I got back to Montana on the afternoon of the 9th. Never have I been more glad to see Helena and to see and smell Montana springtime. And here I am again, back where I started, just four months later.
Mostly out of habit from writing so many lab reports, I can't let this go without some sort of conclusion. So what have I gotten out of this little adventure, other than fierce and justified hatreds for carnies and snow peas?
A summary:
- Australia is hot, can be both very dry and very wet, and is massive
- Australian ranches are unfathomably large, Brahman cattle are ornery, and cheap wire stretchers aren't to be trusted or used hastily
- Australia has lots and lots of dangerous critters
- The reputation carnies have is completely true and deserved
- Oz really does have nice beaches
- There's got to be a better way to plant strawberries
- Melbourne is one of my favorite cities anywhere
- Aussies use terrible grammar
- The English are excellent fun
In all seriousness, I'm not yet certain just what I've learned from this trip. It wasn't the easiest four months of my life, and was honestly quite stressful. My impression of the place is a bit mixed: it is unbelievably expensive, yet it is possible to make money there, with the right frame of mind and enough time. There's lots to see there, lots. Too much maybe. And there's a lot of country to see it in. I certainly felt overwhelmed by it.
Perhaps the most intriguing theory I developed about the place is that it may be what America once was to the rest of the world. Many of the travelers I met there, whether they were Asian or European, were there because Australia offered them a better chance than their home countries did, even if it wasn't a permanent move. When asked about America, they often said they wanted to go or had tried, but couldn't get visas. To some, Oz was indeed the Land of Opportunity. To me, it wasn't. I am happy to return to America, God bless it.
I might go back, and I stress the 'might'. There's a lot there I didn't see, but there always is; you can't ever see it all. I know I won't go on another trip like this one. Seeing new places is fun and all, but this wide-open, ridiculous four months of homelessness and dodgy employment was enough. I've no idea where I'll go next, but I most likely won't be traveling much for awhile.
I may have griped a lot about the scoundrels Larry and I tangled with in Australia, but I never could have given enough thanks to the truly great people we had the luck of meeting and getting to know. These included, and hopefully I don't forget any, Jeff and Leanne Ihle and their kids Ryan, Austin, and Morgan; Sue Muir, her kids, and her brother Bob; Elise Pike (our landlord in Wamuran) and her neighborly parents Greg and Cathy; Rosie Timmins, her parents Michael and Heather, and her brothers Sam and Josh; and Phil McCarroll, Sheridan Overton, and her daughter Matilda. This trip was made easier in untold amounts by their generosity and friendship. Hopefully, someday, I will be able to return their kindnesses.
It also meant a great deal to me to have so many people back home that supported me, offered advice, or just wondered where the hell I was. You all meant more to me, especially in the tough moments, than I can put into writing, and I sincerely thank you.
Lastly, but probably most important, I need to thank Mr Larry Lee, my open-minded and ever-optimistic comrade through the last four months. They say you only get to know somebody after you've lived with them, but backpacking with someone goes to a whole new level. I met Larry about ten years ago, and we lived together in two houses over three stretches of time, adding up to two-and-a-half years, so we knew each other quite well before we left. You certainly learn new things about people when traveling together, no matter how well you know them. Nonetheless, considering everything Larry put up with on this trip, from me and from the scoundrels, I can't think of a better person with which to go to the far end of the world. Thanks for everything buddy.
