131 - ON THE ROAD XVI

Nullarbor, before crossing to Western Australia

The funny thing is that when we decided on this route a lot of people looked at us strangely and asked us why we didn't do the usual one, the other way, that is, going to see the beaches along the pacific coast and that there was nothing to do in South and Western Australia and it was easier in a lot of ways for two women. Boy they were wrong. While we are sure it's gorgeous, we were dying to see the desert of the Nullarbor and the coast in WA; less people, less known, more of an adventure (as much of one that you can have nowadays). It was high summer, hot in ways I've never experienced, and more than a few people kind of scared us. 

We didn't shower for days, ate strange vegetable and pasta salads and peanut butter, sweated throughout the van seats, made the most horrible complaining noises when we got out of the van (it was like a slap of hot unbreathable air), drank gallons of water because we kept sweating like crazy, despite the AC (which we hated with a passion, but it was necessary), we had headaches that burned our eyes, and the impression that the dry gum trees were clawing a path to our brains… but we still think it's one of the best things we ever did. 

I still remember the woman we met on our first night with our new (and free!) van, in a camp site in Kimba, with whom we chatted for a while when she asked us what route we wanted to do and why… after hearing us, she smiled and said "good girls!". She knew we were going to love it. 

130 - ON THE ROAD XV

Somewhere in the Nullarbor 

You wake up, it's like 5 in the morning and open the doors to the desert... And I can assure that this is the usual way I wake up, what with being quite blind and taking the first two pictures without my glasses. 

129 - ON THE ROAD XIV

Taking a train in Oz was fantastic, there was this whole ritual around it, with a lot of explanations that, well, seemed pretty obvious to me, until I realized that a lot of people in there just use cars and trains are a pensioners trip… we were among the youngest in the carriage.

It was even more interesting because: a. the heat wave made the driver reduce the speed up to a crawl for fear of fires (and sparks because of the friction), one of the worst things that can happen there and b. a tree had fallen in the tracks… let me repeat, a tree had fallen in the tracks. I almost expected Ned Kelly to appear and rob us, it was hilarious. 

The Overland (2014)

128 - ON THE ROAD XIII

Sometimes, you read this things that made sense in your head and you actually think you understand them, until something happens, someone you love like a brother gets sick and, in your heart, you know that we are really just passing through, that life really happens while you make plans for other things. 

I have my ticket for London for december, I have a room waiting for me and I know a few people in the city. I'm scared of the cliff but I'm going to jump, he's been teaching me that, jump, don't worry about the landing, it's going to happen anyway, one way or another, so, why worry? just give it your all while in flying. 

(my new tumblr, where I'm trying to mix my two blogs in one)

Looking for the Erskine Falls (2014)

127 - ON THE ROAD XII

I'm late at posting a lot of things that I wanted to post, life around here has taken a turn for the strange and I feel a bit not-focused, my everything is all around. 

I've opened a tumblr account (HERE) to spruce things a bit, and I've also changed the layout here, something with which I'm never quite satisfied. 

Great Ocean Road (2014)