A Road Less Travelled

Part 2

The adventure begins

I still remember our first day and first night in the Outback clearly, as if it was yesterday... Robin and I had hired a car in Alice Springs and drove out to Uluru, just in time for the most spectacular sunset ever. It had rained the day before and some clouds were still lingering.  I was in awe. The drive out of town was everything and more than I ever dreamed of... I was finally on a road less traveled and we often didn't see another car for hours. Maybe I should have felt scared... but I wasn't, not for one moment. All I could feel was bliss. The rugged splendor of this country is unparalleled for me. The vastness of the land, the dark red soil contrasting against the deep blue sky, and due to the rain, there were bursts of colorful flowers budding everywhere – a flowering desert – it was magical and breath taking! I pulled over so many times to take photos that we nearly missed the sunset.
Robin, at three years of age, was more fascinated with the size of the grasshoppers (as long as my hand), and with the prospect of camping and sleeping under the stars. Something we were looking forward to because we had heard so much about the southern hemisphere night skies. Robin even had a replica of the southern night sky (made with glow-in-the-dark stickers) on the ceiling in his room back in Switzerland.
But nothing anyone ever told me had prepared me for this sight, and I didn't think that it was possible to be more amazed than I already was ... but it got even better. The night comes quickly here and with the sun gone, cold air seems to fall down directly from space and cover everything like a refreshing blanket. After the sweltering heat of the day, the cool air is welcomed at first, however, we found ourselves layering on more clothes a short time after nightfall and soon cuddled up under the blankets to keep us warm. We had, so to speak, front row seats ... parking away from any lights; it felt like it was just us and the sky. As far as the eye could see, the sky was touching the ground all around us, it was as if we were alone inside an enormous diamond studded dome... we were looking at eternity. This was by far the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life!
It amazes me to this day, how indifferent 'locals' can be about this spectacular view. While Robin was soon asleep, lying next to me, I, myself, did not want to miss one moment of this magnificent spectacle. I stayed awake all night gazing at the stars.
Well, we spent three nights like this, in spite of being cold. I didn't sleep much the following nights either ...and it was so worth it!

Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet
on the ground (Theodore Roosevelt)

I had the unexplainable and very strong feeling that I belong here, to Australia, a feeling and belief that has never changed since then, in almost 20 years. I remember calling my parents on one of those first days of travelling, and saying to them, that I feel like I have arrived home, like I was born on the wrong continent. I don't think they took my statement serious at the time...

A few days later, after exploring Kata Tjuta National Parks and Kings Canyon as well, it was time to settle in with our host family - a farm stay close to Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks in the Northern Territory. We had a great arrangement through WWOOF; I would do light work around the farm and house, and in return, we could stay and eat there for free. I enjoyed the work, it wasn't hard or difficult, and it felt like staying with friends. We were welcomed into the family and into the close-knit small community this farm was a part of, and we loved the easy-going and laid back attitude of the people and life-style in general, ...and not to mention the hot, tropical weather – (coming from a cold country) - it was wonderful!
And again, I felt very lucky and amazed about how well everything had worked out for us.

My host family was originally from Queensland, and had only twenty years earlier, moved to the Northern Territory (actually, if the stories are true, Larry was 'encouraged' to move due to a criminal record in his late teens ... minor stuff like hooning and generally making a nuisance of himself... And he has the 'wild' Ned Kelly look to match it!). Having said that however, Larry is also one of the smartest people I have ever met in my life and he was successful at any project he tackled and whatever he had set his mind to.
Probably suffering from a bit of homesickness, many amazing stories were being told about the first settlers in Queensland, how his own family had carved out a cattle station from the bush in the middle of nowhere... How hard they all had to work as children (six of them) alongside their parents, and how little formal education they had received. But there were no complaints, the stories were told with pride and were all about adventure and bravery.
It was these stories about life on cattle stations bigger than the state and even the country I was born in that captured my attention... and I started dreaming of riding on a horse alongside cattle, driving them into another paddock or into a holding yard and hoped that I would be able to see it all for myself one day. Little did I know at the time, how far removed from reality my romantic notion was, ... and that in less than a years' time, this kind of life will have become my everyday reality.

Naturally, my host noticed my interest and soon arranged for Robin and me to visit a big cattle station near Charters Towers in North Queensland, which was managed by one of Larry's brothers – Russell. I was so excited! We were going to be able to experience life on a station about half the size of Switzerland, and a few thousand bullocks and a bull-breeding stud.
The plan was to buy a second-hand car, drive to Queensland, stay on the property for a week or so, and, while over there, in beautiful North Queensland, also see the Barrier Reef and the stunning beaches before returning back to home base. It was about 3 years later until we managed to see the reef and the Whitsunday Islands- life had other plans.
But as it so happened, with the weather being unpredictable during the wet season; parts of the country got lots of rain just a few days before Robin and I were about to leave. News about flooding in many parts were reported; essentially the only way from the Northern Territory into Queensland - the Barkly Highway – was said to be flooded for big stretches, and closed off for all traffic until further notice. This was so hard to grasp for me, there being only one way to travel ... I just couldn't imagine this. In any case, we didn't let a bit of weather dampen our spirits or change our plans. However, I was advised of some possible risks, and it was recommended that I leave Robin behind with my host family. We had become good friends in the three months of living together, they felt like family to us. In fact, by next year same time, they had actually become our family...
I knew Robin was safe, and felt that I was given an opportunity to recalibrate and heal. Robin also rather wanted to stay because he had just made best friends with the neighbor's kids, he didn't want to miss his playgroup meetings either, and he didn't like the idea of spending days in the car driving.
Well, needless to say; I didn't really know what I was getting myself into here ... but even with the wisdom of hindsight; I am pretty sure, that I would have done it anyway. And this turned out to be very fortunate... I was about to set out on a journey, one that would turn out to change my life forever in a very drastic but wonderful way!

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