Unprecedented. Who would have ever thought it would come to this.
We were making our way south, waiting at the tee junction to get back onto the great northern highway. We wondered if there had been a sudden evacuation warning further north. Caravan after caravan after caravan streamed past one after another until eventually we could finally join the convoy.
Roadhouses were more like a staging ground for the scores of caravans refueling and regrouping before continuing on the next stage of their journey. Trucks, a mere minority.
Further south, as sunset drew nearer, an endless line of caravans are perched along the full length of the ocean cliff edge. It looked more like a first world refugee camp.
You could be excused for thinking we are actually living through a pandemic. Unprecedented times.
With the endless train of caravans, I couldn’t help draw parallels with a book I just read, The Last Green Valley. Here too there was an endless caravan train. Except the scene was near the end of World War II. Refugees in horse drawn wagons, were fleeing west, caught between the retreating German Nazis and the advancing Soviets.
The stories of unimaginable hardship, starvation to the point of death, sheer desperation, cruelty, yet for those who chose, an unwavering vision of a better life.
While this was only a generation ago in our parent’s time, unfortunately such misaligned human created hardship is playing out at this very time in the likes of Afghanistan.
But if there’s one message that stood out from the book, it was gratitude, being grateful for what we have, no matter how small…
“…Don’t chew on the bad things that happen to you…. Try to see the beauty in every cruelty. It sets you free. Forgive hurt if you want to heal a broken heart. Try to be grateful for every setback or tragedy, because by living through them, you become stronger….” – Mark T. Sullivan, ‘The Last Green Valley’
While parts of our country are enduring lockdowns and many are doing it tough, its fair to say out here you could be excused for thinking we are actually living through a pandemic.
Regardless of where we sit, its often easy to find fault and complain.
But when we pause to reflect on what we have and more so the freedom we enjoy, we are indeed so lucky and fortunate with so much to be grateful for.
How lucky are we all to be part of this unique moment in history. Our borders may be shut, but how fortunate are we to have the opportunity to explore our unique country, right here in our very own back yard.
And to do it in such comfort in all our well appointed, often luxurious caravans…. though there are some of us who have opted for slightly less space at the cost of luxury.
We’ve loved the simplicity of tenting, then the added convenience of a roof top tent, but let me share with you a lesser known style of camping we have recently discovered. It’s one that offers full four wheel drive flexibility and adventure, but with an excellent level of comfort. We love it…. exploring our amazing back yard has never been more exciting! Check out the video below….