Back in Time - The last few weeks in Oz

In my last proper article I had stopped just about one year ago when Laura and I finished our trip up to Cape York. I guess it’s fair enough if I continue where I stopped last.

An emotional Ending

This marked the end of our hardcore offroad trips. Back into civilization, where amenities are plentiful, things are clean and people everywhere you look. It was a very strange realization and a feeling that I struggle to describe as it involved a lot of different emotions.

I later watched Charley Boorma’s and Ewan Mc Gregor’s “Long Way Round” (great documentary by the way) and got reminded of it when I saw their arrival in Magadan.

On one side we were quite relieved that the worries would be over and could relax for a little bit: No more worries about breaking down, sophisticated showers absence of the ever-present dirt and dust. However arriving in the urban environment of Cairns felt quite odd indeed. The sheer volume of people and the way of life that we consider as normal suddenly felt a bit alien and makes one question the priorities we have in our life. All seemed so fast paced, unnaturally pristine and artificial.
Ewan McGregor has made a similar comment when he was in the road of bones in Siberia. There is something very pure about traveling with very little indulgences through these tough and remote places. You forget about most of everyday-life’s worries like, appearance, bills, work or money. Your sole focus is purely set the continuation of the journey and the current moment.

• If something breaks: How do I fix it?
• If there’s an obstacle: How do I get round it?
• If hungry: What should I cook?
• If there’s a chance to get supplies: Should I get some? (For Petrol, usually the answer is yes)
• If there’s a nice spot: Should I visit it? (usually yes as well )
• If the day is ending: Where should I sleep?

With no-more tough offroad sections left, I realized how much I enjoyed this lifestyle and how much I will miss it.

The last few weeks

However it wasn’t all entirely over yet as we still had a few weeks before our planned departure and a good distance to cover till Brisbane. Our route went along many areas I had visited in 2010 in the campervan convoy with Jan and Ash. And being toughened campervan veterans we made the best of it by concentrating on the highlights and some more alternatives places to visit.
The route took us along the Top of Australia’s Great Dividing Range, an area that posed of a huge diversity in landscapes: Ranging from beautiful coastline, into tropical rainforests and through the mountains into the start of Australia’s outback. I will particularly never forget the scenic national parks at the Border of New South Wales.