what a teeny tiny world

In mid 2006 I spent a fabulous week at a tiny, secluded Turkish beach called Rainbow Valley.

It was a highlight of my year traveling. 

I spent the whole week totally shut off from the rest of the world, hanging out with a group of about 10 backpackers from across the world who were working there for free rent and board (tents on the beach and delicious Turkish buffet). 

One of these people was Daniella, a 19 year old Mexican buddhist and a beautiful, lovely girl whose covers of Joni Mitchell and 'Blackbird' would silence the whole rowdy crew.  She is the only Mexican I have ever met and whilst we have kept in touch via sporadic emails, I never knew exactly where she was.

Fast forward to this week in January 2008. 

Erica moves to Mexico, population around 109 million.

Erica goes out one night and meets a lovely mexican who says, in an offhand manner, "oh you are Australian...do you know a girl by the name of [insert my name here]"

Now I know where Daniella is. She is in Puebla, and attending university with Erica. 

small. fekking. world. 

I love it. 

music: a folky instrumental covers of Metallica

mood: ready to lie down in bed under the window, listening to the rain ahhh

Answers

The recurring question:

Why the hell do I live here?

The answer:

Because of my backyard!

Last night, with a hangover having well and truly invaded and violently settled in my noggin, I went camping. 

14 great people. 3 cars. 1.5hours drive (hangover + motion sickness + motion = sickness). a quick dip in a waterhole and then we were there. We ate, we set up camp, we set alarms, we slept.

We got up at 3am and climbed for 3 hours to get this sunrise view:

 View from Mt Sonder

I can't remember how to rotate an image. This is Bec and some of the mighty crew on the summit. 

A des on a ledge

Not wheat. Flies slept on these til the sun rose...then they moved to us.

We finished the 16km round trip by 9am. It was very weird to be up at that time on a public holiday and to have scaled one of the largest mountains in central Aus before breakfast. 

With shaky legs and sweaty everythings we got back in the cars and went to another waterhole. I swam in my clothes then spent the trip home with my pants off. 

THAT is why I live in the middle of nowhere. 

mood: happy. tired. full.

music: 'Africa', Sub Audible Hum cover 

a new blog!

a new space.

a new dedication to telling stories.

and showing pictures.

and admitting things.

and thinking outside the box.

a new place to fill with tidbits, rants and observations, half-cooked ideas, simmering suppositions and pieces of my day, rather than shitloads of photos of drunk people you don't know and don;t care about.

Though of course the important ones will visit from time to time. 

A space beyond the realms of FB, where virtual postcards and notes come from me to you for the price of fish. No wait, for free. 

a new blog!

mood: lettuce

music: Howling Bells and Damien Rice