The Journey
Immerse yourself in this land of the resourceful; these are survivors, who walk the track with purpose, and whose daily task turns to only moving forward, seeking shade and water. The worries of a previous life gone, and a new life rising within.Those who walk are reborn. You are tasting the land, giving over to its glories and challenges, breathing the hot winds of a time standing still. This is your land, your history and your future, changing your life and your perspective.
This journey is your journey. This journey is for the mumblers and grumblers. This will get you real. This will give you grit. This track is for the tired, the weak, the stumblers along life's weary paths. If you are old, sore, find yourself complaining about the price of milk, the noisy neighbour or another ad on TV, this is where you need to get. This is where your current existence ends and your new life begins.
You explore, you achieve, you overcome.
Larapinta is a life changer. This is the land of the tough and resilient. Bloody oath it is.
"If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together" - African ProverbThis journey took me from dead to alive.
I left for the track not bothered about whether I would return. My aim was to walk for 1 day... then the next day... then see if I could walk another day. Five years earlier an illness had left me struggling to walk and generally get around without excessive fatigue, cramping, weakness and pain. This illness went on for another four and a half years.
My expectations about being able to complete this Larapinta journey were not low, they were non-existent. I had planned and packed food drops for 16 days just in case, and organised a Satellite phone so I could call out at any time, but I was only at Larapinta to walk for a day. Then the next day. Then maybe the next day. I collected my first food drop on day four... maybe I could make it through the next section. So on the struggle went until I realised that it was possible I may reach the end. And it was so.
"They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall rise up on wings like the eagle and soar. They shall run and not grow weary, they shall walk and never faint" Isaiah 40:31I had ended up at Larapinta solo, by default. Life had left me solo. There is an African saying that "If you want to walk fast, walk alone. If you want to walk far, walk together". I guessed I'd be walking fast.
My mind, I figured, could handle any adversity compared to past experiences already lived through, and this proved true. The track procured endless days of pain, although most of if being physical. As I suffered the numbing weight of carrying days of water and many days food in 38 degC heat, through burnt acacia badlands and boulder clad ridges, I remembered that this physical pain was nothing compared to emotional pains previously suffered and ovecome, and it made me strong. Very strong. I was strong to endure. If I was able to take a step forward, I'd be taking that step. My journey to wellness had been long and slow, with years of small gains and major setbacks, then after a sudden period of grief my vitality changed and I started to get well. My slow lingering sicknesses had turned to fast detrimental sickness, but then brought with it fast healing as a parting gift.
My training was slow and punishing. At first I could only stand on my cross-trainer for 30 seconds, which then progressed to a minute and a half. Walking, I was only able to make it to the end of my driveway and back... then the end of my street and back. The 5kms to my friend's house that I'd set as my goal for the year seemed unreachable. But slowly, in training I was able to walk 1km, then 5km, then 8kms up bush track. Then eventually I was able to walk for 2 days in a row, 17kms of hill trail each day, totalling 34kms... how far could I go?
This is how far.... Larapinta Trail
West to East
233kms in 16 days
Unsupported.
Solo.
