from the desert!

I am working on putting together speaking presentations, which I am hugely enjoying.  Obviously speaking is something most people wish I would do rather less of – but hey, it's fun for me.  I am just so pathetically grateful to be back at the moment that there is little I don't take pleasure in.  I find myself wandering down the street some days, looking about me in sheer wonderment at the quiet, calm prosperity; at all the people sitting contentedly in cafes, sipping a coffee and chatting to friends, smiling and happy and somehow peaceful in a way I had forgotten existed.  Perhaps it is the relief of being somewhere I simply fit in; there is no need for people to stare at me, or approach me to talk, and the anonymity is a real joy after months of being the centre of attention wherever I went.  It has also given me a greater appreciation of where I come from, something that happened last time I came back to Australia – the ease and friendliness of people here, and the incredible beauty of the landscape itself.  I have been spending a bit of time up in the Dandenongs, a mountainous area just outside Melbourne.  Going for a walk up there is the most incredible joy; towering eucalypts that smell sharp and rich, especially after rain, and long grassy rides leading to hilltops overlooking the lights of the city.  At this time of year with the inclement weather there are often heavy purple clouds rolling across the sky in the late afternoon, so the sun shines golden through them as it is setting, and the city lights glow in welcome, all surrounded by lush rolling green hills.  I sit up there on a rock and look out and feel so passionately grateful that I come from such a wild and beautiful country; I have missed those trees and the magnificent space of here so much on this leg.  It is wonderful to be home.

I have also, after months of eating a LOT of goat, been just loving eating vast amounts of kangaroo meat.  I used to eat it a bit but have developed a serious addiction to it on my return; sear it off on a hot pan fast, and eat it with kakadu plum sauce and maybe a bit of goats chees (ok there had to be goat somewhere) and I am telling you – heaven.  I have steadily been ticking off my food addictions, sushi, blue cheese, red wine, GOOD chocolate, fresh green vegies; and although the pounds are piling on, the mental luxury of it is well worth it!

It feels great to be home this time.  I get pangs of severe walk sickness sometimes; I find I can get depressed very easily if I don't make time to get out and walk regularly.  And I am still waking with a jolt at "camel hour", about 4.30  in the morning.  At times I can get really distressed when I can't hear the camels, or when I am confused as to my whereabouts; and I miss the stars above and the wind on my face.  But there will be time again for that, and I know that in a few months, I will be lying in my swag shivering and wishing I didn't have to leap up and track wayward animals!  So after I wake up now, I take a few minutes to luxuriate in the fact that I can roll over and go back to sleep, with no fire to make or guide to appease.  But as much as I love it, I know I will equally love being back in my walk, and back in the desert; so I guess I am finally coming to realise that all of this is just a balance, that there is space for both places and both lives, in my world, and that for now, I still need both of them.

To all of you who still email me, I truly appreciate it.  I wondered – since I am back here and walking – is there anything you would actually like to see photos of out here in Aust?  I guess there are plenty of you who live overseas and have never been here – if there is something in particular you would like to see, let me know, and I will get a picture.

Cheers and I promise to write more regularly. 

Entry Filed under: trekking