Miss Mandie

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then flipping through the above album will be equivalent of reading a 57,000 narrative on the recent road trip I just completed with two friends. It was an epic journey of 10,500 kms (6500 miles), from Mullumbimby, NSW to Uluru, NT, up to far North Queensland to see the Daintree Rainforest and back again,  conquered in the short time frame of just a month. We set up and packed up our campsite nearly every night, stopping only occasionally for longer than a night to catch our breath and luxuriate in the bliss of not having to roll that bloody camping mattress up AGAIN (self-inflating foam = extremely comfortable but is also a big pain in the arse to fit back in the miniature bag that it comes with).

We didn’t really plan for our trip. It was a spontaneous decision to take Charish (USA) around the country before she headed home, accompanying us was Scotti (NZ) to help with the driving and do the “boy things” that are required on any outback road trip (such as hammering tent pegs into hard clay – thanks Scotti!). My friend Steph had done the journey a few months before us, and handed us all we needed (camping/rest area “bible” that listed all free campsites in Oz, tent, camping stove, cookware). What else did we need other than a fierce determination not to let the desert get the better of us!

Enjoy the pics – the best way to encapsulate the unique journey just experienced

It might surprise you to learn, that despite my pretty sporadic posting on this site, I actually think of things to write, share and humour you with all the time. I seem to have a little issue with motivation in actually getting them from thought to web. However, now I’m discovering there are people other than my mother reading this site, my momentum for sharing is building.

This post goes out especially for Andy and Sue in Michigan. I got an email from Sue today, saying that she keeps track of what I’m up to via this site, and particularly likes hearing about mum and Paul on the farm, given they visited them when they last came to Oz. It reminded me that I took this video of one of our many picnic outings to my parent’s farm in NSW, Australia when I was home last in March.

You also get introduced to the two women who are closest to me in life – my mum, Bev, and my sister, Ange. We were a trio for much of my teenage years. We tend to amuse ourselves pretty well when we are together, and perhaps seeing this video, you might get a little insight into what my upbringing was like. There is one spot where all three of us are talking over each other. Ahhh, yes, sometimes it does feel like we are operating on three different airwaves, but we’re family, and we love each other, and that’s the main thing

After spending an extremely chilled time with my surrogate Zimbabwian family in Broulee, NSW, I am back on the road today. Destination? Mum’s!

I’m looking forward to home cooked meals with fresh veges from the garden, washing my clothes (they are starting to make the car a little stinky to be perfectly honest) and of course, spending some good quality hang out time with the family. In actual fact, it’s unusual for me to be returning home so shortly after my last visit. For the past 11 years, mum and I have lived at least a 13 hour drive from one another, more so when I’ve been overseas, which means visits have been pretty much reserved for special occasions. It was only three months ago that I was last at “the farm” and I can’t recall a time when its been so close between visits. Way to go Mandie on making time for family!

Visiting also gives me a great excuse to fill my car up with some more of my belongings, which have been stowed away on the farm for safe keeping these past couple of years, to help make my new home in Mullumbimby feel like a real home.

Here’s a view of the trek I am making today:

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I am intrigued though how google maps has calculated 5.5 hours for only 400kms? I guess if I find myself driving along a dirt track for a long stretch of the journey I will have my answer!

I spent some time the other day exploring the area of Jervis Bay set in Booderee National Park, approximately three hours south of Sydney. I recalled my parents taking me to Green Patch Beach in the area as a child and after a quick phone call to mum asking for directions, I was all set!

The park is owned by the Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community and was under their direct care for thousands of years. There is much debate on exactly how long the Aborigines have inhabited Australia, but it’s estimated it could be as long 125,000 years.

Wandering through this pristine section of earth, I was struck with wonder and awe as to the Aborigines’ ability to live on this land and preserve it so well. I was overcome with an enormous amount of gratitude to this group of people for their astounding knowledge of sustainable living. Because each tribe only took from the land what they needed and moved on at the appropriate time to allow regeneration, I am able to be enchanted by sections of untouched nature that haven’t yet met a fate with a bulldozer.

Perhaps as we are faced with ever-increasing pressure on solving the issues that modern living has placed on the planet, we might look to the Indigenous ancestors of our planet for some sound advice and guidance.