Leaving Mount Magnet and its rock formations at around 4pm, we set off along Great Northern Hwy, travelling south for our last overnight stop for this trip. Our Captain Andrei, a very adventurous and courageous man, decided to change my plans and drove 30 km off the highway on a dirt road just to spend a night in complete wildness. The place we were heading was supposed to be Corner Camp (30 or so km off Paynes Find). It wasn’t sign posted (or, perhaps, we took a wrong turn?) and when we arrived, it was total darkness. Driving through the bushes, we navigated our way to a secluded place where we settled for the night. Potato and freshly made bread prepared in Aboriginal way in the charcoal was our meal for the night. Only the stars and warmth of the burning fire were our companions that evening.
Upon waking up in the morning and getting out of caravan (with only 6 degrees inside), I went for a little walk. It is there, among bushes, far away from civilization, I stood and listened to complete silence. Not a single sound interrupted it – neither bird, nor man, nor wind. Only Silence. It was full, indescribable and completely fulfilling. Merging into the Silence, I realised that it was worth driving 30km off the road to experience and absorb it.
Leaving a place in a better condition than you found it means taking rubbish with you, burning organic waste, extinguishing the fire and burying the traces. Kids learn along the way and take active part in the process.
Learning how to start a car when the battery is dead is a must when you travel in the bush on isolated roads. Being self-sufficient, relying on your own skills and knowledge coupled with Trust in Life and Creator is the key not only to survival in harsh environment. It is what turns survival into adventure and enjoyment of the process along the way.
