"I'm excited to leave my possessions behind and feel what it's like to only have what I can fit in my backpack. I'm hoping to open my eyes a little more and take more photos. I'm hoping to break down my barriers and get out of my shell. To find what it is that holds me back from being outgoing, confident, forgiving and the person I want to be. I want to help other people who need it in whatever way possible. I want to find new music, meet new friends, drive on the wrong side of the road, see nature and all of it's beauty. I want to see new animals, conquer fears and try new food. I want to learn to fish, see different art and be surrounded by different accents :) I want to snorkel in the ocean and feel the sand between my toes. I want to wake up and write in my notebook and take photos in a place I've never been before and may never see again. I want to step out of my comfort zone. I want to get tired from walking and sleep on the ground while I'm young. I want to wake up to the sounds of the ocean and hang my clothes to dry on a clothesline tied between trees. I want to mail postcards home and skype with my family. I want to be homesick. I want to experience Christmas with the Akhursts and fireworks over Sydney for NYE. I want to kiss Jeff under those fireworks. I want to see how happy Jeff is while waking up on his birthday IN FREAKING AUSTRALIA. I want to take a boat to a small island to sleep for a few days. I want to walk for days just camping along the way. I want to wash my hair in the ocean and not wear makeup. I want to feel pretty those random times we decide to dress up and go out in random towns. I want to help in Bega valley with a Strawbale House and landscaping and be inspired to do the same here in Idaho someday."
We are exactly halfway through this four month expedition and I couldn't be more happy with what it has done for us. The obvious being that we have gotten to see another country and some incredible sights (Great Barrier Reef, many rainforests, Blue Mountains), animals (kangaroos, crocodiles, emus, koalas,wombat) and we get to hear a different accent on a daily basis. Australia is a beautiful place and everywhere we go we are finding to be our new favorite ;) I've tried new fish, started to say things like "heaps","dodgy" and "how're ya goin'?", jumped into the wide open ocean with huge fish, walked very long distances, dug stairs out of a hill made of clay and became comfortable with the greeting of a hug and kiss on the cheek instead of a handshake.
Jeff had met Nancy and Hedley on his last trip here a couple of years back and had told me over and over how great they are. Who else would tell three strange blokes at a train station they are welcome to come stay at their house? I'd emailed with them a bit leading up to our trip and couldn't wait to meet them in person. They truly are some of the most genuinely kind and caring people I've ever met in my life. From Nancy refusing to go through self check-out at the store because she wants to make sure the young checkers don't get put out of work to them taking care of people younger than themselves, to offering up their spare bedroom to us off and on while feeding us and making sure all is well. I can't even begin to explain how fantastic Nancy and Hedley are. Not only are they great but it seems the entire Akhurst family is following suit. We could never repay what they have all done for us but we believe in paying it forward and doing kind things for others (stranger or not) for the rest of our lives.
Jeff's trip to Australia in '09-'10 was great for building a foundation of trust in our relationship. We had only been dating for about 6 months and were about to spend time across the world from each other. It definitely strengthened our relationship! This time around is great for teaching us patience. Let's face it, you're bound to want to smack someone upside the head after spending 24/7 with them for weeks on end while not getting ideal amounts of sleep in sometimes stressful environments, I don't care how much you love them. Everybody's shit stinks. The great news is neither of us have smacked the other and our patience and love are growing by the day. Jeff may have learned my death stare by now that says "go ahead, do whatever repetitive noise you're doing one more time while I'm trying to concentrate" just like I know the look that tells me when I'm being incredibly stubborn and he might, just this once, be the one who is right ;) We are also learning when to "not sweat the small stuff" and love each other even during our most obnoxious moments. I truly love him more and more each day and am so fortunate to have a partner who is as adventurous as I am, who challenges and inspires me to be the best person I can be and loves me unconditionally.
I find myself finding beauty in everything and LOVE traveling by train. Even with the stinky, loud, piss drunk passengers we encounter I prefer it over flying! I can't really describe it but there is something about sitting back with your headphones on looking out the window watching the landscape change and kangaroos hopping by that is just fuel for the soul. I guess you could say we do the most thinking during that time (besides being out in nature) and we almost always start thinking of home. It's kind of like when you're completely in love with someone and when you're away from eachother everything reminds you of them. Bing Crosby, blue mountains, wood fires all remind me of my dad. Tons of music reminds me of my sister. When I was sick all I wanted was Lipton soup and my momma's company. Talking to Hedley about history reminds me of Dudley Reunions and my grandpa.
I've missed home to the point of actual tears a few times here. It's never as a result of not having a good time, but more so in a way that we feel so fulfilled already on this journey that we aren't constantly living in a state of excitedness. Dont get me wrong, we still get very excited about everything we are doing but if our trip were cut short we would feel far from considering this trip a bust. I'm so appreciative of my upbringing and the people who have been a part of it and this trip just constantly reminds me of that. My family means more to me than anything as well as the friends I hold dear to my heart and I'm always wishing they could be here to experience this along with us.
Christmas will be hard being away from home but we will also have a lot of love surrounding us from our new family away from home. New Years Eve fireworks in Sydney followed by a few days in the Gong will be a perfect way to end this journey and start a new one in our hometown where we have big plans in the midst!
Until then we will continue to have our minds blown by the natural beauty in Australia and appreciate every single moment here. Because in all honesty it has been the most eye opening, inspiring, kick in the ass that I could ever hope for.
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