Australia.. What can i say.. Well, I've seen the sun rise and set on the north, south, east and west.
I've encountered strange and wonderful creatures of colours, shapes and sizes I never thought existed.
Been to city's, tropical rainforests, outback deserts, mountainous regions and sea shores which held so much beauty. Words truly, cannot paint a picture accurate enough to articulate the outstanding scenery available to anyone who is lucky enough to visit this remarkable, diverse and picturese country.

All of this I expected, not exactly, but to a certain extent, I knew upon embarking on this journey I would encounter such things.

What I did not know or expect to encounter, were the diverse nationalities, characteristics, habits, points of view, strengths, weaknesses, story's, genuine kindness and kinship other people have displayed along the way which at times left me utterly speechless.

The above can also go the other way.
I've seen beautifull landscapes disrespected by litter and waste, natural disasters wreck and ruin the life's of thousands. People subjecting each other to public humiliation i never thought of or wish to ever see again. Proving to me people can still be unbalanced towards themselves or habitat under the stress and strain life can throw at us even in a country with such wealth, power and opportunities.

It's not what happens along the journey it's how we deal with it.

I suppose one of the greatest things I had to overcome was the fact it wasn't the smooth ride I was expecting. Leaving the uk and deciding to venture into the unknown with no job prospects and next to no money was a huge effort. I was under the impression of glamorous beaches, cheap weed, party's till the sun rose, unlimited amounts of fresh food, drink and somehow a self sustained life. Sustaining a lifestyle remotely similar to the cushy existence I had back home was a real task. The effort came when arriving in a new town or state, constantly on the move, I would usually have limited funds because of the lifestyle I was chasing and being on the hunt for work made it tricky. The uncertainty of knowing where your next pay check would come from was something you had to put to the back of your mind, as making friends along the way and continuing with the trip was a task in itself not taking into consideration that looming certainty that at some point those dollars are going to run out.
But the lesson here is not about money, cheap bud or beer.

I suppose the main lesson in this runs between the lines of kinship and the act of attachment, for example I found when life became too easy I wanted to stay but inside I knew that it was time too move on. Leaving the people you built connections with was one of the hardest, as a backpacker you meet so many great people and in time you will depart from the temporary lives you build, it's always sudden and final, unless a special relationship is formed and even when you actively attempt to meet each other sometimes it's only possible for a short amount of time due to previous commitments. The fact of the matter is you are likely never to see that person again. They become digital, another "friend" on Facebook or pen pall which in time each will change and move on in their lives. But you always remember people for the kind or unkind acts you experienced.

Ive learnt to appreciate my surrounds wherever I am, whoever I'm with, appreciating people no matter their intentions as each person has the ability to teach something. Inside I've experienced my own weaknesses, strengths, desires and aspirations.. And I can tell someone's nationality from a mile away just by their body language gives out. But considering all this there is still a huge amount of learning to do, places to go and experiences to have. By no means have i quenched my thirst for travelling this vast playground.

All of which has been a real, first hand experiance which no one can replicate or truly appreciate as much as I do.

So for now I'd like to give thanks to everyone, who has made a difference to my year and a half trip, good or bad you have all been apart of it and all made the experiance meaningfull and unique one to remember for the rest of my life. All my friends and family at home who in their own ways have given support, encouraging to continue reaching for that dream.