Where the wild things are…
Since August last year, we've been living life on the road, chasing new horizons, wild landscapes, and a different pace of living.
It's been a beautiful, challenging, and unforgettable journey.
Some of our favourite places so far have been the Flinders Ranges in South Australia, the Great Nullarbor of South Australia. the turquoise waters of Esperance, the forests and coastline of Denmark in Western Australia, and most recently, Karijini National Park.
We also absolutely loved exploring Central Australia. The West MacDonnell Ranges around Alice Springs were a real highlight, and the whole loop through Alice Springs, Uluru, and Kings Canyon showcased some of the most iconic and breathtaking landscapes we've seen. One of the most surprising adventures was venturing deep into Palm Valley, where ancient palm trees thrive in a valley right in the middle of the desert. Along the way, we spotted camels wandering the outback, a dingo or two, and an incredible variety of birdlife that made every stop feel special.
Karijini felt different.
For the first time in a long while, it felt like we truly slowed down.
For weeks, our days revolved around swimming in crystal-clear freshwater gorges, watching the water grow colder as winter approached. We weren't rushing to the next destination, taking endless photos, or trying to keep up with social media while balancing work. We simply existed in the landscape.
Esperance and Denmark gifted us some incredible snorkelling adventures. While we didn't spot a huge amount of marine life there, the WA coastline surprised us later when we explored the blowholes and discovered schools of fish and even an octopus hiding amongst the rocks.
Not every part of the journey has gone to plan.
We had a close encounter with a cyclone while staying in Exmouth and were forced to evacuate. We ended up bunkering down in the small mining town of Pannawonica for 36 hours while the weather passed through. Thankfully, the cyclone brought a welcome cool change before the Pilbara heat returned in full force.
The road has also tested us in other ways.
Our intercooler hose blew out, one of our brand-new tyres found a screw, and a rebounding stone from the caravan shattered our rear windscreen on a dirt road heading into Karijini. That little mishap turned into a six-hour round trip just to find someone who could replace it.
But that's life on the road.
The breakdowns, detours, unexpected challenges, and moments of wonder all become part of the story.
As much as we've travelled thousands of kilometres, what stays with me most isn't the distance covered. It's the feeling of cold water after a hot day, quiet mornings in remote places, and the reminder that sometimes the greatest gift is simply slowing down enough to be present.
