The Adventure Begins: Our Senior Aussie Gap Year

A faint silhouette of trees and scrawly scrub land spread across the dimly lit soft moonlit horizon. The air was soothingly fresh. Gazing out through the tent window, it was hard to comprehend the contrast to the harshness of the previous day’s unwavering heat.

The horizon slowly started to transform to a lighter orange. A short reprieve for what again lay ahead once the sun fully returned to take command.

Thankfully however, the nearby waterholes would welcome us back. Providing relief from the parched barren plot of dirt National Parks somehow classified a campsite.

But that’s the magical wonder of this harsh land. Where the never ending barrenness suddenly reveals an unexpected oasis. Here, an amazing and impressive palm tree lined massive span of cool refreshing billabong lake of water.

We’d been on the road for now three weeks spending time with family. But it was our first night in our a newly set up camping rig. Up until now, we had all the look of being on an adventure. Our custom mounted tent on the back of our four while drive ute. Plus a carefully organized array of camping equipment that conveniently slid in and out of the back tray. Improvements and tweaking to the rig seemed like a never ending task. So it become a standing joke whether we would ever get to experience it.

Our time had however arrived. Millstream National Park, half way been Tom Price and Karratha in outback Western Australia. The milder part of the year had now well given way to the searing summer heat ahead.

Daybreak was now not far away. Apart from the distant drone of the iron ore locomotives that continued throughout the night, the stillness of the night was now being aroused by an orchestra of birds cheerily chirping in the new day. The horizon had now deepened into a richer orange glaze. As dawn continued to set in, so too were the midgies and mosquitoes. Scouring the outside of the tent mesh salivating at their thought of a meal that lay within.

It’s a strange quirk of human nature we take ourselves from the familiarity and comfort of our relatively spacious homes, to the exact opposite to take on the challenge of surviving the red dust, dirt, flies and heat.

I have a saying. If it feels uncomfortable, you need to do it. The most rewarding experiences await you. Let the adventure begin! Our Senior Aussie Gap Year…. yaaay!

Thanks for joining us on our journey. I look forward to sharing our experiences with you and what we learn along the way.

PS… there’s hot and there’s hot. My son and his family travelled out to join us at Millstream National Park for the weekend. They drove into the campground and with the scorching heat of the day, took one look and drove straight out. We followed them to where the view from our tent now says it all…!! 🙂

(click above to view all photos)

4 comments On The Adventure Begins: Our Senior Aussie Gap Year

  • Chris, That was a surprise are you on another senior gap year in Aussie….

    • Yes Phil. Like many of us, Covid has kept us home, and in our case within WA but really looking forward to our Aussie Gap Year. We have such a great country….

  • Hi Chris
    Great to that your on the road again
    How long do you intend being away and if you make Newcastle
    Please give us a bell
    Good luck and stay safe
    John

    • Thanks John. Would look forward to that. At the moment we’re covid border confined to WA but hopefully that may change soon?? In the mean time at least WA is a big state!

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