What to do on a 2000km drive
from watery east to earthy west
Thanks everyone for being here and welcome to Stephanie J and Joanna S who have recently joined us. Thank you for becoming an invested Vanlifers Steph and Joanna. We really appreciate you xx
I’M LEARNING AS I GO ALONG
I thought the Nullarbor was inland, up around Perth and that it headed east. I felt an eye roll from a friend when I text her that… like I should have known it. And don’t worry… I eye rolled myself too. But we’re all good, because Tachi didn’t mind one little bit.
We left Geelong via Werribee to say farewell to Nicole and the gang at Rosie’s Hospice of Compassion. Nicole named one of her gorgeous rescues after moi :). Isn’t she a sweetheart! There’s a whole gang of these beautiful creatures. People are amazing, especially this human… Rosie's Hospice of Compassion
THE NULLARBOR
I could drive the Nullarbor all day! I’m sure I’m a truckie in another timeline. The road is perfection (apart from the human waste that made me gag and I learned not to let Tachi out for a stretch without a lead on), no potholes or constant road repairs, no swerving to avoid anything, not even roadkill, I was told the majority of animals stay inland where the imaginary Nullarbor Plain runs). Just a meticulous road that takes you slightly inland and then coastal with spectacular views, for about 1200km, stretching from Ceduna, SA to Norseman, WA. Listening to the truckies on the CB and inevitably letting them know that I’ll slow down for them to overtake, was our entertainment.
When we were on the Hamilton Highway, leaving Geelong, Victoria, there were warning signs saying “Road Hazard”, slow to 40, 60, 80km. I kept waiting for the actual hazard on the road but it turned out that the actual road was the hazard! So my awe for the Nullarbor is like no other road I’ve travelled on (yet :)
The potential for anything you can imagine, anything you have never even thought of yet, already exists. It’s our focus that determines our moment to moment and the outcome we create.
There’s nothing here but a roadhouse. Six hundred kilometres west is the closest township. There’s no potable (drinkable) water to top up with because of water shortages and that continues until we arrive at Norseman, WA. There’s the option to buy bottled water at the roadhouses. I think my training over the past year at having quick, efficient showers has been preparing me for this.
Apart from vehicles, we’ve seen 4 pushbikes, 6 motorbikes, 3 people walking and 1 man, walking with a wheelchair. That one man and his wheelchair was Billy Whiston from Derbyshire in the UK, walking to raise funds for Australia Wheelchair Walk for MND. Cheers to you Billy! @whistys-world on insta.
The plaque reads: CREATURES OF DENSITY
“What we in the linear would call the Nullarbor is largely consistent with the long-ago homeland of the Tehachapi, the great road building culture of Kcymaerxthaere. Indeed, this highway here follows an ancient Tehaehapic sphaltway . Their land was also home to agogatlous, creatures of density living utterly below the surface. No visual; no form; no metabolism: the loyal agogatlous were indistinguishable from the earth and rock they co-existed in – but for an intense density that let them exert a strong, if localised, gravitation. They helped the Tehachapi greatly, moving everything from heavy construction equipment to the famed wheeled orchestras, easily pulling them along the surface from below.” (Discover Kcymaerxthaere Rezhn: Estrelliia) - pronounced “Ky-mair-icks-theer”
Kcymaerxthaere - the story so far
In the middle of the Nullarbor sits this plaque. It’s part of a story telling project and reflects our inner quest to see the world through fresh eyes. There are 133 hirtorical markers/plaques located in 27 countries on six continents created by Eames Demetrios. I love things like this - it stretches my fields of awareness beyond the beyond.
ONE STOP AT A TIME - THAT’S ALL WE PLAN
Our first stop was in Panmure just outside of Warrnambool, Victoria. We love RV friendly towns (if that’s not obvious yet :). Then on to Port MacDonnell (South of Mt Gambier) in South Australia where we found a little nook among the dunes, at 8 Mile Creek.
I got chatting to a lady at the local cafe at Port MacDonnell and after a little bit, she mentioned that she had spent the morning googling tarot readers. Long story short, I offered her a reading. Tachi and I drove to her place. We sat on her back patio let the cards tell her what guidance she needed. It was fabulous! It’s those little moments that mean the world to me.
