There were a few other factors that played a part in me quitting my corporate job and travelling Australia to learn about camels as a sustainable form of transportation.
A few months before I quit, and probably the event that made me first start questioning my life, was a separation from my partner at the time. We were compatible as best mates only, so we organised for him to take off and travel Asia for his next life adventure. Our ending was bittersweet, I was so happy for him, but was also left feeling lost, lonely, envious and unfulfilled in life.
I advertised for a housemate to help combat the loneliness and ended up living with one of my ex’s friends he’d met at Uni. Living with Sheree was the start of another wonderful divinely guided new life direction. We’d talk for hours, make amazing delicious healthy food, inspire each other at every turn, and started experimenting with a range of different homemade personal care products.
This is when I transitioned to making my own toothpaste. We also stopped washing our hair to see if the natural oils would eventually stabilise, resulting in us having non-washed clean hair all the time. Tip: it didn’t work for us! In fact, just before I left to travel Australia I decided to start from scratch and shaved my head so it could grow back naturally, without washing. Tip: it still didn’t work! But that’s some serious dedication right?!
I resigned from my job, with the echo of ‘you’ll be back’ from my work colleagues. I knew I wouldn’t. The lure of money wasn’t strong enough in my life. I was in the pursuit of happiness and balance, AND to make a difference in the world.
I rented my house, packed up my car and hit the road. Rusty and I were on the adventure of a lifetime.
We travelled Australia for 2 years, which included living and working in remote locations, catching camels from the wild, working as a cameleer in Alice Springs & Uluru, and meeting spectacular people from all walks of life. My love for camels became part of my blood & soul, changing my life forever.
I eventually returned to Perth to build a Gypsy Wagon with my Dad. My original plan was to return to Perth for 3 months and then tow my wagon back to Alice Springs, where I’d left my 2 semi trained camels I’d caught from the wild. Rusty and I would then cruise around the desert for a while, living in the wagon pulled by the camels, whilst we lived the simple nomadic life.
I’d chose travelling with camels and wagons, over using pack saddles, as Rusty was getting on in life and I wanted her to be able to come with me, walking big distances wasn’t an option for her anymore.
Building the wagon took longer than I had anticipated and during that time I met a range of great camel people in Perth. I was given 2 trained camels – an amazing gift – that I thought would make my trekking dreams achievable much sooner. Rusty also transitioned from her body just as we finished building the wagon.
I had returned to Perth in January of 2012 but life had taken a different direction than I had planned when I first arrived. I never returned to Central Australia. The Universe had different plans for me and, for now, my Australian travelling adventures were over.
**Photo: Me and Ned during a sunset camel tour overlooking Uluru
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