"One sleep to go!" Thats the universal cry from the kids as they get ready for bed in their bedroom. Or whats left of their bedroom. The house is packed up. We are packed up - into 4 big bags, ready for our 3 month adventure into outback Australia.
We've had varying responses - "jealous", "can we come?" or "you're paving the way." But also "you're crazy," "sounds like my worst nightmare" or "whaddya want to do a silly bloody thing like that for?" was probably my favourite. It doesn't really matter what others think of course. Its been a bucket list trip for Tony and I since before kids (always to do one day with kids), so we are just so excited its actually here. Of course, 3 months is a wee bit shorter than the original 12 month "big lap" we wanted to do but this way we get to enjoy another term carrying on the adventure next year ... and maybe the year after too. Depending on whether the kids keep up with their school work of course.
Barefoot Kiwis ... lets get one thing straight. We are NOT going barefoot round Australia. Apparently thats a thing for backpackers in Asia now? Who knew? Certainly not me when I chose this name. I had a blog years ago called barefootthroughasia.blog.co.nz. I looked it up not so long ago but it had long gone and in its place were all these silly buggers living out their dream of going barefoot like the locals in Asia! Good on them - I get the analogy, but I will firmly have jandals on my feet in Oz!
We will be living out our own dreams though. Adventuring. Exploration and discovery, always in my blood. Solid quality time with the family. Little technology, little to no people where we will often be going, just spending time with each other. For better and sometimes I'm sure - for worse! Time. Reflection and development on whats important in life. Nature. Wildlife. Self subsistence with our little Trackabout camper. Sustainability. Conservation. Being environmentally aware of our surroundings. Thats what our "Barefoot" refers to. A type of freedom. Like a foot, thats been freed from the confines of a shoe. We are shaking off the confines of our 4 walls, our material possessions (beyond our bags and our camper anyway). The confines of school, work. The confines of commitment - extra curricular activities, itineraries, meetings, schedules. Barefoot - just for a while. Enough to reset. Bring it on!
