I’m off on my great adventure tomorrow, and I can’t wait.
Everything is prepared (almost), so it’s just a matter of packing the car. I’m very nervous – this is my first big trip away without Doc, so I hope I know what to do. It’s also my first time away with a girlfriend who isn’t a camper. The two of us trying to put up a tent each night should keep the countryside amused for days!
For me this is a working trip. I’m off to take photos of the outback, country spaces and country life. There’s a big photo competition coming up I want to enter, and I want some photos to sell (as well as selling some while I’m away).
I’m also thinking about writing a book, as well as some articles for magazines.
So if anybody out there wants to pay me any money – I’m open to all offers!
If I can pick up a job or two along the way, that would also be good.
It will be good to get away. I’ve been at the kids’ place a lot lately, and it’s amazing how quickly you slip back into old rhythms.
Same, same – but different.
Having had their taste of independence they understandably want that to continue. But in so many ways they are happy to have their mum around again.
We go from “I’m having a party, so can you please not come home tonight mum? Please???” to “Mummy, I’m feeling sick, can you cuddle me” in the space of one day. Maybe the second was related to the first, but it’s nice to be wanted.
So it will be good to get away, out to the outback again and the wide open spaces where there is space and time to think, to relax, and to enjoy just being.
The itinerary for the trip so far is:
Sydney – Orange (lunch in a winery) – then on to Dubbo to see family.
From Dubbo it’s off to Gilgandra (only a short hop) for my friend to look up people and places from her past – then to Coonabarabran, and through the Warrambungles to Gummin Gummin. As that’s been the site of recent big bushfires, and then lots of rain I’m not sure what to expect. I love that part of the country, with the Warrambungles and Pilbarra, so am going with some trepidation.
From Gummin Gummin it’s down to Warren, across to Nyngan and then Cobar to see more family.
From Cobar we’ll go to Wilcannia and Broken Hill. The countryside around there is gorgeous, and very photogenic.
Then on to Menindee for a sojourn at the lakes, before heading down to Booligal and along the Lachlan to Forbes.
Then it’s home again.
I’m not sure if we’ll get through all that in two weeks, but it will be good trying. Depending on how many stops we make along the way, things might have to change as we go along. C’est la vie!
