30C outside, 24C in the shade, perfectly cool but not cold breeze, just the sound of leaves rustling, and I have the place to myself for 1 hour while everyone goes out for an appointment. A moment of bliss… There are times where I’ve started missing the familiarity of Melbourne but in this moment I am definitely not missing it
😎😎😎
…maybe this raises the option of getting custody of butters…
But I’m not going to be happy until I get a butters update.
I got through a morning of chatting and lunch, and after a bunch of bombshell comments on other family members and various political opinions it’s now time to hibernate for a bit. Sadly my campervan is absolutely boiling but I’ve cracked open a window to see if that helps. I should’ve brought my real summer clothes like those Uniqlo cool tech things, not t-shirts 🫠 30°C and the sun is biting!
Today is mostly do-nothing day, tomorrow I’ll go see the rock art and maybe a bit of town, Saturday more town stuff and stocking up, Sunday I’m heading off for 3 nights at Karijini with enough supplies I hope…
Oh dude I wished I could spend more time in that area. I only got to visit the skywalk and nature’s window but then had to keep going up to make it to the Karratha area in time. Going back down to Perth via the inland route but I’m definitely going to revisit the Murchison River and Kalbarri area again, would love to do some hikes in the cooler months
Arrived at my northern WA destination yesterday afternoon, thank goodness the nights are cool so I could sleep in my campervan. Lovely to be with family but my socialising meter is at zero and I was honestly pooped after all that driving. Although this van has been very comfortable to drive…
Things are a bit intense with this part of the family atm as well - pregnancy hormones, grandparents clashing with the kids, grandparents don’t even like each other, someone has a bad cold… I’m going to make sure I build in enough me time to recover.
Idk why as I’ve gotten older I seem to be becoming more of an introvert; I came out west to stop being so alone but I guess I’ve gotten so used to my own company that being social truly requires more effort.
E: that’s a lot of negativity though. There is so much beauty in the landscape, and it’s so radically different to anything in Victoria. It seems like old school neighbourhood vibes still survive in parts over here, too. So far…
It’s going to be nice and toasty around Karratha, even brought my sandals along!
Thanks!! Yes I did get two tins of baked beans (and two tins of mixed beans to mix in with … stuff. Worst case I can relive my uni days and just eat a tin of mixed beans with this seasoning mix I bought.) My aunt insists she will ply me with boxes of noodles and carrot/celery sticks etc for the first couple of days which is incredibly lovely of her. But I also feel like a child 😂
Oh damn I didn’t think of instant ramen. Always a handy idea. I’ve had a lot of them ol nissin Kyushu black ones when travelling. I think I’ll be ok with what I have though, will be a bit short on time tm morning and goddammit everything is more expensive in Perth it feels like. At least for those without the mining money…
Tomorrow I start my drive up north and while I’ll be in a campervan with a little gas stove and staying at caravan parks for the most part, it’s been so long that I kind of struggled to think about what easy dinners I could make. Couscous and some sauce it’ll be, and some soup packets. It feels a lot harder doing it for one person as it really doesn’t feel worth doing prep and cleaning, most times I’ve been with others and at least there’s some fun to be had roasting potatoes and what have you. This is just going to be bare basics… Probably nice for a change, really.
Wish I’d brought my aeropress though. Just to be that Melburnian out west
My aunt’s house has the most delicious … citrus tree (not sure what hybrid - tastes like a sweet lime, soft peelable orange skin, probably a Rangpur) and I’m having one of those suckers almost every day with hot water and honey and it’s just 🤌 straight up helth
If there was a way to delete sky news remotely from foxtel packages I would love to get my hands on it (it’s only my manchild dickhead boorish fucktwat of an uncle who watches it - absolutely nobody other than his wife will genuinely care when he dies). (but sadly I could not time this visit for when he would be away)
they’re the sorts who always go “oh, I LOVE trees and nature! but…”
and inevitably you can complete the sentence in your head
On the one hand, it’s great to feel useful and to be doing stuff for family.
On the other, I totally forgot how easily drained I can get by being around loud people all the time. @_@
As much as I want to wean myself off screens, I am also glad I brought my devices…
Arrived in WA and seemingly brought shitty weather with me but because of the rain, it’s quite warm! I dusted off my Switch after goodness knows how long and played The Gardens Between for most of the flight. Really cute local game though a bit overdone on the 80s nostalgia/Japan theming with the cutscenes… still very beautifully designed, ingenious puzzles - nothing too hard but they scratch your brain in just the right way that makes you feel like an ingenious kid again. So in that regard, top marks for really giving puzzles a feeling and a narrative.
Well, time to get myself out of this shed of a terminal and enjoy a nice meal and a good night’s sleep. 😴
Somehow, I completely neglected to put “wallet” on my packing list and had pretty much left the building to get into the uber before I remembered in a panic at the last possible second. Thank fuck, given that I’m renting a car in WA in about a week and would need my physical driver’s licence most likely. Although, worst case I could’ve gotten my friend (who has keys to my place) to express post it over but anyway, crisis averted.
I’m sure I’ll remember some other thing I wanted to take over and forgot about, but it’s too late now! 😎 I have the most important things and clothes to suit every damn weather condition so I’m set. Off to try and be a human again…
Argh yes the periodic changeover of providers… That’s top of the list of Admin Shit I’ll Sort Out Once I’m Several Thousand Kilometres Away From It All. I actually like my current provider and will be using basically no energy until 6 Sep but I know I won’t have the headspace to think about it when I get back, and why pay more per day for just connection rates?
Frogurts are banned in this weather. Cursed or otherwise… (that’s good)
We could all do with a defrost after recent conditions. Even for work it’ll be nice to get a bit of warmth!! Enjoy!
'sup everyone I’m back from my travels and back at work today before another conference. Absolutely loved my road trip and the sun and nature and helping out the family I care about. Nice to feel connected and part of something bigger. Life back in Melbourne feels awfully lonely in comparison. No closer to working out what I want to do with my life, but definitely a renewed conviction to get out there in nature and refill the tank more often. I do want to spend less time on the phone and more time being in life, with all its bumps and warts. Feels like having to detox or going to rehab because the urge to retreat into one’s phone is so strong, coming back here…