out of the outback

After nearly 2 years of independent travelling and I still have no idea what I want to be when I’m older. I just want to be happy. I know what makes me happy; travelling.

But travelling isn’t a career. Maybe I could take holidays from work and travel for week or two? This would be a break from working , but wouldn’t be travelling. I’m a person who wants to get accepted in a country, befriend the locals, taste the food that makes me queasy, find the hidden places, loose myself, to get this you must relax and enjoy the ride. Its not to be rushed. Life isn’t a destination; it’s a journey.

Always seem to me back at square one. Maybe my next face book status should be asking for career help. Guidance wouldn’t go a miss, if anyone is out there listening to me ( or reading this) its good to know someone is. The whole feeling of a problem shared is a problem halved. So true.

Life is strange, I remember times when I would think too much about it and get so upset that I couldn’t find the answers. Why are we here? Why me? What’s behind space? What’s the point? I’ve found peace, I still don’t have the answers but I’ve accepted that I wont find them.

I have recently finish the best seller ‘Eat, Pray, Love’ and truly felt like I had a connection, as I left love, friends, family to go travel and find myself; but I had just turned 19 unlike the write who was 35. She described the feelings I felt being ‘trapped’ at home, and the discoveries beyond words which travelling brings. I now want to eat in Italy, pray in India and find love in Bali which is what happened to the writer Elizabeth when she went travelling for a year. it’s a real eye opener for people who haven’t read it, I really recommend it. I haven’t yet seen the movie, but have been told its not as good as the book (as people usually do say!) Have you read it? Any comments appreciated! I’m now shopping for the next book ‘commitment’ in the sequel.

Ok I admit it I’ve had enough living in the outback. I’m sick of it. Its making my skin break out, I’m depressed which is causing me to eat far too much Milo and vegemite on toast. Also I’m homesick. So I’ve handed in my notice and back to back packing, I’ve saved a few $$s so I’ll be able to travel until my visa runs out in July. But it would be nice to have some ££s when I’m home, so I’m thinking of getting a reception/ cleaning job in a hostel which will pay for free accommodation. Or I might head to Bowen to do some more fruit picking as a friend I met at the snow has offered to put me up until I get a job which is brilliant, and obviously I’ve offered to do the same to her if she decideds to come to England.

So decision time, where should I go.. Townsville is the nearest city on the coast to me, so I’ll get a flight there and see how it goes. Its on the Whitsundays coast so its going to be beautiful. Tempted to head back to Sydney to see Izzy and Adrienne but its bloody freezing down there.

Cant wait for my next adventure, lets see where it takes me…

Its funny how things work out, I always follow the saying ‘everything happens for a reason’. I’ve started to worry less about what the future holds for me. I still have mixed feelings about going home, but I am really excited to see what the next chapter in my life is.

At the start of the year I said goodbye to my sister after an amazing visit from her. I was left felling really alone and down after such a high. ( I hid myself in a book my sister left for 12 hours) I started to look for jobs the day after she left; internet, job centre, posters on the notice board in the hostel I was staying at, contacted all of my friendly Australian friends, face book help status ‘I NEED A JOB ASAP, HELP?’ etc

Within a week I was offered 4 jobs. One in New Zealand, three in Australia; Sydney, outback Queensland and outback Northern Territory. It is a great feeling to be ‘wanted’ and I was extremely happy feeling as if the weight had been lifted. I stress so much when I’m job hunting, although I don’t show it.

As I had 6 months left of my Australian visa I wanted to make the most of it and stay in the country so this ruled out the job in New Zealand. The interview is Sydney went well but it didn’t feel more than just an option. I declined the offer. Now I was only left with one job in Northern Territory which sounded great and I was looking forward to visiting another Australian state. As I was waiting for my cousin I had a phone call from a lady offering me a job in outback Queensland, she had seen my profile and resume online and phoned me after she had a look. It was a surprise but I had that amazing butterfly feeling on my stomach and I knew this was the job for me. The job was in a settlement in McKinlay, their claim to fame is the Walkabout Hotel which was the set for Crocodile Dundee.

That evening the hostel I joined my 5 mixed dorm room mates down stairs to the outdoor/indoor smoking area where usually goon, cigarettes and a lot of bodily fluids are shared. I spent a while chatting to a guy who was planning to hitch from Sydney to Perth. After a few hours I noticed his t-shirt. An image of the Walkabout Hotel which I educated him on. This was my sign.

I flew up later that week and have been working in the outback of Queensland for 8 weeks now. Loving life, really testing myself with what I am capable of doing. Really enjoying this valuable experience teaching on the cattle station.

In the next few weeks the annual Dirt and Dust festival in Julia Creek is being held. Triathlon for all ages and abilities, country/western music and entertainment, rodeo, best but competition, etc. looking forward to getting dirty and dusty!

I’m planning a long weekend in Sydney in Easter half term to catch up with friends and cousins living there at the moment. Cant wait. As my horoscope said today; I need a well deserved break from working hard.