It has been a big decade. Perhaps one of the biggest in my life so far. I have a strong feeling the next decade will be even more eventful and life changing and radical. Well I certainly hope so anyway! There has been so much going on recently I don’t even know where to begin my expunging from! Trust me, I will find a spot.
I departed Darwin just after my birthday on December 9, somewhat reluctantly. I have really enjoyed living up there for the past 5 months and I have anticipated all my moving and fun and holidaying to fun places would be amazing, but annoyingly return the restless feeling that simmers on low for the majority of the time. Occasionally it picks up to a boil and then sometimes it boils and spits and hisses and demands my attention and change and a radical shift. And then what appears is an impulsive shift to another state or country. Boom. New chapter. Doing it. And mostly I love the cycle of change. It has so far in my short life brought me much happiness all this upheaval and moving about. Sure beats sitting around the same place gathering all that moss and dust and stuff. A chance encounter on the beach recently confirms I am not the only mad restless soul on the planet either! This moving thing is quite common, and if I dare to share with you all, quite bloody fun!
After landing in Perth it didn’t take me too long to make my first journey back to my favourite spot at the beach, Petes pool in Cottesloe. Whoever the hell Pete was, this is guaranteed my fave spot. And turns out, a fave of the other creatures of habit too as I ended up bumping into the same person about 5 times, so far. Funny how that happens, a chance encounter or fate? Today we engaged in a more lengthy conversation with his wife and son and it was all very enjoyable. They too lived abroad in many exotic locations, New York, London, Dubai, plus more, and spoke of many fun adventures, having lived a full and varied life. Speaking to other adventurous outgoing souls such as these, reassures me that I am on the right path. I am a seeker of delights and experiences and enjoy nothing more than discovering a new place, culture and meeting new people. Perhaps one day this may become more tiresome, but until then I intend to keep on exploring this big wide amazing planet.
I have just returned from a fantastic trip down south to Denmark and Walpole, about 5.5 hours south of Perth. An amazing lush sea side town, nestled in the heart of a massive dense tall straight limbed forest. Green, enriching, peaceful and so rejuvenating. One night I sat out under the star canopy indulging in the delight of their sparkles, just incredible. It always puts everything into perspective, we really are quite insignificant!
As I have done before I want to make a list of the cool stuff I have done this year, kind of like a reflection, gratitude for the past and all that I have achieved. Here goes:
- Amazing camping trip to Denmark and Walpole with friends (fresh in the memory bank!)
- Moved to live in Darwin.
- Swimming in waterfalls in Lichfield national park.
- Camping under the stars in Katherine with friends.
- Swimming in natural hot pools with my friend B at Mataranka and Katherine.
- Road tripping from Darwin to Adelaide in a camper van and stopping in Katherine, Tennant creek, Alice Springs, Coober pedy.
- Walking at Morialta Falls in Adelaide.
- Exploring multiple waterfalls outside of Brisbane with my lovely friends Chris and Jocy.
- Watching Sydney Dance company perform in Darwin.
- Attending so many great shows part of the Darwin festival.
- Hiking in Katherine Gorge.
- Attending so many art exhibitions in the past 6 months enjoying the inspiration of other artists.
- My daily art practise and the hundreds of works I have done this year.
- Giving up T.V. in the past 6 months and enjoying more outdoor time and more social time.
- Staying off alcohol for about 7 to 8 months of the year.
- Many road trips all over the Northern Territory exploring the beauty of the outback.
- Many dinners in fine restaurants with friends.
- Drinks in the pool in our bikinis with my bestie in Darwin!
- Making so many new friends in Darwin, from overseas and local Darwinians.
- Enjoying the graffiti art mural festival in Darwin.
- Going to so many great markets up in Darwin, Nightcliff and Mindil beach especially.
Okay 21 things is not bad but surely there are more things!??? BRAIN! Come on! Pretty cool list so far…
I thought that coming back to Perth would make me want to return to Darwin more, confirming my choice to live up there. But to be honest the opposite has happened. I have realised how great Perth is and how much I love it down south and how this is really my place and my home in the future. It is great to explore new places but it is good to come HOME. Being down in the bush of the south west, swimming in magical secluded beaches and tranquil fresh water rivers (without the risk of being killed by a crocodile) reminds me that this is my country. My long range plan is to move down to Denmark I think. It was just so great down there and really resonated with me as a potential future place to live. This could even be the location for my flower farm. Which does need to start happening this decade! I have decided!
First I have ambition to travel to Europe this year once again. I am thinking Spain, France, Germany, and Estonia. Plus add in lots of other cool cities like Prague and Budapest and explore as widely as my heart desires. Get my Europe feels on then come back to Australia and move down to Denmark! Hell yes! We will see. My plans change every 5 minutes but it sounds like a good intention to me! It will be great to go visit all my European friends and indulge in all the fun european experiences. Maybe I might even meet a hot Euro man and lure him back to Australia? One can only continue to dream!
In general I am feeling really good right now. I have had so much good fortune recently and have really learnt to trust and go with the flow on life way more in the past few months. I have been asking for help more and receiving it in abundance, people are so generous and helpful and kind, I really appreciate all my lovely friends who have helped me along recently, thank you so much if you are reading this. Especially over Christmas which can be a dicky time of year for many people, I must say my Christmas this year was incredible. I enjoyed the morning with friends at the beach then had an impromptu lunch with a couple of girlfriends, with some strawberry champagne and fresh fruit to start, a bit of a tradition for me! Followed by a really indulgent evening with a good friend of mine and her lovely family. It was all so heart warming and awesome. Then the next morning I packed and we drove down south to begin a fun and outdoorsy 4 day camping trip. So great!!
Soon I fly out to Adelaide for the second leg of my journey. Then its onto Brisbane and Sunshine coast before I fly back to Darwin around the end of January. I know before I know it I will be back in Darwin and reminiscing on my fun summer holidays. So I better keep making good memorable experiences!
I have also been doing a tonne of art. Continuing with my daily practise, I missed a few days recently with my camping trip but beside that I was on it. Flexing that creative muscle daily is really important to me now, and I plan to continue this great habit into 2020. I am preparing for my first art exhibition, where I will be contributing to a group show with a theme of Kitsch! A little tricky, but I do like a challenge.
Okay hope this finds you well wherever in the world you are! I love sharing my ideas and ramblings with you and I thank you for sticking by my side. I hope you have enjoyed my adventures so far, I can only warn you, there are many more wild adventures to come! My energy and light is accelerating and I am finding a renewed vigour once again, after an extended lull following the passing of my family. Only natural, and even though I think and talk about my parents still most days, I don’t feel the heaviness of grief that used to burden me so much. I am extremely motivated to push out, experience as much as possible and really jam in all the good stuff into my life. I want to feel full as a bull with abundant happiness and fall into bed satiated every night knowing I did as much as I could to make that day as awesome as possible. That is my continuing life goal. Make every day AWESOME!! On that note… I hope that offers some inspiration!
Until next time…
Anita xxx
Live Your Truth 
Hi Anita, Stephen old here from Warburton WA , am not a good storyteller ,but I still read all your blogs, and enjoy seeing what you are up too , keep going and you will one day find what you are looking for . Me , Same shit just another day , but every day I walk out my front door not knowing what I will be up for , and every second week it payday 😉
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Ohh hey Steve!!! I loved our backgammon sessions and still talk about them to friends all the time! Glad you are still enjoying my blog. I am always surprised who reads what I write as for me I enjoy the writing process and if it serves to entertain others then thats a bonus!! Hope all is well out in Warburton! Would love to come back one day! Happy 2020 to you my friend xx
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