Friday 23rd July 2004 - Day 313/365 - Perth, Western Australia to Kalbarri, Western Australia.

Am I looking forward to coming home.

I was asked yesterday if I'm looking forward to coming home.  The truth is it doesn't frighten me.  I've had an absolutely sensational year.  It's been a million times better than I could ever have imagined.  I feel a bit a row boat on a pond.  "Come in no 29 your time is up."  This year I've confronted and defeated so many of my fears.  There's no doubt in my mind that this is the year in which I have developed more as a person than in any other.  I'm also realistic enough to know that it can't go on forever.   I also know that if I hate it, I can always leave again.

I'm looking forward to watching a game of football at Calthorpe Park, having a beer and a game of pool in the Links and continuing the relationships with the friends that I've found over this year.  I now know how important friends can be.  I'm exciting about taking on the challenges that I've set for myself when I get back, like a new job, studying for a degree, running the marathon and taking my coaching course.  I'll write more about my goals as I get closer to home.

That's how I see my blog developing.  I can set my goals and track how I get on in achieving them.

I watched Charmed for the first time ever last night, well the beginning of it anyway.  It's nice to hear that they use a Smiths tune as the theme, even if they have mutilated it.

Also on the travel show the Getaway they had a guy who was touring around Britain.  It made me smile.  Only we can be that mad.  We live in a wonderful country, there's just too many of us and too little of it.

On another tour today.  This time a 4 day return to Monkey Mia.  We saw some wild Emu on the road up to Nambung National Park.  The National park is home to the Pinnacles.  They were formed 300 million years ago when they were part of the ocean be.   Eventually the waters receded and the crust was covered with vegetation which cracked the crust in search of water.  The vegetation was then destroyed in a bush fire and now leave the pinnacles.  Basically now it's a desert with lots of phallic looking rocks.  They were made famous when Billy Connelly ran naked round them during his tour of Oz.  I remained fully clothed, it was bloody chilly.

At this stage I am utterly bored with Traveller conversation.  If I have to say "well I've been away for 10 months now.  I spent 4.5 months in North America, 2 weeks in Hawaii, 1 week in Fiji, 2 months in NZ and now 3 months in Oz.  I'm off to South East Asia for 6 weeks now, before flying home to face reality." 1 more time, then I think I might do something very naughty.  Today I've given everyone the short shrift, trying to ignore them and read my book.  Of course it may have something to do with the fact that I haven't had a drink in 2 days.

My mood got better when we partook in a spot of sandboarding.  You know the drill, find a sand dune, walk to the top, sit on a wooden board, slide down said dune and fall off at the end.  Good fun, except for the walking back up the dune bit.

We spent the night in a hostel in Kalbarri, which is good, because I don't think I could face anymore cold mornings in the outdoors.