It’s always good to learn something new about yourself… I think.
On our recent holiday I learned I don’t like not being in control.
To be honest I knew this already…
I’m not a total control freak… but I do like to have some grip on what’s happening!
I’m a very organised person and generally when we plan trips away it’s on our time…
We know the destination, or any day trips we have planned – and then we just enjoy the journey.
Anything that intrigues us, makes us laugh or grabs our attention along the way… we stop and take a look.
But it’s all within ‘the plan’.
Our recent holiday included a six-day, fully organised trip of a lifetime… to celebrate my upcoming 60th and our retirement.
Our guide was fantastic, as was the whole trip… but after day one I almost felt like I hadn’t been able to breathe…
Or at least catch my breath!
We were picked up at 7am…
Morning tea was at Lake Bumbunga… (about half an hour).
Lunch was at Ticklebelly Hill in Saltia… (maybe 45 minutes).
We had a short stop in Quorn… (approx 40 minutes).
A quick stop to look at the abundant and colourful wildflowers… (10 minutes)
We whizzeed past the stunning Flinders Ranges…
Another quick stop in the historic town of Beltana… (20 minutes)
Before arriving in Leigh Creek (about 5.30pm) for dinner (at 6pm – no time to shower) and the night…!
As I wrote my journal after dinner I realised I was more describing what we had seen and done, rather than reflecting on it.
The second day was very similar…
An early start… a couple of short stops to look briefly around historic towns… before hitting the Oodnadatta track.
So many things were pointed out to us… but we didn’t stop as we had so much ground to cover…
There were many attempted photos from the bus… some hit, many did not…
Finally we reached Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre for our first encounter with this wonder, and to grab some lunch.
This was the first time I think I stopped – mentally – to take it all in.
Afterall, the Lake was the main purpose of the trip.
Not only is it in flood… but the whole region has had so much rain – the land is the greenest it’s been in many, many years.
It was stunning. Huge. Breathtaking.
I stopped and took some deep breaths.
Later that day we flew to the Painted Hills…
This was when I discovered I could really just stop, look, see… and drink it in.
Over the next two days we had a number of flights over the Lake…
And again, this was the time I could take for myself to be fully mindful of where I was, and what I was seeing.
The deserts…
The rivers and creeks of the Channel Country feeding into the Lake…
The pelicans…
The Eyre Peninsular…
The Goyder Lagoon…
Stunning.
Don’t get me wrong, the trip was everything – and more than – I’d hoped for…
It was really well planned… but with so much distance to cover, so much to see…
You could easily just drift from one thing to another, without really taking anything in.
Fortunately I realised this early on… and made the effort to be present with each amazing moment.
What a huge privilege to witness these wonders of nature.
An absolute dream come true.
Even if I wasn’t in ‘control’ of the trip… I could be in control of where I placed my attention.
Breathe it all in…
Knowing these memories will stay with me forever.
Ann 🙏