Well Hello Everyone!
It’s been a while since I have had the chance to blog and I hope you have been enjoying our trip with us thus far. My name is Di and I am going to tell you a bit about where I have arrived at after three weeks on the walk.
It’s been a while since I have had the chance to blog and I hope you have been enjoying our trip with us thus far. My name is Di and I am going to tell you a bit about where I have arrived at after three weeks on the walk.
This walk began for me as a chance to take action for something I believed in. This took the shape in my abhorrence of uranium mining and all that that entails. This included the degradation of the land and the complete disregard for the people who have looked after the land for the thousands of years before white Europeans arrived. The real custodians of Australian soil.
I had also hoped that this walk would be a spiritual journey for me. Initially, this seemed to be an idealist wish with no basis, as I became caught up in the day to day tasks and ‘meetings’. I had thought to leave on several occasions as I felt nothing but tired and irritability with the process details of the walk combined with the energy depletion from the walking itself. Rising early to pack up the tent (to which I was unaccustomed), cleaning up and heading off, sometimes with little breakfast did not sit well with me.
However, I have realized since, that all of those challenges have provided for me a way to tap into the spirituality of the walk. I have become aware that I can take from this journey as much or as little as I want, and I can do it within the confines of duties by flexibly negotiating to secure my needs. This has been a real learning for me, and one that will stay with me always.
The other very important learning for me (amongst the many) has been my connection with the earth. I had rarely camped before coming on this walk. I did not know if I would like it or not, and there have been so many wonderful hosts offering us accommodation that camping has not been necessary very often. However, I find that I enjoy sleeping in my tent so much now, that I prefer to set up my tent than to sleep inside someone’s house. This fact has only recently come to light, and still surprises me somewhat. Yet, my sleep is so sound when I am on the ground, that my connection with the earth cannot be denied.
I began this blog to tell you about my rest day in Grafton, but as you can see, that did not eventuate. I did however, tell you about something that is and has been very important to me on this walk. I hope this has not bored you, but rather gives you some insight into my feelings during this time. I leave you now in good health and much love and wish you the same.
I had also hoped that this walk would be a spiritual journey for me. Initially, this seemed to be an idealist wish with no basis, as I became caught up in the day to day tasks and ‘meetings’. I had thought to leave on several occasions as I felt nothing but tired and irritability with the process details of the walk combined with the energy depletion from the walking itself. Rising early to pack up the tent (to which I was unaccustomed), cleaning up and heading off, sometimes with little breakfast did not sit well with me.
However, I have realized since, that all of those challenges have provided for me a way to tap into the spirituality of the walk. I have become aware that I can take from this journey as much or as little as I want, and I can do it within the confines of duties by flexibly negotiating to secure my needs. This has been a real learning for me, and one that will stay with me always.
The other very important learning for me (amongst the many) has been my connection with the earth. I had rarely camped before coming on this walk. I did not know if I would like it or not, and there have been so many wonderful hosts offering us accommodation that camping has not been necessary very often. However, I find that I enjoy sleeping in my tent so much now, that I prefer to set up my tent than to sleep inside someone’s house. This fact has only recently come to light, and still surprises me somewhat. Yet, my sleep is so sound when I am on the ground, that my connection with the earth cannot be denied.
I began this blog to tell you about my rest day in Grafton, but as you can see, that did not eventuate. I did however, tell you about something that is and has been very important to me on this walk. I hope this has not bored you, but rather gives you some insight into my feelings during this time. I leave you now in good health and much love and wish you the same.
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