A Whole New World? Come On This Isn't Aladdin
A Whole New World? Come On, This Isn't Aladdin! -
The trip would have been brutal if it wasn’t for “Teddy”, my MP3 player. Praise the Lord for long lasting batteries. By long lasting, I mean FOUR DAYS. Dad drove me to Sydney Airport and we caught a plane. We got off the plane and got onto a train. We got off the train and got onto a boat. We got off the boat and got on to a rocket! That’s right, a rocket! … Not really, just wanted to make sure you were paying attention. Back to where I was, we got off the boat and there was a car waiting, Dad drove for about 6 hours.
I was falling into another sleep, when suddenly the car came to a halt. I felt a strong pair of hands shaking me softly. ‘Bec, wake up.’
I opened my eyes and my stomach literally sunk. I realised we were here. It was written all over my Dads face. I could feel my tears welling up, this couldn’t be happening.
My Father got out of the car and walked to the boot. I followed him and watched as he grabbed my pack. It had some extra clothes, some food, a lot of water, a sleeping bag and a one man tent. It was heaps light as you can imagine. Such a delight to carry, oh please can I carry it all the time.
He passed me the pack and helped it on to my shoulders, he looked at me longingly and gave me a bear hug. I held him as tight as I could and cried and cried and cried. After a while he pulled away, kissed my forehead and said ‘Be safe, kiddo.’
Thanks Dad, for that wonderful advice.
‘Oh,’ he continued, I looked at him hopeful ‘Here is your map,’ he said, passing me the map ‘I have circled where you are and where you need to be. Please get there before dark.’
He almost forgot to give me the MAP and I was thinking that he could help?! Man, I’ve overestimated my family.
‘Thanks Dad, I’ll try my hardest.’
The next thing, he was gone. I looked at my watch, it was 1pm. I sighed and took out the map. Luckily I knew how to read maps, and luckily I went against my parents wishes and brought a compass. I pulled it out of my pocket and orientated the map. If I was correct, I had about 5 kilometers to walk, pretty much on flat ground, on a path. Synch. I’d be there in no time.
Three hours later I realised how wrong I was. It was more like 10 kilometres and where I thought I was walking on along the ridge, I was more walking up and down the face of the hill. I considered ditching the path a few times but decided against it.
I sat down, deciding I should eat. I grabbed a sandwich from my bag and just started eating, I couldn’t even tell you what was in it. My feet were killing me, I was terribly homesick and my MP3 player battery had died about an hour ago. I begun to cry as there was nothing else to do.
After about 15 minutes I stopped crying. I felt a little better actually. I placed my pack back on my back and continued the walk. I figured it makes more sense to just keep walking and get over the pain quicker, than crying about it and sleeping in the middle of no where.
As I was walking I thought of everything. How stupid this is, how I didn’t know where I was going, all my friends at home who I hadn’t even told I was leaving. I know that was wrong, not tell them, but if I told them it would make it real. Obviously it is real though and I should have just told them.
I walked for two more hours. It was beginning to get dark and I was beginning to freak out. Suddenly a voice came from behind me, ‘You look a little lost?’
I was falling into another sleep, when suddenly the car came to a halt. I felt a strong pair of hands shaking me softly. ‘Bec, wake up.’
I opened my eyes and my stomach literally sunk. I realised we were here. It was written all over my Dads face. I could feel my tears welling up, this couldn’t be happening.
My Father got out of the car and walked to the boot. I followed him and watched as he grabbed my pack. It had some extra clothes, some food, a lot of water, a sleeping bag and a one man tent. It was heaps light as you can imagine. Such a delight to carry, oh please can I carry it all the time.
He passed me the pack and helped it on to my shoulders, he looked at me longingly and gave me a bear hug. I held him as tight as I could and cried and cried and cried. After a while he pulled away, kissed my forehead and said ‘Be safe, kiddo.’
Thanks Dad, for that wonderful advice.
‘Oh,’ he continued, I looked at him hopeful ‘Here is your map,’ he said, passing me the map ‘I have circled where you are and where you need to be. Please get there before dark.’
He almost forgot to give me the MAP and I was thinking that he could help?! Man, I’ve overestimated my family.
‘Thanks Dad, I’ll try my hardest.’
The next thing, he was gone. I looked at my watch, it was 1pm. I sighed and took out the map. Luckily I knew how to read maps, and luckily I went against my parents wishes and brought a compass. I pulled it out of my pocket and orientated the map. If I was correct, I had about 5 kilometers to walk, pretty much on flat ground, on a path. Synch. I’d be there in no time.
Three hours later I realised how wrong I was. It was more like 10 kilometres and where I thought I was walking on along the ridge, I was more walking up and down the face of the hill. I considered ditching the path a few times but decided against it.
I sat down, deciding I should eat. I grabbed a sandwich from my bag and just started eating, I couldn’t even tell you what was in it. My feet were killing me, I was terribly homesick and my MP3 player battery had died about an hour ago. I begun to cry as there was nothing else to do.
After about 15 minutes I stopped crying. I felt a little better actually. I placed my pack back on my back and continued the walk. I figured it makes more sense to just keep walking and get over the pain quicker, than crying about it and sleeping in the middle of no where.
As I was walking I thought of everything. How stupid this is, how I didn’t know where I was going, all my friends at home who I hadn’t even told I was leaving. I know that was wrong, not tell them, but if I told them it would make it real. Obviously it is real though and I should have just told them.
I walked for two more hours. It was beginning to get dark and I was beginning to freak out. Suddenly a voice came from behind me, ‘You look a little lost?’