gifts from the inland sea

When the first European explorers came through these parts, they were convinced they would find an inland sea. They weren't necessarily wrong, just eons too late. I've got the evidence to prove it.

The other day I was walking down a fabulous local path, a section of the Larapinta Trail from Flynn's Grave to Simpson's Gap, and stopped for some reflections using headSpa's "waystations" portable labyrinth flags. Following the suggestions on the flag, I drew a straight line on the ground, which happened to be rich, red sand in a clay pan off to one side of the trail. I thought of an issue I'm dealing with - the perrenial question in my life, "What's next?" I felt the distraction and tension of not knowing how to be here well and also not knowing what to do next.

One of the suggestions for reflections on the flag is to imagine the distance of the line as the distance between anxiety and acceptance of the situation simply as it is right now. You walk along the line to symbolize your willingess to let go of the stress and the desperate wish for things to be different and just accept the current reality. Well, it took me a few walks up and down the line, but I got to a more peaceful place eventually. At the moment I decided to stop walking, I looked down and saw a beautiful little white spiral shell, of all things, in the middle of the desert! Because I'm really drawn to the symbol of the spiral, and to the sea, I took this as a great affirmation that being in this place, in this reality, in this moment is okay. I am okay.

No, balloons were never part of my perfect day story

Waking up at 3:30 in the morning to cook and serve breakfast to guests of Outback Ballooning does not appear in any of my perfect day stories. And yet, somehow, it fits. Common themes across many versions of my perfect day include cooking for people, offering hospitality, a fun and festive atmosphere, getting up early (though 3:30 is stretching it a bit) and being outside in an amazing landscape. Boom – it’s all there with this new part-time job I just picked up. I rather doubt I would have given this job a second look if these things that matter to me and enrich my life weren’t on my radar, albeit in different form. The next time I write up a perfect day scenario it won’t have anything to do with balloons, either, but these themes will carry through. That’s the way my winds are blowing and, like a balloon, I can only fly with the wind.

Writing up the story of your perfect day is the main attraction of Journey Four in One Day: A Travel Guide.