I came to Australia with one thing in mind – outback adventures. And boy had I found what I was searching for. My months in the country had given me thousands and thousands of kilometers of its intense emptyness, and I was done.
The very last one of the dusty tracks and trails I had used to wind my way through the center had come to an end, and that early morning when I finally rolled back onto tarmac I was quite happy to do so. I still had 1500 or so kilometers to go before reaching my final destination, but just having my tyres touch that smooth surface felt like a finish line as good as anyone.
Flinders Ranges and the Great Ocean Road alone are good enough reasons to come to Australia. This time however, they simply got to play the part of a heartfelt outro to an adventure already finished. While heavy winter storms came crashing in one after another, absolutely pristine scenery and a bunch of lovely Aussies set me up for the breeziest ride imaginable through it all.
Thank you Sari & Simon, Marg, Bruce & Helen, Astrid, Kirsten, Robbie & everyone else for spoiling me ruthless, and almost making me forget what a wet sleeping bag feels like. I won’t ever forget you – you lovely, lovely lot.
As we all know, sooner or later all things do come to an end, and eventually the Great Ocean Road and my whole Australian route did as well. The flight taking me from Melbourne to New Zealand was now only days away, but there was still one important thing left on the itinerary.
Meet up with the Knee family!
Long story short would be that after spending a year of her teens milking their cows, this has always been my Mom’s long lost 2nd family. And though they’ve (for obvious reasons) been way to few, every opportunity to meet up have been taken ever since. Even I got to join once, and growing up I’ve always kept that Aussie trip past Rae & Bruce’s farm as a childhood highlight.
And oh, was it great to be back.
Nothing was the same, but everything still just as I remembered it. Not the same ones, but the dogs were there. The quad bikes too, though they’d been upgraded years ago. The calves I’d met then would surely be great grandmothers today. And Dan – who was born in between milking sessions back in my Mom’s days – was now running the farm.
I don’t need to tell you that this was a happy time, do I? In short, all was good. And for my part – after 3 months and 6000 kilometers – Australia was officially a finished chapter. For this time around. Because though I have no idea when, the fact that there will be a next time is a definite.
… & I mean, what actually changes in a decade anyways?
My answer is nothing. And everything.
Until next time,
Fredrika