The Journey Continues

I’m approaching three months in Australia which, when I realized, came as a bit more of a shock to me than I was expecting. On my previous trips out I’d be closing in on the journey home. This would have been one of those posts where I tell everyone how grateful I am to have met them and how fortunate I have been with my experiences. So far, so good but this time things have only just begun.

A Reflection

Complacency has crept in over the last few days, I’ve been for the most part incredibly lazy and have found myself almost unwilling to go out and simply enjoy being in the city, something which seemed so easy to do in the beginning. I wonder if this is perhaps because the honeymoon period is over and I’m starting to see Melbourne in it’s natural light without the rose-tint that comes with being a new arrival?

That may sound like I’m about to list all of the things that I’ve come to dislike about Melbourne but I’m not. That’s because there is so little to actually talk about in a negative way; yes, the weather has been less than perfect, the wind here in particular can be a nightmare. Beyond that though, could I really say anything bad about a city I’m happy to call home?

I think that is what has most to do with my drift into lethargy; I am settled here. When I first got here I would find that new places and experiences would throw me into retrograde; I can and have been excited about the shades of green I’ve seen. Alright, so maybe not so much a child-like state but more like a puppy, the first time they’re let outside (and every time after that as well). As my time here has drawn on, I’ve come to understand that it’s not all wonder and awe, I’ve got chores to do, bills to pay and things that I should seriously consider worrying about; my current state of employment being a prime example.

It was on leaving last week and my visit to the Great Ocean Road that reminded me of why I love travel; for the journey. Sitting on a bus as it winds along a beautiful coastline or a train as it rattles through open farmland. Call it my moment of Zen, when I’m in transit I feel like I’m at my most content. In becoming settled I’ve let that freedom slip away; it stopped feeling like a journey and I started to stagnate. In the end there’s no excuse for it, there’s so much happening in Melbourne all of the time. Even if I were short on options, the beach is less than an hour walk away or an even shorter tram ride. I have two of the cities best parks within comfortable walking distance from my house.

Even if I want to take a break and just let life happen around me, there are plenty of better places to do it than stretched out on the living room sofa. So on that note, I guess I had better get up and get out in some of that fine Australian sunshine!