Aussie Road Trip
Six-thousand-some-odd miles later and Tal and I have returned from our Aussie Road Trip. We’ve been traveling for over 2 months exploring the mountains, coast and outback of this ruggedly beautiful nation. There are many memories and highlights to choose from so I’ll just share a few:
Experiencing my first Koalas and Kangaroos!! The koalas were much more elusive than the kangaroos. I thought if I just looked up into the eucalyptus trees I would spot one sooner or later, but no such luck. We started to ask around and we soon enough we got a tip from a photographer that a place called Raymond Island was the place for spotting peaceful, slumbering koalas.
And so the next morning we set out to the island, cameras in tow and encountered the most sacred of places where koalas chew on eucalyptus all day long (while they’re not sleeping) and blink their little eyes at you and are just so utterly cute.
Crossing the desert for over a week including bush fires, flooded roads, and off-roading with our quasi-4WD. I felt like I was on some version of Survivor.. where they give you a car, but seriously you are out there and you may only see a handful of cars in a day of driving..it is so desolate, hot, and in some ways lifeless – picture tumble weed and dust. And then, you’ll find yourself at some incredible oasis and the experience of life is profound.
Sailing in the Whitsunday Islands and relaxing on pristine Whitehaven Beach. This was a little slice of heaven. Anyone who asks me where to go in Australia for a 2-week relaxing vacation–go there. We were able to do a bit of scuba diving, swim at pristine beaches, and spend 3 days sailing on the Whitsunday Magic.
Running from Coogee Beach to Bondi Beach in Sydney. This is an incredible run… you are literally running along the bluffs right at the edge of the sea. And you can “pop in” for a swim at either end. Bondi is the Sydney surf scene and it is spotted with surfers all waiting their chance for that perfect wave.
Exploring Melbourne including the Botanical Garden and The Australian Open. Melbourne is my favorite Australian city. It has a cultural pulse that resonates with me and it offers such a wide variety of arts and entertainment. For 2 weeks we lived within walking distance to the Botanical Gardens- if you ever get the chance this is a really special place with lush gardens, tall trees, incredible biodiversity…
Feeling a depth of love and gratitude for my loving partner Tal. Traveling with your partner offers time for learning more about each other (think- 6,000 miles of time 🙂 and the memories are priceless.
Thus far, the trip has been eye-opening and inspiring. I am enjoying my yoga practice and time to read, write, and reflect. I am grateful for every day. From Australia we head North to Thailand and then I will be studying Ayurveda in India until mid-June. This is an experience that I anticipate will deepen my yoga practice as well as my awareness of balanced nutrition and wellness.