We stayed at 8 Mile Creek for a few days and then onto Narrung, then Mannum, SA and then rolled into a park up on the Murray at Port Broughton where we had to catch the ferry across to the town (for coffee :)
Next up was Kimba - the half way mark across Australia. A busy little town with the school holidays kicking in. Here we parked next to a chap, who was on his way to Kalgoorlie to do some prospecting. He gave me a tip about a park up just outside of Penong so we drove for 5-6 hours the following day. We arrived, took one look at the corrugated road, turned around and found a van park in town near the windmill museum. We did a much needed load of washing so it was win in the end :)
Then onto Head of the Bight where I felt we were being watched… listened to… I pulled a card and it was saying yes. There were fences and signs “No Trespassing” on either side of the free camp. There was a gate that was locked so you couldn’t go down to the cliffs where the view platform was. This area was where they did
A sign at the Head of the Bight, where the fencing surrounded us: (not verbatim) “From ancient times Iriti Mulapa, Ooldea was a traditional gathering place for we Anangu, (Aboriginal people of the Australian Western Desert). It’s waters never failed, and it’s where many different related mobs joined. Then the railway line was laid and Daisy Bates came… then the Missionaries. Then the government took it over for the Woomera Long Range Weapons testing and later for the British Nuclear tests.”… This is only a snippet of the information on this area.
I read Archie Roache’s book (Thanks Jill Shelton) “Tell me why”. Please read it.
Next was Mundrabilla Roadhouse camp for a few nights where we met the staff who are all overseas travellers. Then read about the UFO stories in the area. That makes sense :)
Our favourite stop on the Nullarbor was the Mundrabilla Roadhouse where we parked for a few nights. We got to chat to the staff. The Roadhouse is owned by a family who own a station surrounding the roadhouse. It was one of the first established sheep stations established on the Nullarbor Plain. The sister of the owners works there, along with international travellers. They all have stories to share about where they have come from and where to next. They have to do remote work to get a working visa. One was telling me that there is a 90yo lady that they speak to. She lives “down the road” and swims in the Indian Ocean every day. Even though they warn of dangers etc. And she still lives on her own.
My Brother in law and his son are travelling a similar loop and when I look at their travel pics, I realise how opposite we are in our travels. We’re not sightseeing, we do stop at dog friendly outdoor places, but not like a holiday. We find a place to park, we go for a walk, we chat to a local and they inevitably give us a tip about where to go or what to do next. And the Info centres are pretty good too. I do some work, readings, writing, etc and then we find the next park up. And we love it :)
THE CARDS
Every day I pull cards and have been doing readings consistently. The internet signal once we left Victoria has been incredible. I reakon Jacinta Allen forgot to pay the Telstra bill and that’s why I’m constantly calling Telstra for help in Vic. In SA and WA… not a problem.
Meg and I have completed all 78 cards and we are up to the printing quotes. I’m dragging the chain and still writing the little white book :), but that’s going to be a simple little story line of the cards, not a big fancy book. Not at this stage anyway.
You might choose one or see all three as a story to find meaning in…
Ace of Wands: The initial stages. There is an exaggerated energy searching for it’s way out of you to find a place to create from. Like a sun’s ray that catches your eye and shifts your focus. This energetic feeling is inspiring to you and may also be something that inspires other.s But you won’t know that until you take up your wand and say Oooga Boooga!! The Wand represents the “I” the Initiation of your self as an energy, not a physical being.
2 Pentacles: Life can be a juggling act and getting up, doing to work, doing what you love even, can become time consuming and chasing the next action to take, the next job on the list, the next bill to pay, the next interaction that takes you to the next one. Somewhere in the middle is the magick spot. It’s where the mind find’s the empty space to allow the message from Source to be heard. If you know how to juggle, you will know what it’s like to find that ‘nothing space’. When you stop thinking of how you need to throw, catch and watch and you just allow and then it all just flows. Remember to stop and listen. Otherwise you find yourself just keeping busy for busy’s sake.
8 Wands: Are those rods coming in to land? Or, are they taking flight, to sour into the sky? It depends on how you see it. And only you have access to your flow state. Freedom lives in this card. The freedom to come and go as you please. The freedom to create and not allow an opinion to saturate your fire. The eights are guided by the Strength card. To access your flow state is to know intimately your inner nature. This card is seeking movement and time away from the comfortable knowing. You might even find yourself taking an unplanned trip or taking yourself on an experience that you have never done before. “Don’t be afraid of your freedom!”
Love,
Tania and Tachi xx
WOW!! Now, that's living the life.
Awesome pics Tania. And Tachi looks fit and well, and very very happy!
Thank you for sharing your incredible trip Tania & Tachi! What an wonderful adventure! Safe travels and can't wait to connect with you soon <3 <3 <3