Yes I stole the title from Tolkien and Bilbo Baggins – but it’s a great title and I’m just borrowing it for a bit.
As I sit in Perth airport (free wifi yay!) waiting for the first of the three flights that will ultimately bring me home I find that time has somehow been warped. On one hand it seems like yesterday that I left and touched down in Darwin. On the other hand it feels like at least half a year ago that I left; I have seen and experienced so much and traveled tens of thousands of kilometers and it feels like it must be a really long time ago. I tend to remember most things like they were yesterday (memories don’t really fade for me) so that makes it even more confusing! Time or at least the perception of time is a very funny thing.
There and Back Again.
‘There’. The ‘There’ part was fantastic and really was everything I had hoped for. I had an absolutely brilliant 70 days of traveling and photography. I did all the stuff I had planned and much more and was so lucky to get some unique experiences like the Flemming’s Hawk Dreaming Tour. I worked hard as a photog and generally got the photos I planned and feel I got quite a few good ones. I experienced so many things and met so many funny people. I flew in helicopters, I walked the rainforest, I walked the desert, I climbed gorges and mountains, I saw snakes, crocs, lizards, roos, bugs and not to mention mosquitoes up close, I saw spectacular landscape and aboriginal art in Hawk Dreaming very few others have seen, chased the sun, chased thunderstorms, slept in bush camps with kangaroos jumping around, watched Humpback whales…attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion (no wait that wasn’t me). Yes – the ‘There’ part was fantastic!
‘Back again’. On the very first page of my Moleskine trip diary under 21st of August I wrote “A new beginning” – it still is! (It’s still bad writing as well but never mind). Sitting here I feel great, tired, but great, and I am ready for the ‘Back Again’ part and the next “new beginning”. 70 days of full on traveling and photography and I now need a pit-stop. Can’t wait to see family and friends, and get home to lovely Copenhagen and actually have a home again. Can’t wait to get to work on all my photos and see them on print. Can’t wait to ride my bicycle. Can’t wait for some proper coffee! (my favourite drink is Coffee and I’m fairly sick of the freeze-dried instant crap!). I’m ready to go home – but probably ready to go again after a pit-stop and when Winter kicks in! 🙂
As I leave Australia many moments from the trip flicker randomly on my internal plasma screen and I know the memories will last forever and it is just goodbye for a little while. As the sun sets on this trip it’s only fitting I end with a picture of my beloved magical Red Centre desert and the very last sun rays hitting Uluru on a warm peaceful afternoon. I will continue to post about Australia though, still have lot’s of things to show and tell you! So enjoy this for now, see ya soon!
One Comment on “There and Back Again”
I'm so excited to have discovered your work…Can I just say that your photographs and blogs clearly depict the diverse landscape and culture of my own country. It's such a thrill to know that Autralia has been captured by your mind, soul and camera!
Enjoy exploring more of the beautiful place 🙂